Saracens Head in Newark and Sherwood

Stayed here overnight after going to the nearby Race course Really nice place with its history and clocks! Friendly staff and a very efficient waitress at breakfast. Bed wasn’t the most comfortable but only stayed for one night, otherwise would have requested another room. To be fair we were given that option upon our arrival. One other downside was that the neighbouring room complained about the noise of our TV, which wasn’t actually that loud. The adjoining walls are clearly paper thin. All in all we would use the place again if needed.

Booked for two night stay. Hotel is atmospheric, our room in the annex was very much below par. Broken shower, metal framed window that would not close , rust and over painting, could not lock the door from outside, no information re meal times etc. Our room was not “made up “ in the two nights and two days that we stayed. Consequently tea,coffee biscuits, liquid soap etc all ran out. Evening meal on first night was very poor. Cold plates, long delays in serving and my sea bass portion was extremely small. A thoroughly disappointing meal that ended up with a luke warm espresso coffee. We went elsewhere to eat on our second night. Parking, breakfast and the very obliging young staff, helped to salvage a disappointing experience. Word of warning! We tried to get back into the hotel just before midday on the day of departure only to find the entrance locked. Luckily we had put our luggage in the car after breakfast and paid our bill as requested on arrival. Richard Lowe

On arrival, The Saracen:s head looks lovely and quirky, the young lady on reception was friendly and pleasant and we settled ourselves in the bar, beside the coal burner. The menu was very restricted but we settled in fish and chips which turned up in a reasonable time. It was good enough, though the 7 large chips had the same texture throughout (no crunchy/fluffy here) , the fish was nice. Service was clunky. Between taking orders, walking them to the kitchen, making drinks and struggling with the card machine as well as topping up the fire (not good enough according to the older man who turn up to fiddle with the fire because the younger one had failed to count the coals "you must count the coals") it all felt just a bit "meh".....then pudding. One sticky toffee pudding, looked good and was well regarded, one lemon tart, also looked good and was enjoyed and one....well it was called spiced creme brulee with biscotti. DONT DO IT., I won't comment on the beige biscotti but there was a couple of splodges of brulee, nothing to crack, and as soon as my spoon went into the wet mess it was obvious something was seriously wrong here. I say something. The pudding was under, the custard had split, it was warm on the top and icy on the bottom but worst of all was the disgusting greasy mouth feel I took it back, because nobody came to check if were happy with our food and had it taken off the bill. I won't go back and suggest you don't either. Expensive and not even pub grub standard.

We stayed for two nights, comfortable bed, bit noisy from traffic, bit off the wall approach, nowhere to hang your clothes ( proprietor threw out wardrobe) was a bit faulty towers but that just made stay, more enjoyable, one never knew what was coming next, breakfast was 10/10 and our evening meal was really,really good. Enjoyed funny chat with owner over breakfast on day we were leaving. Would definitely book again, but watch out for the nights the restaurant does not open. We have posted back the towel we inadvertently " stole"

We stayed at the hotel for two nights to attend a family wedding. The hotel is in the centre of Southwell. It has very nice outdoor seating. We ate on the terrace on the first night and the food was very good. It is a very old building so very traditional. Staff service was superb at all times. The wedding was very well organised. Our room was comfortable and beautifully decorated with a nice bathroom. There is plenty of parking behind the hotel. The points I would make for improvement are :- 1. It was incredibly difficult to book once the wedding couple had requested that rooms should be reserved for the wedding party. This just wasn’t possible by telephone and I ended up writing a letter to request a booking. 2. The top floor rooms were very hot. A fan was provided which was very effective but it was puzzling that the corridor was cool and the rooms were hot. We had to have the fan on most of the time 3. The wedding meal service was a little bit slow. Each guest had a card at the place setting with their chosen dishes and I wonder if the managers could speed up the service by having the dishes listed on the card colour coded? However, we had a really nice stay in a beautiful location. I would definitely stay again and I would recommend the hotel to others looking for a great location for a wedding or other event.

Went for an evening meal as had been recommended. It’s a long time since we’ve been to The Saracen as it went downhill. On recommendation we therefore went to The Oak Room expecting a fine dining menu as per our friends experience before Christmas. What was on offer was standard pub food in a lovely setting. We would have been perfectly happy with pub food had it been done well. The staff were young, inexperienced and unsure of the 2 menu options and whether they could be combined. They tried hard and were pleasant unlike the surly female restaurant manager. We ordered a red Thai chicken curry and steak pie. The curry by no stretch of the imagination could in any way be described as ‘Thai’. It was pieces of chicken in a bright red generic curry sauce, no veg or any of the usual Thai ingredients. The meat pie was completely burned black on the top. This was removed otherwise it would have been inedible though the pie retained a slightly burned flavour. This was printed out to the young waitress but nothing more was heard about it. Not sure who was in the kitchen but certainly not an experienced chef. The pie should never have left the kitchen. On the plus side the vegetables very very nicely cooked, hiwever the Eaton mess comprised of a broken up shop bought meringue. It’s cheap enough but we won’t be visiting again. Shame as the building is beautiful.

Bog standard corporate ale and a steak sandwich that should have gone in the bin. I'm sure the kitchen staff will just ignore the big lumps of gristle and fat that I had to spit out and left on the plate. The couple of pieces I ate were undercooked. Dry loaf sliced thick and then made soggy with a rather bland sauce. £12 side order halloumi fries. Straight out the freezer and cooked until they are as dry as old sticks. Won't be back. Terrible.

Loved this Hotel , full of character and history , we stayed in a lovely and very comfortable room with an on-suite and a very romantic Four poster .

Un mot particulier pour à cuisine! Excellente!!! Vraiment Une carte simple Des plats cuisinés à la demande et à la perfection. J’ai pris un gibier et ses garnitures! Ce fut incroyablement exquis! Bravo Sincèrement bravo!! 🙏👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Charming surroundings, excellent and helpful staff with good varied menu choices Perhaps it was just a bad day but the roast meats were not if the quality expected for the price. In particular the turkey. Slices from turkey roll instead of slices from fresh turkey.

I met friends for lunch and was very impressed with the food and new menu at Oak. It was surprisingly empty when we arrived but filled up around us and ended up very busy despite it being mid-week. Great service and a delicious salad, at a reasonable price. I also really like the history and decor of the place - not to everyone’s taste I suppose but right up my street!

So pleased to support the new franchisee who has taken over the restaurant, bar and function rooms. Three of us had a drink in the bar and a 2 course dinner, - reasonably priced and service, food and presentation all good. This hotel desperately needs this ....it is great to see it get off to a good start and hear from the young franchisee about his ambitions to deliver a quality but sensibly priced dining offer which will be refreshed regularly and offer variety such as occasional tasting menus and tapas nights. Between us we had a great steak, huge haddock and fries, an unusual but very tasty carrot bhaji burger and chocolate brownies with ice cream. There was also a lovely amuse bouche of pea and wild garlic provided.

Dropped into this delightful watering hole and had one of the best fish and chip meals we’ve ever had. Compliments should also go to the the lone barman ( cheery and attentive) and chef who between them held the fort as they were experiencing staff shortages, 5 Stars

Enjoyed decent lunch with coffee and tea, They have a full bar if you want something stronger. Nice comportable lounge to enjoy your lunch if you want a change from the bar.

Me and my pal been walking around town looking for a quick pint it was before 12 and we found this hotel The lad who worked behind the bar blondie lol Great lad and well mannered

The Saracens Head hotel was located very near to restaurants and shops. It had a lovely courtyard with outside furniture. The bedrooms were particularly quaint it being so old. The bedroom I stay in was once occupied by Cardinal Wolseley. We stayed on a bed and breakfast basis and can report that it was excellent. The staff were friendly and helpful.

Hotels such as The Saracens Head deserve our support in the present difficult circumstances. Their staff has been reduced to a minimum, but the accommodation is great. Reasonable prices, and a very good room. Noisy traffic outside but that is only to be expected.

Just wanted to say a big thanks to all the staff at Saracens Head for making our wedding on 10/10/20 really special despite the obvious limitations imposed by Borris! Our family stayed at the hotel for 2 days and we all found it very welcoming and friendly. The breakfasts were great. The rooms were clean and well appointed. The staff worked really hard to look after us during the wedding day itself, the dinner was excellent. The venue was closed for the day to the public which we weren't expecting and really appreciated. There were only 15 of us and we had the run of the lounges and dining room, all cosy and full of character. Big thanks in particular to Robin for being so enthusiastic and positive and genuinely wanting us to enjoy the day despite some tough decisions for us leading up to it as the social distancing rules tightened. Our family commented on how good the staff were throughout the weekend. We had a lovely welcome from the eccentric owner David. We're grateful for Charlie for helping us coordinate the day itself and for being flexible with us. The Saracens Head is a great venue for an intimate wedding.

Flying lunch visit but worth it. Scampi was lovely and was sat in the courtyard, that was well spaced out enjoying the sun. Good social distancing.

Took some overseas visitors for afternoon tea in this interesting and historic venue. It was all a little disorganised around the edges - the hotel is a bit faded, nice staff but with overtones of Fawlty Towers - and the service was patchy. Nice sandwiches, but the scones were over baked and the two choices of cake were huge slightly dry enormous wedges of chocolate or vanilla sponge.... disappointingly nothing dainty and more importantly no macaroons! Nice tea and china tea service - but all the food was served on wooden boards - not cake stands. It was ok - but not special.

Enjoyed a one night stay in a beautiful four poster bed room, just as Lord Byron or Wolsey (or King Charles himself) would have done in the seventeenth century, (minus the tv and electricity obvs) Great history echoes from the walls, as the last place of freedom for Charles 1. Decent breakfast and superb location.

Food really good. Service abysmal. Felt as if an inconvenience. Had to get our own food menu's,followed by Wine menu. Presented bill before being offered coffee. Management NOT interested. Owner should re acquaint himself with Hotel Inspector as he obviously took no notice from a previous matter. Recommendation. DON'T BOTHER

My wife and I came here for lunch on the 5th December and ate in the restaurant (table service in here) but same menu in the bar if you prefer to order at the bar itself. As it was our first visit in a very long time we spoke to the young lady on reception who was extremely helpful and took us into the restaurant and saw us to a table as the waitress was busy at that time. Robyn was our waitress and she came over with menus and took our drinks order. Tap water offered foc as you would expect. I ordered a soft drink and this was soon brought to the table and our food order taken. Food brought after a short wait as hot food freshly cooked and served by Robyn who wore white cotton gloves to do this. A lovely old fashioned touch but much appreciated in this day and age.My wife had the roast beef sandwiches which were served with coleslaw, crisps and a small salad and I had the small haddock, chips and garden peas. We both enjoyed our food and did not take coffee or a dessert and were under not put under any pressure to vacate the table after our meal had been eaten.We were very impressed by the lovely staff (only dealt with the two ladies aforementioned) and they were a credit to their employer so much so that the next time we find ourselves in this locality we will certainly call in again. Total cost £16.50 which we considered good value. Good clean toilets as well.

Called in at 12.45 pm on a Friday hoping for a pub lunch. Bar had a couple of people with drinks, and menus on the table, but no-one serving at the bar. Sat down and perused menu, still no sign of life. Went in search of someone, but reception also unmanned, so after 10 minutes or so walked out and found another pub.

A lovely country town hotel with an elegant interior. A good bar with nice real ales and cosy lounges

We really enjoy visiting here with family, friends or on our own.Great for coffee and homemade shortbread. Served in the comfortable lounge or outside. Always a pleasure and great value for money. We always have a pot of coffee made to our preference, nothing is too much trouble for the staff.We have had lunch, evening bar snacks, Sunday lunch and even Christmas Day lunch and enjoyed them all.Only a couple of negatives, Sunday lunch could have been hotter, and I had the Beef casserole once which was terrible (only had a couple of pieces of beef and was very gloopy) however was given complimentary coffee as compensation.If you stick to the Burgers, Scampi, Fish and Chips or Sandwiches or the Ploughmans (on the Bar menu) you can't go wrong.We also love sitting outside on a Sunny Day with wine and a snack watching the world go by, very relaxing. Good spot for Wedding watching. Will be there on Wednesday next week for lunch.

Stayed and ate here on 18th May 2019. Food is absolutely delicious, staff and friendly and helpful, very cheery, rooms are spotless with very comfortable beds, rooms are all quirky which you would expect in a hotel dating back over 600 years. We will be back and next time will stay for dinner.

A difficult review because the staff were brilliant .. particularly the Receptionists and the chef who cooked us a meal an hour before the standard dinner time My room was noisy with a loud whiring noise that kicked in at 6:15am and the radiator in the room kept making noises Great location if you want to stay in Southwell

Birthday Meal on 13 April (Lunchtime). The meal was excellent and the presentation very good. If you have a big appetite I can recommend the Desperate Dan Pie. The House wine was also very good and can recommend that too. Our waitress was attentive and very lovely. Couldn't fault anything. We will be back to sample this delightful and historic place.

Excellent dinner In A hotel , pub packed full of history we had dinner here Saturday night and really enjoyed it lovel to see real candles at the table , I had the pate to start which was full of flavoure , my wife had the beetroot hummus and mixed tomatoes light fresh and easy , I had the steak , which came with onion ring peas and twice cooked chips done to perfection and my wife the fillet of sea bass , service was excellent , and reasonably priced . Food also very good you can get the choice of the fixed price al cartel menu very reasonably priced or the bar menu , which is very extensive , loved it thanks again

Central location and very ancient architecture combine to make this a great place to meet or dine. Terrific.

Years since I visited this Hotel & could not believe how beautifuly they had renivated it we love the George at Stamford & this hotel is the same style now.

Pre booked party of 4. Excellent reception and service only surpassed by standard of meals and friendliness of staff. It would be hard to find fault and churlish to do so , but one mute point. In keeping with its status and heritage a cobbled walkway exists to the car park. Our visit was after dark and the walkway had no prominent lighting making our return to the vehicles uncomfortable. Perhaps maybe a thought for the future for activated tremble lighting as an aid. Please do not take this as a criticism but a suggestion particularly helpful to older visitors.

Food looks exciting! Beers lovely. I would love to return. Very cosy and very easy to get along with staff.

Loved the atmosphere in the restaurant and the food was good, when it finally arrived. We didn't order starters but didn't expect to have to wait until all the starters and some main courses had been served to tables arriving after us before receiving our meal some 40 minutes after ordering. Similarly, our coffee was brought out before our desserts had arrived. Unacceptable on what was a quiet lunchtime.

Had a lovely meal here with friends. The food was really good. Chef provided me with a three course vegan meal which was really tasty. The staff are very friendly and accommodating and the service was excellent. Lovely rooms full of great ambiance and history.

A very quiet Sunday lunchtime. It took ages to get served because no staff were in the bar, there was one other couple present who had a similar wait. We wanted to order roast beef but because they didn't have any Yorkshire pudding to accompany it (the chef hadn't prepared any), we chose salt and pepper squid so we could have a quick exit. The squid was served by a waiter wearing lovely white gloves. This was the highlight of the trip although the beer was OK. The appearance of the squid caused some surprise as it looked liked an onion bhaji, its taste in no way mitigated its appearance rather complimented it. All considered a dreadful experience from service (except for the white gloves), logistics and value.

Absolutely steeped in history, the hotel has been sympathetically extended and refurbished but still retains a wonderful olde world charm. Service is friendly and welcoming. We had a family lunch in the bar and the food was tasty and generous. Worth a visit for the history alone.

Stopped in here for a few drinks with friends before going out for dinner. It was a friendly pub with a mix of locals and visitors. They also sold food ( which we didn’t have) and cater for bed and breakfast, which 2 of our party were staying and they said it was perfectly comfortable.

Lovely looking oldie world English hotel.

Step back in time, unfortunately not to the 1600s but to the 1980s. The character of the main part of this historic building cannot be underestimated however, the ‘modern’ annex does not match. There is a need for a significant referb, the room was comfortable but dated beyond belief. Whilst I wasn’t expecting Wildebeest on the Serengeti, I wasn’t impressed with wheelie bins and broken chairs view.

A good place for a hearty English Breakfast to start the day. Served in the elegant, paneled and clock-filled King Charles Restaurant in the Saracens Head Hotel, we thoroughly enjoyed our food here.

We went to the Saracens Head for a Sunday lunch. We were well looked after by Andrew. The food was excellent and the yorkshire puddings were amazing!! The portions were a good size and we weren't hungry at the end! The restaurant is amazing and the atmosphere is relaxing. Would recommend for a special meal.

The burgers (one meat, one veggie) were very good. So good to find actual bar food for a change rather than just an expensive restaurant meal. It was really pleasant to sit outside in the sunshine.

This is a hotel, bar, restaurant, wedding venue. We had a bar lunch which was reasonable, nothing special. It's quite olde worlde which is nice in a historic inn.

Happened to be in Southwell looking around and decided to pop into The Saracens Head for a meal. Food and service were of the highest order. Strongly recomend.

Attended a wedding. Food very good, waiters very smart. Not so the wedding organiser. She wasnt that smart but passable. She was quite rude and to top it all she constantly chewed chewing gum!! Not very professional. Didnt really respond very well to complaint. The actual place is lovely. Steeped in history.

Was visiting the area and decided the Saracens Head looked like a nice place to eat. Ordered and the food came quickly. Asked the man who brought our food out if I could have some mustard with my steak to which he replied ‘wait 5 minutes and I’ll bring some over’ and then went and served some people at the bar!! When my mustard finally arrived I had finished my meal and no real apology given. Overall the food and drinks were very good but the customer service was shocking!

We were staying in southwell for the night and had got engaged that afternoon. We thought the saracens was a perfect place to celebrate so we booked a table in the bar for 9pm and pre ordered champagne. It was delivered straight out to us when arrived so that was lovely. Shortly before 10.30 we were asked how long we would be- it was a Sunday so they must shut early, we had nearly finished so we said 5 minutes, we were a bit shocked to have the lights turned off all around us? that was the only downside. The staff were very pleasant and the place itself was gorgeous and I would definitely go back

The Saracens Head more than exceeded our expectations. The food, the service and of course the ambiance. We had a fabulous time and would hesitate to recommend it.

We dined here tonight having never been to Southwell before. The hotel was very busy as there was a wedding on however we got fed and had a good diner. It was nicely cooked and presented, a little light on portion size but we enjoyed it. There wasn’t a lot of choice for pudding but what we had was enjoyable.

Lovely old style pub/restaurant with accommodation. Dogs allowed in bar or left hand side of lounge. Bar food really tasty. Restaurant food is served by very nice waiters and a lovely ambience.

I have visited Southwell twice, and on both occasions, we have been told by the Saracens Head that they are not serving food as they are catering for a private party. It is incredibly inconvenient if, as a visitor, we don't know a place and can't necessarily book food in advance. I would suggest that there were 16 of us wanting to spend an average of £20 per head. It's not a place I would recommend, as it caused an inconvenience, and failed where other places succeeded

Visited for Sunday lunch and ate in the restaurant. The food was delicious and the service was very attentive. The restaurant in this historic hotel is lovely with wooden paneling and beautifully laid tables. If there is any feedback - it was a shame that the serviettes were paper - linen ones would fit so well with the general ambiance, although I appreciate there is a laundering cost. We will definitely return.

The Saracens Head is a friendly, historic hotel in the centre of Southwell. The food and service are very good and staff are extremely helpful and friendly. The rooms are adequate and the restaurant and bars are authentically lovely. The owner is a very pleasant character, who clearly loves his hotel. We have stayed here several times and will continue to do so when we visit Southwell because it is a good, reliable base for a stay.

Beautiful pub olde worlde. Beautiful outdoor area with lovely flowers and seating area. Unfortunately dont serve food till 5pm so just had a drink. Nice friendly staff

Este hotel está en una ubicación muy buena y es un precioso edificio antiguo, con mucha historia. La zona de recepción era atractivo y acogedor (como era el cuarto público enfrente del hotel) y la recepcionista era agradable. Me hubiera dado al hotel una clasificación, pero para un par de cosas. Nuestra habitación estaba limpia y cómoda en general, con la excepción del hecho de que fue muy cálida y cargada cuando entramos. Fui directamente a abrir las ventanas y que uno de los dos no se abren y el otro sólo abrió aproximadamente 2 pulgadas. Encontramos un ventilador de pie en el armario pero esto sólo distribuyó el aire caliente, por lo que no ayuda mucho. Nuestra otra queja fue que nos informaron de que la comida sólo se sirve en el bar esa noche, como había dos funciones. Esto no nos habría importado, pero cuando fuimos al bar para comer nos dijeron que no se sirve comida hasta las 8 o las 9 O'clock (no me acuerdo bien, pero creo que era 9) debido a la dijo funciones. Ya era demasiado tarde para nosotros, así que tuvimos que ir y buscar otro sitio para una comida, teniendo en cuenta que era sábado por la noche y no habíamos reservado en ningún sitio. Nos pareció que otros huéspedes eran mucho tener que tomar el segundo lugar que no encaja bien con nosotros! En un tono más positivo, el desayuno de la mañana siguiente fue muy buena así como el servicio. Además, hay un par de habitaciones en el hotel que tienen algunas pinturas de la época isabelina en la pared y nos preguntó si había una oportunidad que pudimos ver. La Suite King Charles estaba ocupada, así que no podía ir allí, pero la habitación no estaba en Bramley uso así que nos dieron la clave para ir y tomar un aspecto que estuvimos muy agradecidos.

Metimos en un par de bebidas en este histórico pub/hotel. Ambiente encantador, unas fotos en la pared de la Coach House, sentimos como King Charles mismo fue allí viendo! Altamente recomendado para una bebida.

Sólo un miembro del personal en el bar (unos esperar) y después de tomar nuestra orden y dinero el grifo de cerveza estaba defectuoso y tomó varios minutos para que nuestras bebidas se pueden ordenar. Decepcionado

Nipped in here for a drink whilst visiting the town.Place is a little tired and drink prices a little high but staff where polite and helpful and drinks nice.

I had a bar meal of scampi and it was very good although I suspect the breaded scampi was of the frozen variety.The bar itself is dire - brown every where - without any atmosphere, or soul, and definitely not welcoming. What was welcoming thought - thank goodness - was Kelly and her lovely smile. She was a spark of light in a very dreary area, was very solicitous without being overbearing or smothering, and was just a ray of sunshine in the dark oppression of the bar. Thank you Kelly for making a brief lunch stop such a pleasure.Saracen management please take note on all aspects of this review.

Visited Southwell Workhouse and Minster today. At the end of the day we decided to go for dinner at the saracen's head. The atmosphere was great, very relaxing. Great service. The food was great value for money, really enjoyed my visit.

We were a group of 14 adults and booked a private room adjacent to the old carriage entrance. Service was excellent, food quality was very good although portion sizes were quite small. Overall prices were reasonable for a town centre hotel. The weather was extremely hot and the hotel, and in particular our private dining room, had no air con or even fans.

My daughter booked afternoon tea for two for Fathers' Day for 5 O'clock on Saturday. We were so disappointed. To start with when you market Afternoon Tea in a hotel with a long history, one will associate it with the great entertainment idea of Ritz Afternoon Tea. I think that was the assumption when my daughter booked it online. One can argue that it wasn't as expensive as Ritz' Tea. The cost was £25 for two. However this is a small town with coffee shops few meters from each other, you do expect something special for being charged £25. The tea brought to us was just two ordinary tea bags with hot water. They did not give us any choice on the type of tea. They did not ask us whether we wanted white or whole meal bread. the sandwich was so loose with so much raw onion. Two scones and two small pieces of white sponge cake and two small pieces of dark sponge cake. The cake trays were casually thrown with two cherry tomatoes, some old rocket leafs and two half strawberries. I have never eaten raw onions; one bite of the sandwich made me to spit it out. I set there feeling cheated. Eventually, a lady came to ask whether we enjoyed the tea. I said that I was very disappointed. She said "Why? You ate a lot." My husband said to her that he ate some. I could threw the tea at her; but I did not. I said "you asked me whether I liked it and I said no I did not like it." If she does not want to know the truth why should she bother to ask. They have had the money anyhow. When we left, I cut up the left over sandwich and cakes and scone to pieces as a way of protest. It suppose to be our dearest daughter's treat to us and as a student she paid £25 for this "Afternoon Tea". It was a lot of money for her. This is the worst eating out experience I have ever had and I have been eating in lot of places and countries. Sadly, this is my local.

This atmospheric old Coaching Inn is steeped in history and has been visited by royalty, the clergy and loads of other famous people from England’s past. We booked one of the bedrooms in the original part of the 17th century building and it lived up to its name, with squeaky floor boards, four poster bed and of course all the sounds of a rural town centre! As needs must, the hotel specialise in wedding packages so you are unlikely to visit without preparation being done or an actual wedding happening – so though the dinner menu looked interesting, we chose to eat in the town and there are some nice restaurants. Breakfast was efficiently served and set us up for the day. Service was informal, friendly but provided everything we needed. Car parking is behind the hotel and a bit of a challenge to find on your first visit… and a little walk with your cases once you do find it. Overall, we can recommend this as a good overnight stop with a fascinating town and Minster to explore!

My wife, son and I had lunch in the Saracens Head following a visit to the National Trust’s Workhouse at Southwell. It is a lovely old building dating back to 1396 with lots of beams and uneven floors. Many famous people have stayed there, including the French King Louis III, King Charles 1 (just before he was handed over to Cromwell), the poet Byron and Charles Dickens.We enjoyed a very good, reasonably priced meal in the front room of the hotel overlooking the main street. Southwell is a lovely old town and worth visiting, especially the large Minster, a short walk from the Saracens Head. Recommended.

A day at the races with an overnight stay at the Saracens Head in the Honeymoon Suite (Room 1 - King Charles Suite) Dinner, bed and breakfast. Great stay. The staff were very welcoming and the food and room lovely. The rooms at the front of the hotel can be a little noisy due to traffic and the age of the building but that was not a problem to us. Free parking and great bar and reception areas. Plenty of history attached to the hotel and a very comfortable stay. Will definitely return!!

Stayed one night for a family event while visiting from the USA. Very quaint and clean, with beautifully appointed rooms and common areas. Dining room was just gorgeous with excellent well presented food and great friendly service. Staff were very helpful. The history of the Saracens Head alone makes it worth the visit. Southwell Minister is within walking distance...another landmark steeped in history.

What an amazing overnight stay at the Saracens Head! Food excellent (dinner and breakfast), staff were lovely and very helpful, our room was quiet with clean comfortable beds and lots of hot water for showers in the morning. It was a very special way to celebrate a very special event for our family. We will be back in the future for sure!

The place is beautiful, the food was delicious and value for money but in all honesty the service was so dismally poor that some of our table of 10 left before we ordered to see if anywhere else could accommodate us. Unfortunately that wasn't possible. I feel bad leaving this review because we met the owner who was lovely and so many aspects of the night were great - but the bar man was initially so difficult with us and the main waitress, chewing gum and shouting throughout, was rude and crass and intimidating. I'm only leaving this review in the hope that some changes can be made as a result - I would have emailed them personally but don't trust the staff to relay this to the owners. The chef is clearly amazing as the food was great and the venue and lighting are beautiful but the management just need to yank the staff's chain - a few pleases, thank yous and fake smiles should be the easy part!

After visiting the nearby Workhouse we called in here for lunch.The staff went out of their way to find a group of 4 a table at a fairly busy time.The service was good and although limited the choice of food was also fine - our food was excellent. A really warm welcome on a cold day.

Great freshly cooked food and a nice choice. We stayed for two nights and the menus stayed basically the same for both nights but the food was good and it didn't matter

The menu in the Restaurant was not too extensive but the quality of the food was exceptional and well presented.

This is a old coaching inn well established in the town.It is clean and well looked after the food is good and wholesum the staff are pleasant. I would recommend this place as it holds a lot of history

We had excellent bar snacks and drink in the lounge which was quite, warm, cosy, comfortable with views of the street. Great in February!

As a regular B&B guest at the Saracen's Head, I have always found the rooms comfortable, the breakfast good and the staff pleasant. It's definitely more than average.

This quaint and welcoming hotel was just was the Dr ordered for a romantic weekend away with my husband.Oozing character and charm - just the sort of hotel we like. As we were booking in we were given a choice of rooms but recommended a particular room again full of charm and character. After exploring the market town of Southwell and a delicious lunch just next door to the hotel we decided to go back and sit in the panelled sitting room with comfortable sofas and an array of antique clocks everywhere. We had dinner in the hotel and again a beautiful panelled, elegant room full of charm. The meal itself was of a good standard and the level of service matched this. If you are looking for a good value hotel with charm and good food, look no further, plus Southwell itself has a elegant, quality feel about it that sits well with me.

We got a deal on secret escapes for a room, dinner and breakfast. We were delighted with the old world charm of the building and delighted to be staying in one of the four original bedrooms. All mod cons were discreetly placed in the room without ruining the ambience. Yes the floors are uneven, the ceilings low and the windows not double glazed but it's what you should expect. Staff were friendly and efficient. Dinner was delightful and breakfast superb. Very impressed overall. Perfect place to just relax and unwind for an evening. If going on a Saturday night, it will get noisy outside due to revellers from the pub opposite but we didn't mind. Would definitely recommend.

Booked two nights in the REINDEER INN just up the road for a wedding in December 2016 and was so disgusted with the place I could not put my family in it. We called the Saracens Head and they were fully booked and did not have a family room but said come along and they would see what they could do for us. The staff were so helpful and opened up two adjoining rooms for us into a family room rearranging all the furniture and taking the the time to make sure my children were comfortable. The hotel is lovely and staff were very professional even sorting the parking for us. They made up for the disappointment and stress of the problems with the REINDEER INN and I wish I had booked here first.

Stayed for 2 nights to celebrate my birthday. Food is always excellent and the staff friendly. Some parts of the hotel look a little tired but think this adds to the experience. Rooms are comfortable and very warm! Love this place and will definitely return very soon! Thank you all for a lovely stay.

It's about ten years since I last went into the Saracens Head and I was really pleasantly surprised at how good it is these days. Cosy, welcoming and clean.It was a really terrible wet day and we had an American friend staying with us in Nottingham and we wanted to bur her lunch after our delightful tour of the Norman Minster. We decided to try the Saracen's Head and were so pleased with our choice. The bar was immaculately clean and the staff all greeted us warmly and made us welcome - taking our dripping coats and umbrella's away to be hung in a corner where they would dry out!The heat coming from the fireplaces was most welcome and we were soon in a cosy seat with drinks in front of us.We all ordered different hot meals which arrived quickly and all looked fabulous. We tucked into our grub with great enthusiasm....it was all very very good indeed and not a scrap was left over. I had the deep filled vegetarian quiche and it was really lovely - fresh and hot and it was indeed deep filled! The french fries were crisp and piping hot. The coffee was lovely and bought to us just as we had ordered it. The service was quick, polite and efficient and all given with a lovely smile by the young man on duty. I will come back here again soon - it was really very good indeed.

Stayed in The Saracens Head for 2 nights in November for a fishing trip on the river Trent.We stayed in Southwell previous year at a different pub which was awful and so we decided to go upmarket this year and stay at The Saracens Head and were not disappointed. We booked in after our first days fishing and welcomed by a warm woodburner in the bar area and an even more welcoming bar manager. Sure he knows who we mean.Room was clean, warm and everything you could need after a cold day fishing the Trent.We did not eat in the hotel although were impressed by the menu and keen prices. Breakfast though was perfect. Staff were nice and wi fi available throughout building. Was amazed at the number of clocks in the hotel. They must employ a full time clock winder.We intend booking again for next year. Great base to explore Southwell and the rest of its pubs and restaurants. Thank you.

Appealing to a generation from before the growth of Premier Inn or Holiday Inn budget chains, anyone with an interest in history cannot fail to be fascinated by this hotel, where King Charles the 1st stayed days before his arrest and subsequent execution. The ground floor furnishings are also a horologist's delight! Yes, the car park is inadequately signposted and the access difficult - it used to be possible to drive through the archway and into the courtyard, just like the stage coaches! Yes, there is no lift, but the rooms are clean and comfortable once you get there, while the 4-posters are a wow! The staff are very welcoming and friendly. You can eat well in the hotel at a reasonable price. Tip, ask for the bar menu! Good breakfast choices.We love the Saracens Head Hotel.

We stayed here overnight to break a journey south and had a very pleasant stay.Finding the car park which is situated behind the hotel is somewhat challenging!We booked in and went up to our room (there is no lift in case that is important to you). Our room was in fact not ready - clearly an oversight, to be fair it looked as if the chambermaid had been called away just before finishing it and then forgotten to go back! Having gone back to reception to inform them we were immediately allocated another room and upgraded to a delightful room with four poster bed and a very nice bathroom.The hotel is very old and full of character. We had a superb and very reasonably priced dinner and having commented on the excellent meal we were told the main chef was off and it was the trainee on duty - he has a great future. Breakfast was good although service was a bit slow.We would certainly stay here again.

Booked this hotel months advance as a friend was getting married at a local venue and needed a nearby hotel to spend the night. Having spent the day at the wedding venue, my friends and I returned late in the evening to the hotel. The hotel itself was locked but we had no problems getting in and locating our rooms as a friend had checked us in earlier in the day.The room itself was surprisingly large and spacious with a four poster bed occupying a corner of the room. The bed was extremely comfortable and the room provided everything it needed to for a one night stay. Being located at the front of the hotel, I was however woken by the noise of traffic passing by. My friends and I enjoyed breakfast in the dining room downstairs. The service here was average and a full English breakfast was brought plated up to the table. The only downfall we found was the time breakfast was served. This was between 7am and 9am. Having had a late night prior to this it would of been appreciative if the hotel served breakfast till at least 10am.Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with the hotel and its amenities and if I was visiting the area again would consider stopping at this location.

Whilst being a local, I am not generally one for frequenting pubs hotels and restaurants nearby; I tend to save that for holidays. However this visit was a reception post funeral of a work colleague and not the first wake/work event I have been part of at the Saracens Head.There have been 2 key rooms used in this old and historical building at the centre of Southwell (which I shall also review as it is well worth a visit in its own right), both on the ground floor so are very accessible. However it is worth noting that the car park behind the hotel is not easy to find and not well signed so look online to get directions beforehand. There are historic private dining, wedding and conference rooms as well as the restaurant, bar and bedrooms.Today's reception was in the King Charles restaurant at the front of the building and was ideal for the purpose. The food was tasty and appropriate for the occasion and the staff were attentive. Coffee and tea were both regularly refreshed and drinks were available from the bar in the room.I havent eaten in the evening recently at the Saracens Head nor tried their afternoon tea but I have heard from friends that they are good.

We stayed at the Saracens Head with friends for 2 nights. The welcome from the receptionist was good and our room (room 3 in the old part of the hotel) was warm, clean and very uneven - all adding to the character of the place. The meals in the restaurant and bar were excellent with good attentive service from both the staff and the owner and his family. The inclusive breakfasts were excellent.

We were attending a function at the Minster and planned to eat first. We called into the Saracen's Head mid afternoon to pre book a table for 5.45pm. We were told we couldn't book and to come along at that time and they would be able to accommodate us. We checked if we would be in the bar and were assured if no space was free at that time in the bar itself, the bar area adjoining would have space for us. We arrived back as agreed and frustratingly no tables were available in any area for our party. Embarrassing. In addition I was on crutches so couldn't walk too many steps. We were obliged to ask diners if we could take spare armchairs from their tables to put against the wall so I could sit down and a few of us could at least sit together. We then ordered our food and were told our first choice was off as they'd run out and in addition, we would have to wait 30 mins for the food. We made another choice, paid and purchased a bottle of wine. 45 mins later no food had arrived and other customers were asking about food and appearing disgruntled. I overheard the woman in charge telling someone they'd had an 'influx' of customers. Well if you call a dozen customers visiting a restaurant over a 60 minute period at peak time an influx, then maybe it's time to change business models or managers! Anyway at this point we decided to speak to the staff to check our food was soon to arrive as an hour had now passed. We were told the order hadn't even been sent to the kitchen! Unbelievable. We had to alert the man in charge that the food couldn't arrive in the time left and our planned meal would have to be cancelled. Shockingly, the woman member of staff who had been vocal earlier was now seen imitating and ridiculing a member of our party ( who had spoken out about our disappointment). The paid for food that hadn't arrived was quickly dealt with by a male member of staff who apologised and gave us a full refund. Sadly we had insufficient time to go to another restaurant before our concert. What a peculiar place. We will definitely avoid it in future.

We found the hotel car park with some difficulty due to the one way system. the lady manager made us welcome. The waitresses were all very pleasant. The food was of good quality the portions being on the small side. Small points- The water we ordered was not cold .Should have some ice. Napkins were paper. Would expect proper napkins in a quality hotel. Overall a nice experience.

Stayed here for 2 nights over the bank holiday, we had room 102 which is in the newer part of the building. The rooms was spotlessly clean and very comfortable. Trouser press, tea and coffee provided. The only issue I had with the room was the heated towel rail in the bathroom, too hot and you could not turn it off. All the staff we came across were very helpful and friendly. We had bar meals on the Sunday night which were very nice and plentiful, The breakfasts were also very good and although not on the menu, they made us boiled eggs no fuss. One major issue was the gents toilet overflowing and no one on hand to deal with it, not pleasant for the chaps. The building is incredibly old and has some lovely features and outdoor space.

We had a lovely family meal here after visiting Southwell races There were seven of us & we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Had reasonable and tasty food and drinks. Hotel is very old and the pub has several different little rooms, plus outside courtyard dining. Feels very 60s or 70s, but not in a bad way. Our host thought it needed updating, keeping the best of the old. We enjoyed it in any case.

Stayed on a Friday night in one of the feature rooms unfortunately it was facing the main road. On arrival into the room we noticed there was a fan and ear protectors, during the night the room became stifling and due to the noise of traffic was unable to sleep. Both fan and ear protectors were used but of little benefit. We were shocked at how busy the road was for a small market town. with only two hour respite from traffic noise. Food was good. However at breakfast waitress was unaware of vegetarian options. Staff were friendly. However on check out when informed of our displeasure no recompense was offered. Would not stay there again, due to all the above and costing £140 for two hour sleep!!

Used to be a quality place but has gone downhill in recent years. Have not been there for several years now and don't think I will be trying it again unless there is some dramatic change

After looking at the menus of several restaurants and hotels in Southwell, we decided the tapas menu looked inviting at this hotel.Although the whole atmosphere in the reception area was somewhat unwelcoming, we headed for what seemed to be the main dining room and enjoyed a superbly cooked lunch of various tapas, all beautifully cooked. The price was very reasonable. The room had few other diners but we managed to sneak a look at the plates which arrived for others. Those who had the two course menu had huge, delicious--looking plates of salmon and lamb shank.The furnishings are olde worlde and there were at least five clocks in the dining room, which chimed in unison every 15 minutes. Quite novel.We would be happy to return here, though the elderly gentleman in reception seemed very slow to check people in and out and was not very friendly towards anyone.

Arrived here with my elderly mother. Young man on bar seemed nice but man at reception was not welcoming. He couldn't tell me if the room was paid for or not. As it was a gift I was sure it was but he said no you pay on departed. He then sat down and watched my mum carry her case upstairs and obviously struggle. He gave us the wrong directions to the room telling us to turn right at the top of the stairs for room 101. The room was clean but you couldn't shut the curtains so I woke early with light. We ate the Piano Italian restaurant which was superb. Breakfast was ok.This hotel needs to employ staff with basic interpersonal skills. To top it off we stayed for a find and tonic and guess what?? They had run out of ice the day before. Nobody apparently thought about making some or going to shop. Overall not any where near a good standard for the price. When we checked out a lady told us our room was paid. Funny how the man the night before could t be bothered to share this with us.

As a well trained bar tender and waitress I had no fear in accepting a job here while at uni. However, their system is outdated and did not work with ease. Food was overpriced and I found the staff to be intimidating despite my skill set. During 1 shift I cried after comments from a 'team member'. It was not long before I handed in my notice. One of the first shifts I worked was a wedding. The bar glass wash could not handle the load and glasses were being rinsed under the bar tap to be cleaned!! Obviously, people did not want to use these glasses. This place has potential because of its history but an updated system and uniform (and more lights for that matter) let it down.

We dropped in here for drinks whilst waiting for someone, we were in the bar, the gentleman serving us said we would be more comfortable in the King Charles room and showed us through, lovely room, leather sofas, top quality service. Thankyou.

We dined here recently, a Saturday night, and were absolutely amazed to find the beautiful oak-panelled dining room empty apart from our table of four and a couple dining at another corner table. We had pre-dinner drinks at the adjoining King Charles lounge and, again, were the only people here! It was a bit like the Marie Celeste....Our meal was serviced efficiently by a young man and the three courses we all had were enjoyed, plentiful but a little uninspiring. I chose the seafood linguine and you really had to search for the small amounts of scallop etc.At the end of our meal we decided to take coffee back in the King Charles lounge and this is when the service seemed to go a little awry. We had to go in search of someone to bring brandies and, again, go in search for more coffee. We had been forgotten completely. In fact, the place was empty, not only of customers but also staff !This beautiful old coaching inn deserves much better than this; whoever manages it needs to pay strict attention to staff training initially followed by a complete overhaul of the evening dinner menu.The Saracens' Head deserves better management.

Making a return visit to finalise business on the area. Once again a warm welcome from Robyn as I arrived in the 'monsoon' rain. A cousin joined me for dinner which was, again, of a high standard. Comfortable room overlooking the main street but not too noisy.