The Bear in Purbeck

Overpriced, shabby decor.. abrupt waiting staff! Caesar salad had unwashed baby gem lettuce, very small portion served in a humongous dish that barely satisfied my hunger ( I’m a petite lady )

Spent 3 nights here on a mid-week break. Ideal location in the centre of the town and easy access to Poole and surrounding countryside. Town busy during the day but more quiet and relaxed in the evenings. Great room overlooking high street and with high temperatures provided an extra fan to help cool down. Breakfast offered both cooked and continental choice with some yummy yoghurt and cereals. Despite a few good pubs and other options, after a great meal in the Hotel first night we ate here which allowed a full study of the menu and great local beers topped up by friendly, attentive and always helpful range of staff. Couldn't have wished for a better stay.

Just had lunch at the Bear for Mothers Birthday and was disappointed especially after reading the reviews. Admittedly they did swap mash for chips on the kids menu, however we asked if the ploughman's could be done with lactose free cheese as well as GF bread and the waitress, or was rather sullen, stated she would check. We did state that if it couldn't I would have a gluten free roast instead. She never came back until the food was served, so we had four roasts, which were very sparse on veg, just green beans and a shaving pf greens,two kids meal and despite requesting a separate portion of chips for another child, these had to be asked for again when everyone else had their food. Whilst eating our roasts my partner found a long hair in his dinner but ate around it as we had travelled down from Southampton and the kids were hungry. We pointed this out the thr lady clearing thr table to which she replied "well it wasn't mine, don't suppose it's worth asking if you want desert". When the bill came the GF roast was the same price as the normal roasts, and no one came and apologised for the hair incident. As I stated at beginning sorely disappointed!

Dropped in for lunch and was not disappointed. Food and service was exceptional. Very friendly staff and the most amazing coffee, their own house blend.

We rarely eat out these days, due to many disapointing dining experiences in Swanage, with mediocre food, poorly trained staff & exhorbitant bills- Haven't eaten here for quite a while & wondered if it was still good, we were pleasantly surprised to find the food was excellent, the young staff really enthusiastic, pleasant & attentive (including the bar staff) and it was all vey reasonably priced. The mains & specials all under £20. I even left a tip! It seems to be one place you can really rely on for a decent meal. Date of visit 13/9/24

Very disappointing Afternoon Tea The very unsteady tea stand was laden with large slices of cake from the normal offering and 2 of the tray bakes that were at odds with the tiny macaron sat along side It was far too much cake for one sitting especially after eating the gigantic scone by contrast a very unimaginative choice of 4 finger sandwiches for my vegetarian order Cheese and Egg. More thought was needed around the presentation and balance of the portions

We only popped in for coffee & cake, but wish we’d gone for lunch or dinner, unfortunately we ran out of days & we found The Bear too late on our holiday. Very friendly, lovely cosy smaller rooms, & light & airy area at the back where they serve lovely homemade cakes, I think there was an outdoor area too. Definitely go again, and go there first.

The Bear is an excellent place to stay when visiting the area. Each room is very individual, we stayed in Aloysius, which was spacious with a king bed and superb bathroom, including an old fashioned tub type bath as well as a modern walk in shower. The food is very good, breakfasts have a wide selection of self serve items as well as a good choice of cooked items. Lunch/Dinner menu is quite small but everything we had was nicely presented and tasty. Service all round is very good. Staff were always helpful, polite, warm and friendly. Definitely recommend it. FYI Corfe Castle Swanage Railway Jurassic Coast Weymouth Poole Harbour (2nd largest natural harbour in the world apparently) Portland Bill Kingston Lacey To name just a few local places, are all nearby

We were staying in The Bear for 4 nights which was enjoyable. We had one dinner there which was very good and indeed the best dinner we had in Wareham. Food was good and the staff friendly and helpful.

