The Bluebell Country Inn in Powys

Surprised to read some of the reviews on here. Great little find on camper van app, we called and emailed and had positive replies. We stayed in our van on our travels in the carpark, great peaceful night with not a lot of lighting, had good Ale on tap (Doom Bar) and had a great steak and fish tea. Great service and friendly staff, it wasn’t too busy for a Saturday but in the current climate and its rural location isn’t this to be expected. We are planning another local walk in the new year and will be back

Visited a few times starters are not good. Had both the prawns and mushrooms. Prawns are vile and the mushrooms dont get me started, its advertised as creamy mushroom there is no cream they were barley edible. The restaurant could honestly do so well with its immaculate interiors but the service lets this place down. Staff are friendly none of the less but very very slow despite there looking like there are numerous bar/ serving staff available. You wait ages to be asked for a drink, then for them to arrive then onto your order. Its a very long and painful process. Now on to the mains/ sunday lunch Again long long waits for them to arrive, they appear to bring each persons meals one by one by the time they finally arrive with the vegetables sides you have basically eaten half your dinner or it will be stone cold by the time the vegetables eventually arrive. There should be two staff to bring them together to get them out quicker and then vegetables should arrive at the exact same time not 10 minutes later. Then if you go on to ask for additions ie extra gravy/sauces you again can basically expect to have eaten half your food before these arrive. Im not sure if staff are inexperienced/ new but this definitely needs looking at asap and from what I can see from other reviews it seems a common problem with service. The Sunday lunch however is absolutely outstanding and I would go as far as saying its the nicest. sunday Dinner in the area plus further . Plentyful, beautiful side dishes (when they finally arrive) the cauliflower cheese is to die for and theres always enough for the table to share. Despite the service issues I will however return as the Sunday lunch is exceptional

Prawn and crayfish starter Asked can we have just a prawn cocktail Came with prawns only no sauce Second time cocktail sauce only Third time lucky But after all that the prawns were vile!! My daughter’s mushroom starter was disgusting!! That was after waiting for over40 minutes Ready to walk out our beef sirloin Came 40 minutes later Thankfully the Sunday lunch was beautiful Will return No starters next time Also never asked iff we enjoyed our food PROBLEMS WITH KITCHEN TIMINGS

Very clean and tidy inside, Sunday roast was superb 👌

Good all round pub Price not too bad However not a lot of choice on the menu Only open Friday.Saturday and Sunday

We went for a family meal as we'd been last year as a couple and loved it. Sadly this time the place was empty on a Saturday apart from a few drinking. Nobody was eating....alarm bells should've been ringing. The food came the steaks were good but the mushroom and tomato were cold. The 3 times fried chips were awful and inedible and rock hard. They tasted of rancid oil. The side salad was unwashed and gritty. Faces were pulled if the grandchildren made a noise which left me feeling very uneasy and uncomfortable. For the the price paid it was definitely not the quality we expected. I'm sorry to say we will not be returning.

Great atmosphere, great bar menu with burgers, pizzas and nachos!!

Lovely food, very accommodating

Lovely meal fab service very friendly staff & helpful

This pub has all the ingredients to become a great venue, an attractive building and an immaculate interior. But something is missing, and it may well be good management! As requested, our group of 18 ordered in advance from the very limited menu, yet still they were obviously struggling with what appeared to be just one in the kitchen, and one bar staff/waitress. Some assistance from management would have gone a long way! However, the professionalism of the waitress under such circumstances was a credit to her, when many would have down tools and left.

Went on a bank holiday weekend,had entertainment on which was excellent,we had a brilliant time.

Great location if you are looking to walk straight up onto the hills. However, for a pub with rooms the menu is lacklustre and with no alternatives in walking distance you’re stuck after a drink. Poor beer and wine selection with the one ale they did have not drinkable as it had turned. Very disappointed with the service provided, simple things like having to ask for a menu or not being told if its table/bar service. No menu provided at breakfast so you’re left to read the mind of the person serving you, breakfast took over 35 minutes to arrive; we were the only ones in there! The family room is very loud but it is above the kitchen so out of their control. Not value for money and wouldn’t stay there again. Shame as it has lots of potential.

Great food, vegan friendly. Staff all lovely. Rory nice ambience indoors. Nice beer garden at the back.

Popped in for lunch with the kids and our Great Dane on Monday. Had a brilliant burger and chips in the garden - very well looked after and food just as you want it.

Lovely warm welcome from all the team. Sirloin steak cooked to medium rare perfection. Delicious accompaniments. The nicest steak meal we ve had out in a very long time. Thank you :)

Food is probably the worse I have eaten but will explain more that I would not recommend. Wanting to go for a nice meal to show my American family member what British pub is, I thought this beautiful pub which I have not been in is a good shout. From the outside the pub is great. The guy behind the bar was really friendly to be fair, nice guy but that's about it. No ales on tap when we went there, apparently it was to be delivered. Food was trying to be American I think, the chips were soft and oily. I actually took a takeaway as thought I could try eat later or make better. As I tipped it in the takeaway pot, it all sludged out in one drop. Burger meat was advertised as "steak burger". It was bland. No table service The whole table including my kids thought the food was awful. Bill came to £80 for food I honestly should not have eaten. We were in a rush and hadn't eaten lunch so just ate and left. Happy to come back and discuss in person if you wanted but seriously avoid this place. It's a shame as such a beautiful building in a great location. Just do British food well. Very unhappy and was ashamed to bring my family here.

Food was disappointing here. The jumbo fish finger inside was hard and chewy, not very nice tasting and didn’t appear to be homemade. The small plate chicken dish seemed overpriced for the amount of chicken. Chips were good. Waitress was friendly . It was very quiet for a weekend.

Nice pub near Crickhowell. Clean and nice decor. Friendly staff. Basic menu but tasty. Dog friendly.

Lovely pint of cider on a hot afternoon.

The set up here was lovely, beautifully decorated and tranquil atmosphere. The staff were welcoming and warm, it has great potential but was let down by the food and menu, sadly. I'm guessing this was why it was almost dead on a Sunday afternoon. It has quite a small limited menu so we were disappointed to discover that of this, they were out of all beef burgers, a bit of a let down when there aren't many others options. We chose the steaks, paying extra for peppercorn sauce. After paying we were told there would be no greens or mushrooms as stated as they had run out, no alternatives offered so I had to buy an extra side salad. The food was pleasant enough when it arrived but the peppercorn sauce was more of a gravy with extra pepper, dissappointing. There was nothing 'rare' about the steak I ordered, it was medium with the tiniest hint of pink in the thickest middle part. We wont be returning, which is a shame because the venue and staff were lovely

Nice place. Please bear in mind that the owner has changed, so has the menu.

Popped in for lunch today… the menu is apparently limited at the moment but there was plenty to choose from, including veggie options. The staff were attentive, friendly and efficient. It suddenly got very busy & we had an apology for a wait we hadn’t noticed!! Contrary to someone’s remark the food is good… bar meals expectations well met. The “sides” were huge.. It’s a lovely place.. Pity we couldn’t sit in the beautiful outdoor space due to the intermittent showers. I’ll be back!

Easy stop off the main road, fantastic service, amazing food, dog friendly, welcoming, good value for Money, will definitely be returning.

Stayed for a night this week. Lovely small double, perfect for one. Very tastefully decorated, extremely comfortable bed with super linens and well appointed snug shower room. Spotlessly clean. I couldn't hear a pin drop during the night. The pub wasn't open the night I stayed but I knew in advance and made other plans. Cooked breakfast was top-notch. I wouldn't hesitate to stay again.

Recently renovated accommodation, very friendly helpful staff and best breakfast I have had in years!

We had such a wonderful, one night stay at The Blue Bell on Friday night. We booked the family suite, there were four of us and one infant. From the moment we arrived the landlord Daniel made us feel so welcome and made sure we had everything we needed. The interiors are very stylish and luxury. Extremely comfy beds and lovely quality linen. The rooms were spacious and well presented. We enjoyed the pub garden throughout the day and evening. We enjoyed the drinks and food. Plenty to choose from. A big thank you to the staff but especially Daniel for providing 5* service. Would definitely recommend!

Good experience with competitive price

Great location, bar and restaurant are warm, welcoming and very comfortable. Large beer garden with more than ample seating.

Great hotel! Very clean, nice, and the staff is friendly. We were very satisfied!

Lovely location, nice food, staff lovely.

A perfect spot for a weekend away in Wales. Located just outside the cute town of Crickhowell, this B&B ticks all the boxes on comfort, easiness and location. The bedrooms are perfectly decorated with the world’s comfiest bed. Really warm and generous service.

From the moment we arrived, staff were warm, welcoming and friendly. We were offered a complimentary room upgrade which was a wonderful and unexpected surprise! Our room was absolutely stunning and decorated beautifully. It was spotless, immaculately clean and had everything you need - hairdryer, towels, and a surplus of toiletries! I’d paid extra in advance for champagne in the room as it was my partners birthday; it was lovely to find this chilling in a bucket of ice with 2 glasses on our arrival! The bed was incredibly comfortable, we had a wonderful nights sleep! My partner and I kept noting how beautifully furnished and decorated our room was! It was just immaculate. We had breakfast in the morning and the service and food were both faultless! Overall, we had a perfect night away at the Bluebell Country inn and we can’t wait to return! Thank you again to the staff for an unforgettable stay!

Okay so we only booked a couple of days ahead and they did ring us on the day we were heading there, to say they had no chef or bar staff but… We booked two rooms in an inn which turned out to be two great rooms but no inn. Seriously great decor, furnishings, design style and bedding… but no chef, bar staff, bar or lounge! I will email them with a few other shortcomings… Please check before you book… Fully staffed and it could be a great stay.

We stayed overnight. Although the place wasn’t serving meals at night we had a lovely room with such a comfortable bed. The place was very well equipped with everything we needed and the place was warm and extremely clean. Breakfast the next morning was fabulous!

Beds soooooo comfy, evening meal absolutely delicious. Interesting menu with a really talented chef at the helm. Highly recommended.

What wonderful staff! We had Sunday lunch and asked for takeaway for Christmas Day. They said no problem. We had our dinner Christmas Day and it was superb! Thankyou so so much for your hospitality and making our mini break the best!

Excellent lunchtime meal today. Great atmosphere, the waitresses were attentive and the food was great! Furthermore it is not rushed so you can take your time and enjoy the venue and food. We need a venue to meet folks halfway and will now use the bluebell. Have a good Christmas!

Excellent Sunday lunch April 2023 for the second time in a couple of months. Also nicely kept ale and quality wine available. Staff very friendly. If ore older reviews as new owners took over a few months ago. Returned for an evening meal in August 2023 and was presented with a very pared back menu with a fraction of the choices of the online menu. I was told by staff that it was because a new chef had just started. Although there was a note on the menu offering an allergen menu, there was none when requested. When we asked the specific content of the bouillabaisse which came with the cod we were told there was not any kind of stock in the dish which could have contained any allergens. December 2023 update. Very poor Sunday lunch this time. We won't be returning.

Great food, great service. Highly recommended.

The food was cold not a enough vegetable and the meat was not cook

Food and ambiance lovely. Staff very polite and attentive. Very pleasant place

Went for family Sunday dinner. Service was very good, food was nice enough and it is a lovely pub. Thought it was a bit pricey but everything is these days.

We arrived for lunch at 1pm today (table for 2), our drinks order was taken quite quickly and delivered in a reasonable time. The waiter then said he was going to get his pad to take our food order, which took him another 5-10 minutes to return to the table, with it being a Sunday we ordered starters and mains, for starters we ordered the squid and soup, both of which you imagine would be quite quick to cook and bring to the table, 40 minutes later and our starters still haven't arrived. Another couple came in and ordered starters, 10 minutes later our starters came out the same time as the other couple who arrived 40 minutes after us. The squid was chewy and underwhelming, the soup was in a pasta bowl with 2 chunks of baguette thrown directly into the soup itself! We then sat and waited for our starter plates to be collected from the table, this didnt take long at all, we then waited for our mains, 30 minutes later the couple who came in after us received their mains, naturally we were quite shocked by this as we had ordered our courses 40 minutes before they had arrived and finished our starters around the same time as them. It then took another 15 minutes for us to get our mains. We ordered 1 beef and 1 lamb cooked dinner, both plates came out with a very small portion of gravy, I therefore had to ask for more, the potatoes tasted like they had been re-heated in a microwave, there was 1 miniature carrot on my plate, with 2 miniature parsnips, I had cauliflower cheese that tasted and looked like baby food and my Yorkshire puddings were the supermarket type that tasted like cardboard. Overall the service was terrible and the food was terrible, our bill came to just under £80 including a £20 bottle of wine, both myself and my wife were completely disappointed in the Bluebell, and we will not be visiting again in a hurry.

2 stars are for the waitresses. 0 stars for the rest. All the food was cold and served on cold plates. Enough vegetables for 2 people were expected to feed 5 people. Asked for more veg, which took an eternity to arrive. We did get a discount but would rather have paid full price and had a decent Sunday lunch.

Lovely venue and setting. Went for Sunday lunch which had been booked 2 months earlier. Main meal choices were also pre-ordered. However service was poor and way behind time They also ran out of vegetables.

I came to Sunday lunch today and was really looking forward to it after reviews I had read. Firstly when we arrived we were told the chef had run out of beef. So we ordered lamb. We also had two starters. Tomato and basil soup and garlic mushrooms which were delicious. The lamb when it finally arrived was very tender and nicely cooked. BUT we were then told there were no green vegetable s left and roasted vegetables were following. Several minutes later we were given a dish of roasted vegetables carrots and parsnips which were very dry. Then as an afterthought a dish of cauliflower cheese which was cold. The roast potatoes were hard and dry and the Yorkshire pudding was also cold and inedible due to being kept warm. We paid our bill cash with a reasonable tip as the waitress was very attentive. One of the other members of young staff came to our table and queried our payment to say we had underpaid by £20. I took the notes from him and counted them in front of him and our payment was correct and hadn’t been counted by staff member correctly. Not a good visit I am afraid.

What a disappointing lunch, 50th birthday , preorderd main course, ,waited 1hr 15min for starters , 1hr 30 min for main course , told on arrival no lamb shanks, chicken was not as menu and served with beef gravy, ran out of cauli cheese only I small dish between 13 ran out of green veg , and no extra roast potatoes ,by the time everything arrived the meat was cold , then waited 45 minutes fir deserts, 4 hrs for a Sunday lunch,ry disappointed , won,t bereturning 5/11/23

Lovely setting very good waitress service Unfortunately limited evening menu. Way over priced. With small portions Long waiting time for meals Won't return.

We had a fantastic meal here. Scallops and steak were really tasty and well cooked

Wonderful food, ambiance and excellent customer service. Only disappointment, we were not asked how we wanted our meat cooked, which is what we'd expect in a fine dining restaurant. That aside......it was superb. And we will be back!

Had the most amazing Sunday dinner, everything was perfect! Friendly staff and great service. Lovely place to be and great atmosphere. Highly recommend Xx

Had Sunday dinner here today. Food was excellent as was the service. Here on holiday and 2 out of 3 of us have dietary requirements, Gluten Free (re Coeliac) and Vegetarian; dealt with very well as part of the excellent service. Thank you very much, if we were going to be here next Sunday then we’d have booked before leaving today to return !

Visited in January and had such a wonderful experience, excellent service and food. Unfortunately, went tonight and had a terrible experience. To be fair the waiting staff were amazing and very professional, especially Mollie. However, we waited almost an hour for the starters, a lot of the very limited evening menu was sold out and the replacement meals were inedible. The vegetarian alternative was so dry one of our party had to ask for some sauce to be able to eat it. I’m sorry that we had to complain a lot throughout the meal but the desserts were equally as bad. We were told they were “bought in” and were refunded them. Shame as it was so great

Lovely experience - great atmosphere and decor. Welcoming and helpful staff. And food was delicious! Beautifully presented and perfectly cooked. Would go back again! Even better that they are pooch friendly.

We were in a group of four, arriving 12.30 for Sunday lunch. 3 of the party ordered starters, and only 2 arrived. It was almost impossible to obtain the attention of the waiting staff as they stood around the bar area. They were more interested in drinking their drinks and chatting to customers who came in with dogs. The third starter arrived after the other couple had finished theirs. We ordered a second round of drinks and had to ask 3 times for them. The mains arrived together, which was a blessing. Again, we had to ask twice for the dessert menus. The food was really tasty, and that comes highly recommended We had a combination of pigeon and scallops for starters, 2 had beef, one had lamb, and one fish for the mains. The Desserts were chocolate fondant and lemon cheesecake. All were extremely delicious. Looking around, we noticed one table complained about the bill as it was wrong, another table asked twice for the menu, one table sent back a plate of food and one table went to the bar to order drinks. To top it all, our bill was incorrect. The waiters needed some form of management in control, and they were not attentive to the needs of the customers. We eventually left at 3.30. It's a rather long time for a meal. Would we go back? Not with that service

Lovely meal in Nice surroundings. Nice to see the beer garden in use in October. Really friendly service and looked after us well including welcoming a well behaved pooch. Nice pint of Double Dragon too. Only disappointment was that evening menu was a bit limited compared to our last visit. We enjoyed what we had but it would have been nice to have more choice.

Fantastic melt in the mouth lamb & dauphinois potatoes and duck leg & jus followed by warm rhubarb tart & raspberry and lemon meringue pie & mango sorbet. Very friendly staff lovely decor Need to sample Sunday lunch next time.

We arrived and were seated, then waited nearly 10 minutes for someone to take our drinks order, one of our party didn't want a drink from the bar and asked if she could have coffee or tea but were told that the hot water machine was broke (later on a another lady who we knew saw us and she told us the hot water was not available 3 weeks ago either!!) the drinks came and then we waited another 10-15 minutes for the food order to be taken, the food then took about another 40 minutes we arrived at 1pm and eventually got our food after 2pm and it wasn't like the pub was that busy. when we'd finished we asked for the dessert menu and then waited and waited for the waitress to come and take the order, she was around us cleaning a few tables but didn't look our way so we eventually had to call her, personally I would have left then but my friends wanted the crumble, which was advertised as apple and cherry and we all only had two cherries between the three of us. We had a 30% of mains voucher and what a good job because the prices for what you got were well beyond what the food was worth, needless to say we won't be visiting again

I must say best meal I've tried in years, visited a couple times with my family before (was average) but this time around, TOP CLASS! Whoever this restaurants got in the kitchen, please keep them, staff and atmosphere lovely too! Will be returning!

We heard from our friends about the Sunday lunch so decided to try, visited yesterday with my girls and we all were blown away! The waiter that served us was really warm and charming, the decor was fab and the food was really delicious 😋 I had the beef, just wow! Can't wait for our next visit!

Since mathew the chef has left the food has not been the same since! His food was flawless! Food is mediocre now. staff are friendly and polite (owner not so much) as a local disappointed to say we will not be returning

We went for dinner with family and had a table for four. The 2 young girls serving us were absolutely lovely Molly and Keely they couldn't t have been more helpful. The food was delicious followed by superb desserts. We can,t wait to go back hopefully very soon.

After having a poor experience in August when the restaurant had a bit of a hiccup, we were asked to give them another shot. What a difference! We had a superb meal and were served by lovely staff. We will definitely be returning and will recommend to friends and family again.

Dropped in on the off chance as we were driving by. Despite arriving about 2.00 we were still able to have a meal. The Roast Lamb was great and really tender. Dog friendly as well.

Just had an overnight stay in this lovely little place, stayed in the Lobelia room, all fairly recently refurbished and so well done! Lovely furnishings, great bathroom, such a comfy bed with lovely linen, I couldn’t fault it! We also had dinner in the restaurant, delicious, a bit of a wait between courses but it was very busy and we had wine to drink so it didn’t matter! Very good charming service too. Then this morning an amazing Welsh breakfast, served by a really lovely waitress who worked her socks off! