Old Hunters Lodge in Central Bedfordshire

Just had the most delicious lunch. We had steak and ale pie, fish and chips followed by fudge brownie and blackberry/apple crumble. Staff all friendly, clean and tidy and great value. My only gripe is having dogs walking past as I’m eating indoors, I’ve never agreed with dogs in a restaurant especially if they’re halfway through a walk and been near other animals and what other animals leave behind. Not against dogs in a pub just not where people are eating. Other than that we had a great time.

Wonderful experience. Easy to make booking. Warm welcome on arrival. Tables are well spaced and log fire is a nice touch. Service is superb and food was hot, tasty and everyone’s meal served at same time. Great work. Keep it up. Will definitely be back.

Located just 2 minutes down the road from Whipsnade Zoo, Old Hunters Lodge was an absolute gem of a find for us after spending the day at the Zoo. My Fianceè and I had travelled over from Essex to spend a day at the zoo and didn't really fancy the drive back after the long day, so a few days prior I found OHL online and booked to stay the night after reading through many great reviews they already have. Upon arrival we had a warm welcome from a lady behind the bar who booked us in and took us up to our room. Cute little room with a view of the garden, not too small but large enough for us for the night. The bed was super comfy, en suite bathroom had a shower/bath and a lovely collection of small toiletries for our stay. We freshened up and headed down for dinner where our waitress (apologies for not taking her name) was more than accomodating enough throughout our meal. The food was incredible and portion sizes were very generous. I had the chicken liver and pancetta pâtè to start and 8oz fillet steak for main, whilst my Fianceè had the deep fried brie for starters and the 10oz Ribeye for main, both steaks cooked to perfection. During our meal I was just looking around the cute aesthetics of the restaurant/bar area as it had been decorated for Halloween, when John (One of the owners) noticed and came over to ask if everything was okay. We just explained we were just having a nosey around and admiring the decor! We then got into a conversation about all of the different flavours of gin we could see all neatly displayed behind the bar area and had a lovely chat with him before our food arrived! We had set an alarm this morning to get up for breakfast which is served from 07:30 - 09:30 and included in the price of our stay, however the bed was so comfy we decided that an extra couple of hours lie in was preferred over breakfast so unfortunately we didn't get to try it! However, I'm sure it would have been just as excellent as our dinner the night before. Looks like we'll just have to book another stay to find out! :) Jamie & Lorna

Thank you so much Megan! Absolute Gem! So professional yet so friendly. Nothing was too much trouble. We were very needy with allergies and add ons and taking away from our meal choices. You were so efficient and always kept us topped up with drinks and any requests we had. Thank you so much!

Our family of 11, 6 adults and 5 children visited here yesterday for the first time. What a great find. We'd booked beforehand and chosen from a wide ranging family friendly Sunday menu. Nothing disappointed. The premises, food, chef and atmosphere was all first class. But the real bonus is the staff. Our waitress had character, a wonderful sense of humour and knowledge. The guy who seemed to be running the place, whether he be owner or manager set the perfect example and hence his staff followed suite. Fully recommend this place and booking in advance. We shall certainly be back.

Always a great meal and great service A fantastic English country pub. We normally visit for a fantastic Sunday lunch and are never disappointed.

Four of us had delicious meals here at lunch time. Lovely pub/restaurant, good service and we all enjoyed our meals, the pie was excellent as was the fish, the chicken and the ham. Highly recommended.

Yet again a beautiful meal We eat here regularly and the food has always been excellent The owners and waiting staff are brilliant nothing is too much trouble If your anywhere near it please go in you won’t be disappointed Mick and Irene Brown (Leighton Buzzard)

Overnight stay breakfast included. Booked dinner also. Excellent service and food, huge portions. Very attentive , friendly staff. Room immaculately clean and very tastefully decorated. Tea,coffee etc available bottom of stairs or bar when open. No way the present owners won’t succeed. Helpful, charming, and obviously enjoy what they have achieved.

What a super find this Inn is. We stayed 2 nights and our room was excellent. Tea and coffee although not in the room was located nearby or in the bar if required. Water given also. We ate there both nights and could not fault meals we had. Portion size amazing. No room for sweets unfortunately. Plenty of choice for breakfast which again was cooked to order for a full English with cereals and lighter breakfasts if required. All the staff were so friendly and spent time talking to guests. Would stay again without hesitation. Also plenty of car parking spaces

After 40 years of visiting the zoo finally decided to visit. The cheese ploughman's was very good. Excellent cheese and salad. Bread did not look very rustic, but sliced wholemeal so fine. Tables a little bit to close for my liking. Confused about the discretionary service charge, a previous post has cleared this for me. Clean, pleasant staff. I will return.

A large party of 18 of us were here to celebrate my parents 60th wedding anniversary on Saturday evening. From start to finish the evening was fabulous! To begin with we were given a large seating area in the bar area whilst waiting for other family members to arrive to enjoy some pre dinner drinks which was very much appreciated. Once seated the staff were very friendly and attentive. The food was excellent and the portions very generous. Considering the large number of diners every dish was perfect. The manager even came to see us on a couple of occasions to check everything was to our satisfaction. All in all a great time was had by everyone! Big thank you to everyone at the Old Hunter’s Lodge for making it a perfect evening and a memorable occasion for us all. Would highly recommend!

Very handy for Whipsnade Zoo. Comfortable room, very good affordable pub grub in the evening, very generous portions. Breakfast was excellent, clearly quality ingredients. Nice gardens to sit in for a drink too. John and Louise were friendly hosts

I visited on Sunday 12th May with my family for my 70th birthday. There were 12 of us, we pre-ordered as we were a large group. The food was excellent and the staff very attentive and helpful. Thanks to Louise, John and all of the wonderful staff for a very relaxing time.

What's there to say for a 10/10 stay. Fabulous staff service, food, and room. Cannot recommend highly enough. The property has an amazing history, the rooms have been tastefully updated and all have ensuites with lovely toiletries. One of the most luxurious beds I've stayed in. A great range of alcohol at reasonable prices. The food was delicious and big serves. Breakfast was included.

A young lady welcomed us to our seats. We had booked for a table of 8, bank holiday Monday with two dogs. Our host was very efficient in taking our drinks orders in a timely manner. Excellent customer service and lovely and friendly. Some of our party had starters. All the food was a great standard. Generous portions. We will definitely be back. The pub is very accommodating of dogs which is why we chose it. Gorgeous location. Louise and John were both very courteous and keen to make sure everyone in our party was happy with their order. Fabulous service. Thank you - we will be back to meet Red!

Arrived for lunch the first person to greet us was waitress Megan who was adorable and made a great first impression .Son arranged a party in function room which was perfect , buffet was the best I’ve seen. Stayed the night in a lovely room and served a much needed full breakfast. Would highly recommended thank you Louise , John and staff.

Great home made food , large portions Sunday lunch is fantastic Cosy pub has a fire However during the week we were rushed , informed can u order we close ordering by 7 we were unaware Times are different on various sites Our booking was for 6:30 , our friend was ten mins late as she drove down from Leicester We didn’t feel we cd stay and chat a while As soon as we left the door was bolted behind us … Staff were friendly apart from this issue Plus the do offer blue light discounts

late booking sunday lunch was a absolute unbelivable we eat out often and i right lots of reviews for the good and the bad this one is in my top 3 of over the top value for great food great will be going back very soon special thank you to the cat girl she knows who she is great waietress thank you

Lovely 90 th party for my mum , we hired the hall out the back , which was great size and had its own toilet , lovely buffet hot food , amazing day

My friend and I enjoyed an excellent Sunday roast today. Generous portions and very well cooked, especially the vegetables. Finished off with a delicious crumble. Very reasonable cost at £25 each including a glass of wine. Will definitely be back again.

Food was good, wide selection of drinks, friendly service with a proper menu would return. Nice looking garden probably nice in the summer.

Lovely country location So cosy with a massive fire in one of the dining rooms One dining room was small a little dark & a little cold but still worth it Food was great with a good menu Many choices for starters , main & sweets Staff great Have not been for a few years much improvement I will return soon

A very welcoming pub/restaurant. Good choice of pub food well prepared and good choice of beers. The owners John and Louise made you very welcome. Waiting staff polite and attentive. Excellent location close to beautiful Bedfordshire countryside. We will definitely visit again.

Difficult, under the circumstances, to give a star rating. A reunion between brother and sister who had not met before was arranged here on the good reviews of location and food quality . The apprehension of the situation was resolved on meeting, and the emotions of the situation were soon eased between all attending,as a long awaited reunion was emotional and actually heart warming Our table was booked for 7pm. By 9.15pm.......we were told that the venue was closing. We were asked to finish our drinks and leave,as staff member stated when no other customers in venue,they could shut up and go home. Food was lovely, I have no issues with the chef. Disgusted with the glares of staff,who obviously didn't want to serve us anymore,and treated us disrespectfully with eye rolls and glares. It was 9.15pm. Will not return.a very rushed, disgraceful service from staff. Such a shame. A beautiful venue,wonderful food. An evening totally ruined by staff desperate to be home early with no respect to customers........

We held our wedding reception at the venue and it was the perfect day, the food was amazing and so much of it. Although ours was a small group there were enough staff to look after us and nothing was too much trouble. We would definitely recommend the Old Hunters Lodge

Visited for Sunday lunch. Looked at the table beside us and roast dinner looked good...so opted for that. Unfortunately we got something different. They had obvs run out of a lot of options so....only choice was chicken, OK! Veg was all boil in a bag. Not good. Bland. Tasteless. Roasties were hard and burnt. Stuffing was Aunt Bessie's frozen stuffing balls. Not great.. and no brocoli cheese, which we had spied on the table beside. Disappointing to say the least. At nearly £20 a plate...could do better!

Went for dinner with three friends, food arrived cold. When we drew this to the attention of management he was hostile/ aggressive towards us. Following this our service was unfriendly and we were left feeling very awkward/ sadden by the whole experience. When the food came back to us it was barely warm and not particularly good. We will not be returning as there are much better pubs locally.

I met friends for lunch and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience. There was a good range of food available on the menu, including the specials, none of which felt over priced. I had a lovely Ploughmans, which came with a huge amount of salad to accompany it. The service was friendly, efficient and polite. I'll definitely make sure I go back next time I'm in the area.

Called in while passing for a quick drink. Great selection of beers. Decided to eat as well and selected the venison burger, one of the nicest burgers I have ever had, definitely recommended!!

What a great stay, lovely quaint hotel with such friendly staff and owners. Sat in the garden for dinner which was outstanding, recommend you don't have a starter as the mains were huge and delicious (as was the starter). Stayed over for one night, lovely room. Breakfast was freshly cooked and delicious. Will definitely come back of down this way again.

We stayed for one night. Our room was tastefully decorated and very clean. The bathroom was also clean, tidy and had plenty of towels and toiletries. The pub and gardens were lovely and welcoming. We had a cooked breakfast before leaving which was freshly cooked and very tasty. The owners and staff were very friendly and helpful.

The food was spot on, had the burger which was delicious! The staff were so lovely, it was nice to be served by someone who actually acted like they were happy to be there. The staff literally made this trip, bonus the food was lush too!

A group of us went for afternoon tea, It was absolutely delicious, the table looked lovely, the selection was very good and Louise really looked after us if we wanted and more of anything we only had to ask and it was there. We enjoyed...

Just got back from a lovely break (for 2nights) with our family. The location is perfect for Whipsnade Zoo (1 min drive or 15 min walk). The pub itself was lovely with friendly staff and John & Louise were great hosts making us feel very...

Big thank you to John & Louise for making our Easter Sunday family lunch a very enjoyable experience. The staff are so friendly and very well trained and nothing is too much trouble. The food was lovely, well cooked and well presented. Catering for a...

This is a lovely place to stay - excellent staff, cosy but small room, small en suite, very good breakfast and a comfy area to sit. There is a good bar as well. Would recommend as a bed and breakfast.

Very rude lady owner. Made to feel vey uncomfortable. Live locally but most locals now avoid due to rude waiting staff, poor service and lack of thought or interest in allergies. Even though asked in advance if they cater for this. If you go in...

This used to be such a beautiful old English pub it had such a beautiful interior that you would to expect from the exterior. For such a beautiful setting of a pub the interior felt very clinical. Food was good, over priced for what you...

Decided to give this pub a try again and was very pleasantly suprised a warm welcome from the management very attentive amd friendly staff as always front of house John took time out to welcome us and also lovley to see hands on with the...

Another visit to this little gem. A lovely venue on Whipsnade Common. The food is excellent, whether you want 3 courses or just a sandwich, (the prawn sarnie is to die for) the quality and presentation is absolutely great. Add to this, good service, the...

7 of us came here yesterday for lunch, it was brilliant from start to finish. Food was amazing and so nice to have proper home cooked food. When we arrived at the car park was full which was a good sign, in spite of them...

Excelent local beer, very good meal. Lovely atmospher. Grate place to ear and rest. Nice stop in my trip.

Had a Saturday afternoon meal here with family. It’s not often you can give top marks and come away saying “we would do that again” and recommend a place without hesitation. John and Louise (the hosts) have turned the OHL into a very welcoming restaurant/pub....

Went for a bit of food and a drink tonight, service from John, Louise, Megan and Rachel was spot on, then the food came out and it was perfect, we would highly recommend as nothing was to much trouble, the team out the front had...

I just have to say what a wonderful Sunday lunch today. We came for the whitebait and boy did we get whitebait! So much of it we couldn't finish our main meal. Had to take some home as not letting it go to waste. I...

Disappointing food and service. Decided to give it another try after a rubbish meal last year but I won't go again.

Just come back from a really great relaxing New Year’s Day late lunch - shared a starter then had freshly cooked Fish and Chips washed down with a couple of glasses of Sauvignon Blanc. Lovely friendly service - thank you Hunters Lodge you all deserve...

Had family coming to visit from London today and was looking for somewhere locally to take them, I’ve been to old hunters lodge in the past and have always had ok meals and service, however I have not been for about three years now but...

Visited with my family and both the food and service was outstanding. Every course we ordered was delicious and you could tell the ingredients were made from good quilt ingredients. The staff were warm and welcoming. We will recommend and book again for sure.

Myself and my husband was going home to Ibiza have been with are family for a week in north Nottinghamshire and was flying from Luton airport so we look for a over night stay I found the old hunters lodge on booking.com so we booked...

We went to the Hunters lodge on the recommendation of a friend. Honestly we were so disappointed.. The food to be fair was nice but the service was just dreadful. Not one of the girls that served our table was personable - zero personality. Worse...

We chose the function room at the Old Hunter’s Lodge to hold our 30th wedding anniversary for our 60 guests, and we were very pleased we did. The owners were accommodating, communicative, relaxed and flexible to our needs. They helped to arrange the event and...

Great meal with attentive staff. We will return. The Sunday roast was lovely and nothing was a problem. We advised that we had a baby in arms and they placed us in a spot that had plenty of room for the push chair.

Such a disappointment, booked a table for 4 persons 1.15 Sunday 25/9 table was close to the door which was wedged open when our drinks order was taken i asked if the door could be shut the young lady said she would, it never got...

Stayed overnight for a family wedding. What a fabulous venue and location with lovely countryside views. John and Louise with their staff made us all feel very welcome and were great hosts, professional and friendly. Nothing was too much trouble. Food is excellent quality and...

What can I say? From the moment we met Louise & John, we knew this was the venue to share our wedding day and we weren’t disappointed. It is a wonderful venue with beautiful gardens. Louise & John are the perfect hosts as were their...

We usually go during the week which has always been lovely food with excellent service. We will not make the mistake of going again on a Saturday. The young girls working there need to be trained in customer service. We asked to move and following...

Awful food, awful service, awful ambience. This is one of the worst places I have eaten at. Food was as if it had all come out of a packet and heated up. Service was non-existent - I had to shout across the pub to get...

Visited yesterday evening with 2 friends ( been trying to get there for ages but Covid got in the way ) had a really nice welcome - ( nice to see staff who enjoy what they are doing and make their customers welcome ) -we...