Just left the Bear after a late lunch of ham eggs and chips, the eggs were totally solid and inedible and there was a hair on my plate. Still got charged £16 Never again. ⁷

We stayed for one night at The Bear. We were warmly welcomed on arrival and throughout our stay the staff were friendly. The room was comfortable and, importantly, quiet and nicely appointed. The real star of the show was breakfast. It was obvious that the Bear source all of their products locally (the pastries had clearly just been made fresh, the mushrooms can only have been picked in the preceding 36 hours, the sausages were excellent and the bacon was 'old school' thick cut and incredibly tasty) and cook to order from fresh. It makes such a refreshing change to see a place doing things properly. Thanks.

We had a short break in Wareham and chose this hotel as our base. We are so glad we did. The Hotel really is lovely, old fashioned, with nooks and crannies everywhere. The bar/dining room has plenty of character with a good choice of drinks. We had dinner in the Hotel and it was absolutely stunning. The food was superb and the service excellent. Every day breakfast was good with plenty of choice. Our room was on the first floor and was large and comfortable. As the hotel is on the main road, it does get slightly noisy in the mornings. The hotel is a credit to the owners and the staff. I would highly recommend a visit.

Top quality accomodation, spotlessly clean, friendly staff and excellent food (the beer was nice too!!) Our second visit and a firm fixture on our favourites list!

Stayed at The Bear as part of my birthday surprise on New Years Eve. We were most impressed as soon as we arrived when Danny offered to collect our luggage from the car and take it to our room. It just got better from there. The bedroom was very well appointed and the ensuite, fantastic. Danny made a table available for us by the fireplace and the meal and the service was excellent. Nothing seem to be too much trouble. We went to watch the fireworks down by the river at midnight and upon our return, we were welcomed with a complimentary hot chocolate. The staff were very attentive throughout our stay but special thanks, must go to Danny who is a real asset to the hotel. We look forward to a return trip in the summer.

Fabulous food and great atmosphere. Staff looked after our table of 10 extremely well. Will certainly return!

Booked for a mid week lunch with friends after a walk. Very friendly, helpful staff, comfortable cosy atmosphere and great food.

Great small hotel. Food good, well cooked steak and very helpful staff. Beds amazingly comfortable. Classic contemporary decor in rooms, good shower. After stay my left property was forwarded for just the postage fee - all in all this inn is excellent in all areas, thank you.

We had a fabulous weekend. All the team were exceptionally helpful and friendly, the room was lovely, the bed very comfortable and food excellent. We took our dog who loved being with the other guest dogs.

We popped in for coffee recently and were pleasantly surprised by The Bear. So, we decided to book up to celebrate a family birthday with Sunday lunch. We were welcomed and seated and sorted out with menus and drinks. In contrast to some other reviews we found the service to be at the right pace for us and everyone was friendly and helpful. The decor was lovely. We were seated in what was referred to as The Cafe on our first visit, as opposed to the Dining Room and it was perfect. We loved the exposed brickwork and the decor in all areas that we saw. The food itself was delicious. Five out of our party of six had roasts and the other ordered ham, egg and chips. We liked the fact that smaller portions of the roasts were on offer which suited two of our guests. All of the food was perfect, tasty and well presented. We enjoyed the ratatouille style accompaniment which was included in the bowl of vegetables. There was plenty to go around and extra gravy was served in a jug which was appreciated. We all had pudding- sticky toffee, crumble and panacotta. All were decent portions, nicely presented and enjoyed by all. So, thank you to all at The Bear we had a lovely time and we will be back.

We stayed with friends and dogs to celebrate 🍾 60th for the weekend. From arrival to check out the staff couldn't do enough for us all. The rooms and ensuits were perfectly decorated and the beds super comfortable with excellent linen. Breakfast and dinner were delicious and plentiful in both choice and portion size, nothing was too much trouble. We will be back. Thank you so much.

We chose The Bear for several reasons, the styling of the rooms was one. Modern touches in a beautiful Georgian building which hasn't lost the feel of old style luxury. We also liked their ability to cater for coeliacs. There were several choices on the menu that were suitable for coeliacs. The breakfast each morning was also safe, full English on both days. I expect it was due to the hotel being quiet that some food items weren't available, unfortunately no GF sausages at breakfast or GF burger buns in the restaurant at dinner. An alternative was offered but a burger isn't really the same in a couple of slices of GF bread. The Bear is perfectly located in the heart of Wareham and a fantastic base to the main attractions of Corfe Castle, Studland and Swanage A special thanks to Caitlin and her colleague who was working in the restaurant on the Sunday night and also a big thanks to Linda all of whom made us feel very welcome.

