The Bell at Charlbury in West Oxfordshire

Nice pup, but then it should be with the amount of money spent on it. Pricing food but the price of beer was reasonably. Good helpful staff.

A quick heads-up for disabled people. While making a possible lunch booking I enquired if the downstairs had a disability toilet and about wheelchair access. After checking (!) the member of staff said they don't have a downstairs disability toilet. And he didn't know if the other GF toilets would be in any way suitable. End of conversation. I say only this: just imagine if they offered no 'able-bodied' toilets either. And it seems that we'd need to check ourselves whether other toilets might do at a pinch. Wonderful.

Visited for Sunday lunch yesterday for an anniversary dinner, was shoved on a tight table in a corner at the back of an atmousphere-less room, no drinks menu when asked for drinks. orders taken, then came out wrong, food was put down on our table that was in fact for the table next to us, there was a lot of confusion, my partners was then told it was in fact his food, but mine was wrong so he was sat with his roast going cold for 10mins whilst mine was changed, the beef was extremely fatty and it was a small portion size given the £28.00 price tag. One slice of very fatty beef, one carrot, 2 roast potatoes & a handful of kale. I have no issue paying for a good roast but this was mediocre. The manager did come and apologies and said he would take some drinks off the bill, this wasn't done when we got the bill and I'm not tight enough to ask for that to be done. The point is don't offer it if I then have to ask for it. The details where just missing here, it lacked atmosphere which is what the Daylesford pubs normally do so well. No fire lit, no candles on, barley could hear any music, tables that are to low for the chairs meaning everything was just uncomfortable. I will say the sticky toffee was delicious though! I wouldn't normally write a review like this as I am extremely fond of the Daylesford pubs but yesterdays visit was simply disappointing. Just want to Give honest feedback so those details can be reviewed.

Great food and wine. Creative preparations and friendly service. Upscale pub ambiance. Enjoyed 2 dinners here and far too many pints.

Marked down because a half pint of lime and soda was £4.85. Like the fireplaces though

The ambience and staff were super, but the food was worse than awful, The management needs to get a grip . This is 90,s food. The celeriac soup was 95% potato with bought in bread, the pate de campagne was hard and fridged and the moules were killed with peppers . Please please do something

Had lunch here with friends and family. The food is OK and not exceptional but they had run out of many items which made it rather disappointing.

We stayed for three nights. One would have been magnificent and then it began, for us, going downhill. And why no tissues in the room? When I asked, I was asked what would I want them for? I think staff difficult to get, every day different people and none of them properly trained. but smiley and charming. One breakfast was a disaster and they refunded the cost. The room was very pleasant with excellent towels and good bed linen. Shower a little cramped but OK. Nice toiletries. I think most people stay for one night only and one would be very happy doing that. I don't know where everybody would be seated in the dining room if all 13 rooms were occupied as I could see only 6 tables!

We had the most wonderful stay at The Bell for my birthday. We would definitely stay again! Gorgeous cottage style bedrooms with ample space and amenities. Charlotte on the front of house was incredibly helpful (booking us return cabs to and from soho farm house) and easy to communicate with. Great location if wanting to visit Bourton-on-the-water, Daylesford farm, Chipping Norton etc.

Decided to pop in for two flat whites whilst in Charlbury. We were warmly greeted, it looked promising. Advised to sit out front as the patio at the rear was being cleaned. So far, so good. Ordered two flat whites at the bar and retired to the front terrace. We appeared to be the only customers so I was expecting the coffees reasonably quickly but they were slow in arriving. Concerned. However, what arrived was of such a poor standard as to be laughable. It was indeed flat and white but was served in cold mugs and looked and tasted of warm milk with zero coffee. Truly woeful in this day and age of cafe culture. Train staff and, please don't excuse the lack of quality when it's brought to your attention. It was given as advice to help The Bell improve.

This experience was a complete disappointment from start to finish. After originally booking, I called twice to increase the booking by 2, from 5 adults and 2 children, to 7 adults and 2 children, I also received a call back, where we discussed again and confirmed. On arrival, the booking was for the original 5, there was confusion with the staff and we were told we could not be accommodated, eventually we were squeezed onto a different table, staff whilst helpful were not very happy. The food was fine, nothing to write home about, but expensive. A glass of wine…A GLASS was £17 ! The bill for one course each of Sunday Roast ( only 6 as baby had own food) , one glass of wine and 4 or 5 pints of beer was £300. The terrace was small and the ‘garden’ was all tables, no where to sit after lunch. Completely disappointing, as family, getting together with the great grand parents is a special thing, our lunch was tarnished a bit by this. We made the best of it but I think people should know what they are getting into. We will not be returning.

The rooms, although small, are very comfortable and tasteful.

Disappointing, considering the reputation is so good. Parking a nightmare, one of our friends had to park 3/4 mile away. The interior very noisy. We were all punctual for lunch at 1 but were suddenly told at 3 that our table was required and that the only alternative was to sit in the garden. There was unnecessary muzak playing - when we asked for it to be turned off we were told at first that it was controlled by HQ in London and could not be altered, but another staff member managed to turn it down. Food very expensive for what it was, and a bottle of OK rose was £45. The beef was good but the vegs were just a few tough string beans, tired roast potatoes, scraps of cabbage and a couple of carrots. Fish was reportedly tasteless and small portion. Eton mess was heavy on the cream and very few tiny meringues. We felt we could have had a better meal elsewhere at £93 for two.

Stayed for 2 nights . Really odd service .. don’t think any one wanted to be working there . You could hear people in room above talking and felt like they were walking on your head . Room had not been fully cleaned before I checked in … items in bathroom . An opened soap and someone’s body scrub . No atmosphere . Food average I would not recommend this as a place to stay My friends were at the Bell so spent my time there where possible I have stayed at Dayelsford many time in their various cottages and am surprised at how awful the bell is

Popped in for a pint of real beer - big mistake, there's nowhere for mere drinkers to sit and they haven't a clue about beer.

Excellent service from friendly and informed staff. Could food amid cool’ surroundings

My husband booked a surprise 2 night stay for my birthday last weekend which I was very excited about. On arrival we were shown our room called cowslip, the first thing that came to my attention was there was no mirror in the room which seemed very odd. I mentioned this to reception and they did bring a small mirror however it was impossible to use as there was no seating nearby and where the mirror was situated it was too low to stand and use .If I wanted to dry my hair or apply make up I had to kneel on the floor . When I mentioned this to reception they were well aware of the problems it was causing and advised others guests had complained about this too . There were no slippers , or coffee in the room and the milk was not replenished on the second day . On arrival at breakfast the next morning at 10am we were very rudely told that we were late and breakfast had finished and we couldn’t / wouldn’t be served . Fortunately another member of staff overheard the conversation and stepped in to rectify the situation. There was no information in the room to inform what time breakfast was served until and we hadn’t been informed at check in . That evening we ate in the restaurant and which had a very limited menu I had the chicken Kiev which was very dry and burnt and my husband had the rib eye steak which was very average . The drinks service at the bar was poor. I ordered a gin and tonic the barman proceeded to tip the whole tonic into the glass which fizzed all over the top , he then got a paper towel and wiped down the glass and served me my drink !! The downstairs ladies toilet in the bar area was filthy , it had obviously not been cleaned / checked there was loo roll on the floor and in the men’s wet paper towels were strewn in the sink . When we mentioned this to a member of staff they explained that there was only one male and female toilet for all the guests including those that had visited in the garden that day . Why these aren’t checked on regular basis is beyond me . The hotel is run primarily by very inexperienced staff that seemed to lack a lot of knowledge, skills and direction . It was so very disappointing and not something you would expect linked to such prestigious brand. If you charge premium prices you expect a premium product and this was nowhere near .I’m sad to say I would not return or recommend. I would suggest that the bell returns to the basics and halves it prices .

We are very lucky to have this pub in Charlbury. Great food with amazing service in a perfect setting.

fantastic pub, Some of the best out food we have had in so long! All the staff were really, really welcoming. Andy, the manager was fantastic and all the staff. the food is some of the best we have ever had! The decor is absolutely beautiful really done out well and clean. The steak was sensational so tender!!! If you’re thinking about going, don’t hesitate you will not regret it atmosphere food everything you need in one pub. such a lovely place. Highly recommended for a good night out!!!

Excellent meal washed down with hooky and rose. Great service from Ashley and the hake was perfect. Can’t wait to head back.

Unpretentious and elegantly comfortable. Not cheap but not as expensive as you might expect from a Daylesford Property. Fantastic service- they were extremely kind to my elderly, disabled mother.

Absolutely brilliant. A gem. Food great and service superb.

Nice pub but the food was expensive for what it was. We had the Mother's Day menu so £45 for a roast and a pudding. The roast was average overall but the potatoes weren't good at all. The fire also wasn't managed properly so we ended up leaving smelling of smoke after the room got hazy

Bar prices: £8.50 for a 125ml glass of Sauvignon Blanc and £5.50 for a 0.5l can of non-alcohol beer was ridiculous. Don't waste your money. Charlbury has other, more reasonable places to spend your hard-earned cash.

The Barn @ The Bell is a brilliant, well presented space. With its beautiful layout and design, it creates a cosy but spacious area with great facilities. The staff were attentive and friendly and the food was delicious and beautifully presented. The main bar is warm and cosy and offers a range of draught beers and cider.

Little bit on the pricey side, other than that it was really good.

We loved the bell first time to this pub from the groups great parking at the rear, beautifully restored and decorated inside. Great service and food.

The Bell is a good gastropub, with a short menu using locally sourced ingredients. The food is fine, although not anything special. It is not too expensive, and definitely worth a visit if in the area.

Lovely design of the grade 2 listed pub. Staff at breakfast was lovely. Great fireplaces , board games and dogs at the bar. Kids loved their room and complimentary cookies. Some parking spaces could be reserved for guests: we had issues with finding parking spaces. Health and safety issue with long blinds cords, people with kids would know why that’s an issue. Nice although ridiculously expensive food and that is coming from North London; very uneven, sometimes uncomfortably over the top service at the restaurant. Breakfast could have more non-eggy options, not everyone eats eggs.

We came here for a meal for the start to my husband birthday weekend, we was so disappointed, from arriving and eating our food, we was there for 27 minutes. As soon as we ordered, our starter came within 8 minutes and we ordered Mussels for 2 which we didn’t get because we had the last portion. Then after taking our dishes away the main course came and we had beer battered fish and there was more batter than fish, came with curry sauce and peas, very small sauces. One server staff was really nice but the lady in the Red jacket was really over the top and after we complained about the Mussels, she went really over the top to be nice. We wouldn’t go back.

The music leaves a lot to be desired, it is distracting, conversation is difficult and the staff must struggle with it every day. There is quality with everything else.

Bangers and Mash - Feedback (as requested) - a great fun night. 3 observations. 1) the music and PA was unnecessarily loud - I went home with a headache - it really does not need to be that loud. 2) the 'line first, 4x corners next and the full house last' scoring worked brilliantly - the method on the 2nd card was bonkers. Stay with the way you did the first and 3rd game. I think it would be better with just 2 games, 3 was getting a bit too much. Suggest that an opening game, a decent break to eat and have a chat with friends, and then the 2nd (last) game after about an hour. Overall, we had a great night, thank you for all the work putting it together.

Lovely stay, bangers & bingo was a huge hit, we loved it

Just had dinner at the Bell and what a great experience it was. As a local resident I really appreciate the investment that has been made in making this a first class venue for discerning diners without losing its charm. Prices are reasonable, service is professional and there are still plenty of tables set aside for customers who just want to pop in for a,drink, which is a refreshing change. I had chicken liver parfait, paupiettes of plaice and vanilla cheesecake and all were delicious. How wonderful to have a place like this within walking distance! Keep up the good work. Denise Denise.

We just had the most wonderful weekend at The Bell. The room was outstanding from the comfortable bed, to the luxurious shower and bath towels. The food and service was just spot on and my dietary requirements were not a problem for chef. Highly recommend a visit. We will be back!

Typical Carole Bamford style upgrade of a rather dismal old hotel. Beautifully done and staff to match. Limited menu usually guarantees better food as it leaves less for chefs to have to concentrate upon. Certainly true here as the dishes were, in the main, delicious. However, it is yet another restaurant that is seeking, and will probably get, in a Remainer dominated place like Charlbury, elitist status with some quite outrageous pricing - particularly on the wine list. We shall not be returning principally due to the wine prices but also over £80 for a chateaubriand is taking the proverbial! Thank you for introducing some of the party to Hawkstone lager - Jeremy will be delighted to know of two new converts!

Sad to say despite the pub being really pretty and beautifully done with friendly staff the food is painfully average. Really disappointing roast with the pork belly that was meant to come with “amazing crackling” was overdone and had zero crackling. I barely touched my food and still had a hefty bill to pay at the end. Go to the bull instead, food is 1000 x times better.

A beautifully renovated pub with excellent staff, delicious food and a relaxed atmosphere. Our table in an alcove by the fire was cosy and private. The decor was understated but to a very high standard and the staff were attentive polite and very helpful. The whitebait was presented beautifully with a homemade tartare sauce and the roast beef was cooked to perfection with an array of colourful perfectly cooked vegetables and Yorkshire pudding. The Sticky Toffee pudding and coffees was a lovely finish. We will be returning very soon and recommend to friends.

Let me start by saying that if you are hungry at breakfast then consider eating elsewhere. It’s not that the food didn’t taste good, it was perfectly nice, it was just underwhelming in size. More of a toddlers meal. A token breakfast. Or as we called it, our pre breakfast, because we needed to go and eat immediately afterwards. Also, it took 45 minutes to bring it to the table. Maybe a toddler made it? The room was nice enough, nothing like as impressive as the photos on the website but clean and warm and a comfortable bed. We didn’t eat any other meals there. We weren’t going to make that mistake twice. But there are lots of great places to eat nearby. And it’s dog friendly. I should have probably given it another star and brought it up to average, but the breakfast really killed it for me.

Tasteful interior, but overpriced food and totally lacking in atmosphere. Felt a bit uncomfortable. Moved on to the Bull up the road and it was buzzing. Know where I'd rather go ...

Terrible service. Staff are everywhere but totally uncoordinated and not actually serving people. Freezing cold in the bar as they wouldn’t light the fire. Food mediocre.a lot of money for a little experience

The bell has been recently refurbished and the building and the external areas look great with extensive new seating in a walled area to the front and a well designed rear area. Also to the rear of the car park is a further woodland external seating area. Limited external parking . The Bell has parking but please check in as a guest . The restaurant is split either side of the bar and through the menu is not extensive there is something for everyone and the food is of good quality and good portion size . Having eaten there twice felt good value for money . The interior is very well refurbished and the there is ample restaurant space . Staff are welcoming , smiles on their face and efficient . The only down side is the incredibly small bar . It really only holds about 10 people with limited space . There is a spill over space but normally laid for dinning .

The bell has recently reopens after a large make over and it looks great . Major additions to the front and rear external seating area have put in , the rear area very well finished and a lovely spot for slate afternoon drink plus what appears to be a a further external area at the end of the carpark offering a large outside drinking area within a wooded area. There is car parking at the rear but you need to check in if you are eating . There is limited parking in the street with yellow lines to be wary of. Very good staff, welcoming and engaging. The internal of the hotel has loads of charm and a good size eating area split either side of the bar and very good decor. The menu is a little limited but having eaten there twice the food was well portioned and very enjoyable . Good food at reasonable prices . The only issue with the Bell is the size of the bar . Which is very small with very limited seating . Worth a visit .

Simple cooking with good quality ingredients.

Food was average and overpriced.

Lovely place, delicious food. Perfect

Lovely cosy English pub beautiful decor tastefully done. Smart well trained staff . Food was very good but living in France still find having to pay for bread and then £5 for a few chips to go with Moules a bit of a rip off and then paying 12. 5% service charge !!! To me you pay a tip for good service which should be discretionary. Having said that on this occasion staff deserved a good tip. Would certainly return just don’t like paying for extras should be included in price.

How lovely to have this restaurant near to where we live! Great menu with plenty of tempting choices. All courses ordered were generous and delicious. We will visit again.

Chateaubriand was small but tasted very good. Whitebait again tasted great but were the size of sardines. Service in line with expectations, and the manageress made an extra effort to fit our last minute booking in. No wow factor - will go back again, if it’s the same generally unremarkable experience then will delete it from our list of local pubs that we go to

Disappointed with a short visit to what we thought would be a nice pub, just for drinks. Although the bar was half empty and despite buying fairly pricey drinks (not that that should have made any difference) we were forbidden from sitting in empty seats...

We have just stayed at this beautiful place in Charlbury. From the moment we checked in and were greeted by the simply wonderful, cheerful, uplifting, friendly and efficient Charlotte, to the moment we checked out, we were exceptionally impressed. A stunning pub and hotel, gorgeous...

The menu is dull and limited and the service was extremely slow: we waited over an hour for main courses and when we pointed this out to the waitress we got a huge eye-roll. The kitchen was clearly struggling as when the food eventually came...

The hype behind the reopening of this pub/hotel was to be expected, given that Lady Bamford was behind it. Consequently we were anxious to try it ( having had good experiences at The Wild Rabbit and The Fox in Oddington) and I telephoned six times...

Good Sunday roast, fresh and comforting taste but a small meat portion for £24, i.e. 3x small slices of (tasty) beef. Excellent selection of beers and wines. Obviously has the Daylesford panache which is still impressive. Totally different vibe to the Wild Rabbit and Fox...

The food was very good, probably the best whitebait ever (nice chunky fishes). The four dishes were well presented and very strong on flavour. Service was very good. Daniel and the team delivered great front of house service and the kitchen brigade some excellent food....

Was served delicious food today at the Bell. From the game terrine, whitebait to the fish pie and pasta everything was perfectly cooked, tasty and portions were just right. Service was efficient, professional and very friendly. In particular Daniel, F&B manager. It is a shame...

Perfect night away, room was beautiful. We had lunch, dinner and breakfast and all were fantastic. Sat night dinner was memorable and thanks to the great staff, particularly the restaurant manager.

if you want some bang average pints for double the price of their worth and chips that taste like a maccies order which take 30 mins to cook then this is the place for you. cringy ass bell puns on the back of waiters t...

The food was amazing and very reasonably priced. The staff made us feel very welcome and went above and beyond. The restaurant was also very cosy and inviting. Thank you for topping our weekend off in the Cotswolds!

The most perfect stay at this lovely hotel! Everything was so perfect! The service was incredibly personal and they made us feel so welcome and wanted, my fiancé and I were truly sad to leave there! Thankyou so much to Chantal and her wonderful team...

Staff are really friendly and working so hard considering all the new guidelines etc. Food was delicious and so were the puddings! Room and bathroom were very spacious. Overall a great stay.

Went last night with friends. A lovely beer garden. However, food was poor quality with a very limited menu. Even with the limited menu there was a lot of items not available. Fish, Chips and Peas came without peas until I asked. Vegan Burger came...

Had a lovely stay. Beautiful surroundings and other pubs around the area are worth a visit too. Enjoyed our meal and breakfast. Would definitely recommend

First impressions were good, as we received a warm welcome by staff. We were already checked in at another venue, pre-booked for a birthday celebration, but we wanted to enjoy dinner in a local venue other than where we were staying for the night. Having...

Stopped here for one night for a visit to Blenheim and Oxford- a great find. Lovely room, comfy stay in spacious surroundings. Supper in the pub was great and breakfast just as good. Charming service- would return here.

I went there with a few of my friends after a long day at Blenheim, as soon as I walked it was an instant atmosphere of warmth and welcome , the food was lovely very homely , would definitely go again and all the staff are lovely

Nos alojamos aquí con nuestro perro cuando veíamos algunos amigos en la zona. La habitación era muy bonita y el ambiente del pub era encantador. ¡El perro ciertamente lo disfrutó!Además, realmente necesitaba el buen desayuno en la mañana. Fue muy apreciado.Sin duda me alojaría aquí de nuevo

A very good meal with good service. Only problem was a neighbouring table had a dog which barked loudly when another diner walked past and frightened my partner - made us jump and him particularly as he is afraid of dogs. I am not sure dogs unless they are guide dogs should be in restaurants.

Attractive pub with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We chose from the festive set dinner menu. Each course was imaginative and delicious. Portion sizes were just right (we managed three courses!). We thought the food and wine prices were very reasonable. Service was attentive and staff were very friendly. It would be great if they could offer a simple two course fixed price menu outside of the festive season. We will definitely return.

Elegimos el Bell para un almuerzo familiar de Navidad para 6 adultos y 4 niños. Reunirse con la familia antes de Navidad en diferentes partes del país es un evento anual para nosotros, por lo que fue importante hacer esto bien. Muchos otros establecimientos cercanos no cumplieron con nuestros requisitos: tarifa de Navidad disponible a la hora del almuerzo; menú de navidad para niños y precio para niños; mesa decorada con galletas saladas; no tenemos prisa por irnos después del almuerzo para darnos tiempo para hacer regalos.¡La campana nos dio esto y más!Teníamos una habitación para nosotros, la mesa y la habitación estaban bellamente decoradas y el fuego estaba encendido. No tenemos prisa por irnos después de la cena y un ambiente muy relajado.La comida fue excelente! ¡Cada plato estaba limpio!El personal fue servicial, flexible y, lo más importante, amable.Y el precio fue una excelente relación calidad-precio.Tuvimos una increíble reunión de Pre Navidad.Gracias a la campana. Espero verte de nuevo durante la temporada de Navidad.

We met up with old friends for a chatty lunch. Nice menu and specials. Warm friendly atmosphere a nice welcome. All added up to a great reunion

Me sentí completamente relajado aquí con mi perro y mi pareja. Nos quedamos una noche cuando nos mudamos a la zona y queríamos explorar la zona. La chica que me registró fue profesional y acogedora. La habitación era cálida, acogedora y cómoda. El baño era encantador. Estábamos tan cansados de trabajar y viajar al hotel que queríamos cenar en nuestra habitación para relajarnos y nos acomodaron y la comida estaba deliciosa. . El desayuno de la mañana también fue fabuloso.No dudaría en volver a alojarme aquí.

Lovely friendly reception. Went to the Bull first but Bell is so much more welcoming to myself and my dog

Pequeño hotel encantador en un pueblo tradicional de Cotswolds.

Stayed here overnight prior to a visit to Blenheim Palace. Very convenient location for this venue and for exploring Oxford area and the Cotswold in general. Booked a standard double room which was only room available at the time, which was clean and adequate for our needs with complementary tea and coffee making facility provided. Staff friendly and helpful, ate here in the evening and food reasonably priced and of good quality, although menu choice somewhat limited. Breakfast excellent, cereals etc self service, full English cooked to order. Will definitely stay again.

A pleasant evening in an charismatic cotswold inn. Good value for the area. Better inside than out ( the rear is more of a car park ). Has excellent potential in what is a delightful town

Stayed over the bank holiday weekend. Really nice. Spacious and comfortable rooms. Friendly and accommodating staff. Good food in the restaurant. A very quiet and relaxing stay in a great location. Would return.

We stayed in the The Bell for a spur of the moment weekend away - and we certainly landed on our feet.

Excellent service. Meal was surperb. They can definitely make liquor coffees if you like them. We had 2 steaks meals with a free bottle of red wine for Valentine's night.

Un paseo por el campo, (¡casi 6 millas!) En clima claro pero frío, encantador, y al final un muy buen almuerzo en el Bell. Éramos 9, un desafío para cualquier cocina, pero nos sorprendió la velocidad y la eficiencia. Mi hamburguesa de ternera con una rodaja de queso brie, se servía con patatas fritas recién cortadas a mano, que eran excelentes. Las hojas de ensalada se pasaron lo mejor posible, y la ensalada de col deliciosa pero en una porción bastante pequeña. El menú de postres era corto, pero muy dulce, y mi pastel de queso y helado era muy bueno. Estuvimos muy satisfechos.

Esta es una crítica un poco difícil de escribir, porque realmente quería puntuar este pub más alto. La gente que trabaja allí es encantadora. La comida es buena. El edificio y la ubicación son perfectos.

L’hotel è molto caratteristico, nel centro di un paese magnifico e tranquillo. I gestori molto carini e disponibili. Qualche problema a rispondere alle mail, avendo noi un bimbo di un anno volevo un lettino ad hoc, quindi ho dovuto telefonare perché non hanno mai risposto alle mail. Comunque una volta li erano tutti molto disponibili e carini. Abbiamo fatto 7 giorni, mangiato spesso li e ci siamo goduti l’atmosfera tipica. Torneremo in primavera!

Me alojé en este hotel hace muchos años y pensé que era hora de volver, algunos dicen que nunca volveré. . son correctos

Reservé 2 noches en el timbre en julio para que mi esposo y yo tuviéramos un descanso muy necesario. Cuando vinimos a empacar, me di cuenta de que el pub había cambiado de manos y tenía un pequeño pánico causado por algunas de las críticas más recientes.

My husband and I visited to try the new menu, and the food did not dissapoint. We started with a chicken liver parfait, he had the tomato and onion tart, we both had a steak, which was juicy and topped with a lovely herb butter seasoning. The waiter was friendly and attentive. What a great addition this pub is to the local area. Top marks, bravo!

This Pub does what it says on the tin. Good pub food, good service, great atmosphere, we will definitely be back. After reading the other reviews I wonder if we visited the same place?

My husband and I decided to support the new owners at The Bell, and thought we'd try an evening meal. This was categorically, the worst meal that I've Ever eaten! My husband ordered the over seasoned soup, which arrived with no bread, just croutons. I ordered a rare steak, which arrived, practically burnt, with some carbon rods, which we presumed were the chips. I sent the steak back, and sat and watched my husband eat a pie, that had obviously been bought in (and burnt), and the carbon rods. When the steak arrived, it would have been okay, had it not been for the dreaded salt........The chips were slightly more acceptable on this occasion, however, not something that I'd ever want to eat again. Deciding that life was still worth living, we declined the dessert menu, and headed home for very much needed water! On a good note, the service was good , and the carbonated over seasoned food was served by a very pleasant waitress.

The bull must be laughing - at last, somewhere in Charlbury worse than the pretentious Bull.....went tonight to sample the Bell under new management. - what a disaster! Rare Steak was over done and over salted, chips cooked to a cinder, steak pie over heated, no veg, and chips like those that arrived with my wife's steak were "a la incinerator" ....beer now overpriced at £4.50 plus a pint for basic lager and I'm wondering if this is why they're are no longer any locals in the bar......previously it was a basic menu but well done and well priced - £50 for something we'd sooner forget - sorry but they've ruined it now and we won't be going again in a hurry

My one night stay over at the end of April could not have been better, I have read other reviews esp. artjourno that I found colourful and am sorry that their special occasion was marred but I was fortunate it was a quiet night and I had the room near the bar to myself and commandeered the fireside seat (which actually got too hot even for a queenslander from the subtropics) yeah I moved I chose the Cotswold bangers and mash trying to have local dishes and even though I normally don't eat snags it was bloody good, overall I found the place charming, service was good and very grateful the lad (not condescending, as an elderly everyone under 40 looks like a baby ) at reception took my bag up, breakfast was very good and overall I would say stay for a quintessential old pub experience in the public rooms and enjoy the obviously recently refurbished rooms with spacious bathrooms, cheers

We had a wonderful visit to this this old country pub and hotel. The staff were welcoming and the food was generous and well cooked. Our room was very large and ample for the price. We enjoyed our cooked breakfast and we will return.

We came here on a busy Saturday night and have a lovely meal of mushroom risotto and bangers and mash. The young gentleman that served us was great, as were all the people working. The old building is beautiful and filled with character and made for the perfect country pub setting.

New management can bring a fresh new approach , unfortunately this seems to be change for changes sake by people unfamiliar with the venue. An already dark restaurant repainted in a dark colour. As can be seen at the time of writing the picture above this review shows orange. Not to everyone's taste perhaps but repainting it virtually black has to be seen as a mistake. White would have been better is you did not like the orange.

Stayed at the bell for 3 nights this weekend instead of staying inside the festival at wilderness. Accommodation was great and is about a 25 minute walk to the main stage of the festival.

We stayed sig nights for a celebration with a number of friends and family (in total 20). The rooms are spacious and all different and modernized recently. The setting is in a quiet small town with church bells and nature walks. Behind the inn there is an orchard for quiet relaxation.

My family and I recently went for lunch at the Bell as a party of four celebrating my mother’s 81st birthday! We’d heard that the Bell’s reputation had improved!

Quite a busy country pub which seemed to be a popular. drinking hole for the locals .Friendly bar service.Not a lot of choice on the menu so decided to try one of their new sharing platters, choosing the meat fish and cheese one.Quite a varied choice but all in all quite disappointing and for £18 expensive.

The spacious car park is behind the pub and the bedrooms are in a separate building convenient from your vehicle. Our light and airy room was flooded with sunshine when we arrived with a lovely view towards the Oxfordshire countryside. The room was spacious and generally clean (although the carpets in and out of the room need a shampoo). The twin beds and linens were comfortable. The ensuite shower room was roomy with a window that opens and a glass shower cubicle. Walls are a bit thin so could hear people in the corridor and walking around next door, but we were not disturbed in the night. We didn't require dinner so walked to the nearby Co-op for some snacks and drinks (unfortunately there was no fridge in the room to keep them cool). The TV is quite small but adequate. If the cooked breakfast is anything to go by then the food here should be very good. The staff were friendly and The Bell was an ideal stop over.

A group of about 16 of us ate here after a morning's walk. We placed our orders before the walk from a menu with plenty of choices, including baguettes with a variety of fillings and several main courses. The food was brought to us promptly, and my chicken with various toppings was tasty. The chips weren't the best chips we had ever had, but overall it was a good meal and good service.

A few friends and myself visited the bell during a thunderstorm yesterday - the staff were accommodating and allowed our dog to join us to dine in the bar area.

We stayed here for 1 night in May and really loved the hotel. The room was fantastic and large enough for our big dog to have his own space too. They are very dog friendly and there's a large area of grass outside the rooms which means you don't need to walk far for the late night/early morning pee break!