We have had a lovely few days it was a treat for our 60th wedding anniversary from our son and daughter in law we had a wonderful time the service was always brilliant thankyou to Louise and John the owners

What stood out most, for me, is that everyone there a) Looked like they were happy to be there and b) were happy for you to be there - an all too rare experience these days (sadly). Lovely surroundings, excellent staff, amazing food (that also...

Lovely looking pub, interior is very modern which I found not in keeping with the exterior and character of the place. Food arrived in good time, the broccoli was very hard almost raw, Yorkshire's were not great tasting but the rest was nice enough. No...

WOW!!! I have never crossed paths with ruder management. Appalling customer service, quite shocking. Pub looks beautiful from the outside but everything else leaves a lot to be desired. Food took over an hour to come and arrived cold. The steak was dry and chewy,...

What a shame! Such a lovely setting and a beautiful venue spoiled by poor service and food. We read the reviews re waiting time and service but wanted to prove them wrong. Regrettably we couldn’t. We waited 40 minutes for our main course. Whilst my...

I have been going to the hunters lodge for over a decade but I will not go there again. The manager was exceptionally rude… think Faulty Towers level of arguing with the customers! I ordered a rare steak and was served a inedible RAW steak....

If I could give John and Louise more than 5 stars for their personal attention, I would. They, and their staff were always there with a friendly hand. The food was really good, and very generous portions. So much so, that for our short stay,...

We had a family wedding here,we had such a fantastic time,the staff are the most friendly people,the manager and his wife went above and beyond to make our three night stay feel very special.We will certainly be going back there when visiting family.Many thanks for...

We have been to The Old Hunters Lodge quite a few times, especially for Sunday lunch, which is faultless. We sadly had to plan a ‘Celebration of Life’ for my late brother in law and immediately thought of booking their function room. John and Louise...

Stayed overnight for a mini break. Beautiful pub surrounded by countryside. Lovely staff who were very helpful throughout our stay. Had lunch and dinner there and both were very nice. Breakfast following morning also very good. Room was clean & tidy. Good tech in our...

Pleasant staff but terrible service. Arrived 6.30pm, food served 8.15pm with apologies for the delay. Sirloin medium-rare was raw, asked for it to be cooked as requested, came back burnt on both sides like over cooked toast. They could at least have scraped off all...

This pub looked lovely we had been to the downs and decided to try this pub for a meal , the staff are pleasant the garden was very nice and the food presentation was very good , unfortunately when my spinach and ricotta tortellini arrived...

Nice atmosphere in the pub and the staff were friendly. They had a really good drink selection as well. However, a few of us were quite disappointed in the food. The menu was very simple, certainly aimed at a more traditional crowd. But these pub...

We went there for a drink and ordered some food to go with it. The restaurant has surprised me so much, as it’s a pub I was not expecting such high standard of food. Amazing chef, the dishes were very tasty and so well prepared....

Very cosy old pub located in a quiet area about 10 minutes off the motorway. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The pub has a few guestrooms. Although they are small they were very clean and very quiet with good shower facilities. Dinner service...

My first and last visit to this restaurant. The service is shocking, the wait for food was ridiculous, and the owner needs to find a new career. Only go if you're patient and okay with owners who have no idea how to treat customers.

Second stay here - and it was as excellent at the first! We arrived after a Good Friday visit to neighbouring Whipsnade on a day with glorious weather. Understandably due to that, the car park was rammed. As a hotel guest we needed somewhere to...

We were looking to have lunch out and decided to try the Old Hunter’s Lodge, which we’d passed on many occasions but had never stopped. The setting is very pretty - 360’ countryside - and the building, both inside and out, is bright and absolutely...

From the first call to the moment we left Louise & John have been amazing at hosting and helping to make a meal for 22 perfect. When looking for a venue I was invited to have a look at the location and discuss exactly what...

Staff very friendly, service quick, lovely setting. Good gluten free options. Lamb cutlets are fab. Portions good size.

Always loved this place and spent many hours with family and friends over the years. We had a Sunday lunch around October 2021 and it was like aunt Bessie’s frozen deal but for a lot more money. We decided today to give it another chance...

We visited for my daughter’s birthday, we cannot find anything at fault with the old lodge. From beginning to end the whole experience was incredible. All staff were completely on the ball at all times, it was so lovely to meet the owners, who made...

We booked a nights stay with dinner for my in laws as a 50th birthday gift. Louise was so accommodating, allowing us to pay for the meal as a surprise treat and went above and beyond to ensure they felt welcomed and enjoyed the experience....

Firstly I would like to say that we have been visiting the venue for many years - my parents for over 50 years. Unfortunately after our recent experience we will no longer be customers and will be warning friends and family. We visited on 5th...

The 'manager' has absolutely no idea how to run a business or deal with customers. You can see from both previous reviews and his incredibly arrogant response to them that he lives in a narcissistic bubble of self love where he can never except that...

Nice local family feel to the pub and want to return to see how things are of a summers evening. Food was plentiful well presented and again had the feeling of being local. Well worth the trip

They accommodated our group of 9 really well. Food came out quickly and all at once. Staff checked in on us for extra drinks throughout the afternoon (didn’t have to go to the bar once). Food was lovely and reasonably priced. Staff were friendly and...

Had a lovely Sunday evening meal last weekend, lovely pub with great food and very helpful staff, definitely recommend trying this place out.

Went for a Sunday roast with my family (including 3 small children) and some friends, staff friendly, service good and food yummy. Can’t comment on the roast as I had salmon which was delicious but everyone seemed pleased with their meals including the kids.

We visited The Old Hunter’s Lodge today with our walking group. We had booked in advance and thought we had sent them an email with menu choices for 24 people. Unfortunately they had not received the email but John and his team were amazing. They...

Ignore any bad reviews, they must be by people who are impossible to please! We have just returned from a stay at the Hunters Lodge, which was our 3rd place in as many days to stay while away for a few days. And having stayed...

Beautiful venue. Great space for eating outside. Lovely decor. Friendly staff. Food was really good! Would definitely recommend. And will definitely be returning.

I am glad I ignored the bad reviews. We had a great meal here. My lamb was cooked perfectly and very tasty. The apple pie and ice cream was so good, I would return just for that. The pub is really well set out. The...

Today was our third visit since restrictions were eased. We are in the quite vulnerable category so we’re nervous about venturing out but the staff were very reassuring and sensible precautions are observed. We ate inside and felt safe enough and our quiet and well...

Most amazing beautiful hotel lovely staff John and his partner are just the most adorable people I have had the pleasure of meeting Katie the waitress is just lovely Great atmosphere great food great location and lovely area

We went for lunch in the garden on a Saturday with our dogs. We had not booked but got a table (weather was not great so May have had an impact!). We have never visited before and we had a lovely experience. I need a gluten free diet, the choice was very limited but the food was good. The best bit about the experience was the staff. We had excellent service by very friendly staff (except the man who gave us the cutlery and avoided eye contact and did not say a word?). The two waitresses who gave us food and drinks were lovely. When we paid the man who took the money was also lovely and very interested if we were happy with our meal, we definitely were. We would definitely go back :)

Loved our one night stay at The Old Hunters Lodge. Beautiful building and setting. Lovely and friendly staff.The hotel made us aware of a wedding which they were holding which made the night a bit noisy. But it's good to see people back having fun and things getting back to normal. Not to mention businesses, who have struggled over the past year, getting the custom they deserve.The two owners were very attentive and friendly and made our stay extra enjoyable.Breakfast included in our rate and was top quality.We had evening meal and drinks which were also very good.We will definitely be back if we are in the area again.Thanks guys.Matthew & Stephanie.

Average food and not cheap. chips were frozen out of a packet, salad was fine but boring, steak was a cheap cut and tough, no choice in how ell done, scampi boring, difficult to identify a really good dish.

First time back after many months. Took some friends they were very impressed with the pub and the excellent food.

We have used the Hunters Lodge a lot over the years for meals and family celebrations, but was very disappointed today. 2 out of the 3 meals were very good, and we enjoyed them.We were made to feel very uncomfortable by a waitress who wore her face mask as a chin warmer, and sat another group of diners at the next table, which was so close, we had to move our chairs in, so that they could sit down, not even allowing 1 metre social distancing.As someone who works in Covid 19 research, I was flabbergasted and won’t be rushing back.