Beautiful rare roast beef which was delicious and tender, with well cooked veg. The only minor point is whether roasted Mediterranean veg belong with a Sunday roast - not for me personally but may be to others’ taste. There were plenty of traditional veg so this didn’t detract from the meal. Highly recommended.

Disappointing after previous excellent lunch. We had an excellent Lunch on November 3rd and decided to book for Sunday lunch for today 12th November. We arrived on time but it seemed as though we were not expected. We went to the bar and gave our name and someone who appeared to be a manager told the waitress we could sit anywhere as they weren't very busy. This seemed a strange welcome when we'd booked. Service was rather slow. Our order was incorrectly served. The food was OK but the Yorkshire puddings were undercooked. It was a while before our table was cleared and although we had planned to have a dessert, decided not to. I feel that something was wrong. We were not made to feel very welcome and it was such a contrast to our previous visit. I doubt we'll return.

Sadly we had a terrible experience , family of 6 , so not a huge number , the food was slow and cold and the manager acted like we were a total inconvenience. She wasn’t interested in speaking with us about our complaint. I have tried to follow up with an email but so far Ive not received a reply (6 weeks)

Delicious evening meal celebrating my birthday with family. We had our own dining room. Everyone's meals were great; from seafood linguine to fillet steak, sticky toffee pudding to panna cotta. Service was good even though there was a large private party also. Good location in the heart of Wareham although no parking on site but lots of parking nearby. Not the cheapest place to eat but lovely for a celebration and well worth the little extra. Would recommend.

Near the centre of Wareham with parking nearby. Very welcoming old establishment with comfortable seating and friendly helpful staff. Food was very good and portions ample. Panna Cotta really the best I have ever eaten.

We chose The Bear, as they permitted dogs. We had a fabulous evening and ended up in room by ourselves (6 0f us). The food was excellent and we all thoroughly enjoyed our mains and puddings. Excellent Service too. Not hurried . Most importantly the...

Had a wonderful evening with friends. Service was first class with the staff being friendly and attentive. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. Lovely cosy atmosphere with attention to detail. We will definitely be back.

My mum and I had a lovely meal here - delicious food for all 3 courses and friendly service. The meals were well presented and cooked to perfection. Our favourite meal so far on our holiday in Dorset. Toilets are very nice too! Would definitely...

We used the Bear for a family funeral. We had 5 bedrooms all of which were comfortable and beautifully decorated. We had an afternoon tea which very good value and an evening meal with 12 people in a private dining room. Linda ensured we had...

Having stayed in many places for my son’s golf competitions,I was very glad to have stayed at The Bear, We stayed in Yogi and whilst it was compact it was extremely well decorated and very comfortable! On our arrival we were given complimentary drinks which...

My husband is coeliac and it was so nice to visit a restaurant that offered gf fish and chips. Then to be told that they specially changed their batter from beer batter to cider batter so that everyone could enjoy the fish and chips, makes...

We had a lovely dinner here, my mother and I are both coeliac and so had the gf fish and chips. The food was amazing, absolutely delicious and you definitely wouldn’t know it was gluten free. My mother especially loved the pea veloute and the...

The hotel itself is lovely and cosy , I’ve been 4 times before , so knew what it looked like and chose the same room - Pooh bear. However after this visit , I think it will likely be our last. The room itself is...

I visited today for afternoon tea with some of my bridal party/family after saying 'yes to the dress!' at the local wedding dress shop and this was the worst afternoon tea we've ever had, and we've all been to quite a few. We wanted to...

Whilst the food was pretty good the service was dreadful we got fed up with waiting payed and left. Very disappointed to skip a course and coffee.

We stayed one night, the rooms are very nicely decorated and the bed was extremely comfortable, with a nice shower also. The staff were friendly and offered to carry my other half’s bag to the room. The breakfast in the morning was great. We also...

Just called in on the off chance and we’re lucky to have been given a table. Service was down to earth and friendly . Food was some of the best we’ve had all holiday. Would recommend but would book next time. Steak was the best...

Had dinner with my wife and a friend. The ladies had burgers which they really enjoyed, especially the chips. I had the chorizo and king prawn linguine, absolutely delicious. I can recommend. The ladies rejected a sweet but had coffees. I had the poached pear...

We were wandering thru Ware looking for somewhere nice where we could sit outside. The garden is pleasant and the decor is fresh and very clean. Nice waitress took our orders , and the food was well presented and fresh. The cakes were really good!

We were staying at the hotel and decided to have dinner at The Bear on our first night and the food was amazing! There was a great selection of food and lots of options for both Vegan and Gluten allergies. I would highly recommend dinner...

Following a fabulous review from my sister I booked my son and girlfriend into the Bear for a couple of nights as a holiday treat. We decided to have a family meal last Thursday evening and had a really delicious meal where you could tell...

Great welcome. Great food and they allow dogs in. Lovely place that we return to every year, never let us down.

Beautiful courtyard dining at the Bear Hotel. Our waitress Amelia was very friendly and helpful and the menu was great especially as there were so many gluten free options. We chose the moules and the ribeye steak. The moules were local and huge! Delicious sauce...

We chose The Bear to have a post wedding lunch with close friends and family. From the start the team at The Bear were very accommodating, helping to design a 3 course menu to our tastes with 4 main course options for the guests to...

Rang in the morning to book a table very obliging only required a contact phone no to make the booking-- nice welcome on arrival comfortable seating easily the best meal we have been served in the local area had delicious Sea bass and succulent rib...

Really nice place. Good food, good service, good atmosphere. Had a lovely meal, beautifully presented and some delicious Portuguese wine. Not rushed easy going and a most pleasent evening, highly recommend.

Very disappointed on this trip. Ordered a scone and butter with my cup of tea, and upon paying was charged for a full cream tea. When I questioned this the staff informed me that the management has this policy. What nonsense. And if you are...

We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on the 29 April with 30 friends and family. The events room, the staff, the food were all excellent. With a special mention to Linda for her support in ensuring that all went smoothly. We would highly recommend the...

We stayed for three nights in 'Goldilocks and the three bears' room, which was on the top floor, had a lovely large bathroom, with bath, the room was spacious and very quiet. We dined in two nights and the food was excellent. All the staff...

We stayed here for one night last week and the hotel is really good. Room was well-maintained and looked to have been refurbished recently. Good bed and nice powerful shower. We also ate here with our friends and had a really good meal. Starters were...

8 of us came on Good Friday for lunch . 5 had Salad niçoise the tuna was over cooked , bone dry, no dressing on limited salad snd maybe half an egg no potatoes per person for £18 very disappointing . We asked for a...

This is a beautifully refurbished old coaching inn in the middle of Wareham, near the quay. It had been empty for several years before the current owners began working on it. It reopened in 2019 and is doing really well. The rooms are well appointed...

Lovely hotel, with good food, friendly staff and a warm welcome! Centrally located with lots of restaurants and pubs in easy walking distance. Will return and would recommend it.

Not a pleasant experience, grumpy front of house, some of the food overcooked. Same guy that took my booking was front of house for our actual visit. I thought the surliness on making the booking was just a bad moment for this guy, but apparently...

Although we had booked a table we were stuck back in the cold, unappealing annex. Drinks were very slow to come and one had to be sent back, a Prosecco cocktail, as it had no fizz. Three of our selections from the menu were unavailable....

We were gifted a voucher for The Bear & decided to go on a Monday lunchtime. It was very tasty, great service & I would go back again. It is rather on the pricey side so it would be more of a treat than a...

The restaurant was busy. Two large glasses of Rioja £10:50 each very poor quality for the price. Bread and olive oil, balsamic vinegar, slices of supermarket sliced bread, tiny dish of dressing.£3:50 Olives £3:50 Pasta dish ok but small.£16:00 Cod goujons and chips, Three small...

Really enjoyed our stay at the Bear. We particularly wanted an on suite with a bath which seems to be increasingly difficult to find in B&Bs. The room was beautiful and the bath and shower were great. The room was very clean, the bed was...

A really lovely pub in the town centre, great decor and friendly staff. Dog friendly and a good menu including vegan options. Seemed buzzing on a Tuesday lunchtime!

I have just returned from a 3 night’s stay at the Bear in Wareham and highly recommend it. I had a lovely room which was very quiet and very comfortable. The breakfast selection was excellent, freshly cooked and served. The quality was wonderful and the...

Rarely write reviews but had such a lovely stay at The Bear. Immaculate stylish room with amazing rain shower and lovely bath products. Warm welcome. Excellent quality food including a superlative tomato soup and venison stew. Best mocktail I’ve ever had with 0% gin. Really...

Just back from a night at The Bear with my daughter. The attention to detail is great. The room was lovely, beautifully decorated and extremely clean. Loved the rain shower with the fab toiletries. We had one of the best breakfasts we’ve ever had at...

Dinner at the Bear was excellent. The food was interesting and well cooked. The sauce on the Brill was particularly good. Service was friendly and professional.

We had a delicious Sunday lunch today. The choices were lamb and beef and both were excellent. The meat was tender, great roast potatoes and yorkshire puddings, carrots, parsnips, red cabbage all covered in plenty of gravy (you can never have enough gravy)! We just...

My husband and I had a small registry wedding at a local town hall and followed with a reception at The Bear, I cannot thank the team enough for everything they did for us. We had the most wonderful time and the care and attention...

I just had to write this review as it’s good to know that in wareham there are nice places to eat The food was amazing and the service too Highly recommend the cappuccino crème brûlée

If it wasn’t for the food, I wouldn’t be writing a review. Old building on main road, so found public parking close by. As you walk in, doors off a long corridor, front left room people eating, front right room main bar. Another room on...

Nice setting and staff were good. We live locally so had great expectations for an evening meal with friends. Starter of cheese souffle was more like a cheese mousse and barely acceptable (luckily I ordered some bread and oils to go with it). Choice of...

Lovely place for food, events and a warm and lovely welcome. All of the staff were amazing and the food was second to none. A real hidden gem in Wareham.

In Wareham to attended a funeral but the stay at the Bear was fantastic. The bedroom was fantastic and very comfortable (gorgeous pillows). The decor was stylish but cosy. The food, dinner & breakfast were delicious, coupled with the brilliant warm & friendly staff it...

We were made very welcome at this friendly and stylish venue. The food was excellent and presented very nicely. All fresh and delicious. The staff could not have been more welcoming and accomodating. The WiFi is very fast. My son says they make the best...

First visit. Won’t be the last. Great food but the service was wonderful. Booked a table to meet my husband who was coming down from London. His train was delayed and he was two hours late. The staff were lovely and relaxed about it all....

Lovely evening catching up with friends in a pleasant setting. Food and service excellent Nice cocktails

Outstanding! Arrived at 7pm and there was a bit of confusion because someone had taken our reserved table in the garden - but quickly resolved. In a Gordon Ramsay kind of way, there are only about 6-8 options, from which each of us liked two....

Great- took my mum for a birthday lunch. Friendly and very quick service, really nice food, amazing cakes (as anticipated as we know Love Cake in Swanage well) and the building is really nice. Not the cheapest place in the world but great for a...

Went into the bear at the weekend with two friends. Ordered 3 coffees and 2 breakfasts. The coffee came 25 mins after the breakfast. When we pointed this out, we were told “there was a queue”. Rude staff, bad service, rotten coffee. 3.50 for two...

We stayed at The Bear for 3 nights to celebrate a big birthday and attend a wedding. First the good points - we stayed in Aloysius which is a lovely room. The large freestanding copper bath and walk in rainfall shower were amazing, and we...

We had a fantastic stay at The Bear Hotel. The room was perfect. We are very light sleepers and slept like babies - possibly because the bed was so comfortable!! The dinner was exquisite, and breakfast was like nothing we’ve had before. All of the...

Amazing food and drinks! We rang last minute as there was a mistake in booking elsewhere baring in mind we were a table of 8 they managed to sort us a table out. Staff were amazing. Couldn't fault anything. Vegan and vegetarian options and a...

The service here is fantastic. The wait staff are very good. The food promises more than it delivers. It’s not all you would hope it to be. An average steak was adequate at best, dauphinois potatoes were dry and tasted like they were from the...

I spent the day remote working from The Bear and what a dream it was. Kyle greeted me and showed me to the front room where I worked from. The coffees were delicious, my lunch was yummy, the internet was fast and the whole team...

Absolutely beautiful restaurant area, nice decor and very friendly staff. Wide range of drinks all displayed very nicely behind bar. We had duck parcels to start and pork for main. Both were so good, like so so good. Pork was tender and cooked to perfection,...

Stayed at The Bear for 4 nights over a long weekend in late June 2022. The rooms are lovely, bright, airy and immaculate. The food was top rate, absolutely delicious, lots of choice of local food and beautifully presented. But by far it was the...

Went in for breakfast, but they had stopped doing breakfast. As there was only two of us though they checked with the chef and had enough to sort us out, which avoided us having to go elsewhere. Good breakfast, with quality produce. The waitress Catleyn...

Husband and I decided to pop in for a cocktail or two, what a gorgeous refurbishment has taken place! We sat in the sun filled courtyard at the rear...what bliss! We sipped on cocktails, our favourite being the Paddington, which we highly recommend. We enjoyed...

Had left booking a hotel room for a wedding near the Jubilee weekend and found availability at The Bear Hotel Wareham. Very well priced, fantastic bedroom, my partner loved the mattress and bed as well as the huge walk in shower and extravengent bath tub....

We decided to try out the revamped Bear pub for dinner the other night, we were lead down a long corridor to a large quite empty room with very cheap cafe style tables and chairs, but at least it was clean. The staff were young...

After an initial mix up with the order leaving my daughter waiting a good while for her food to arrive while the rest of the family sat & waited for cutlery, watching our food go cold the food itself was rather disappointing. The childrens meals...

Booked a weekend stay as a base to explore the coastal walks nearby . We weren’t disappointed. Loved our visit, meals were delicious and the staff were very friendly. Will be returning. Would highly recommend.

Enjoyed a lovely cream tea in a peaceful and comfortable environment hidden from the madding crowd at the rear of the hotel - a hidden gem. Dog friendly and delicious choices to savour. Recommended.

Just wanted to say we came in on Good Friday and you have the loveliest waiting staff. We sat in your courtyard garden with our two children, ordered some drinks and brunch. Staff were so friendly and attentive and lovely with our children. Hiring good...

Beautiful room, stylish and comfortable. Plenty of places nearby to visit. Service and breakfast great too. Would highly recommend.

Down in Dorset visiting friends in Wareham. An excellent place for drinks and food. Faultless, welcoming service from great staff. The owners have the right to be very proud of a brilliant, laid back establishment. We’d recommend the signature cocktails. The meal was delicious, particularly...

A great old coaching in transformed into a modern hotel in a great location to travel out into Dorset. The room we stayed in was the Pooh Bear room which is nicely furnished and comes with an amazing bathroom. This includes a free standing bath...

stayed here after good pro mo articles in the glossy homes magazines, room was nice, clean and bed was cosy, but its grade 2 listed status means the windows are drafty and noisy. We liked the idea of eating with them but only two vegetation...

Had a lovely breakfast in their cosy library at the front of the hotel. The foos was excellent and the staff were very friendly and welcoming. Definitely worth a visit for a meal if in the Wareham area.

Great meal although a bit disappointing the Guinea fowl was not on the menu. It made the Gluten free option smaller. We did however have a stunning meal which was cooked to perfection.

Popped in for Sunday roast and were certainly not disappointed. Sat in the bar area. Lovely ambience with the fire burning and lots of people chatting. Service was great. Friendly staff, prompt service and food was divine. We also thought the 2 courses and the...

Called in for breakfast while visiting Wareham. They were busy but managed to seat us in the bar area which was okay. Food was cooked promptly and served quickly. Would visit again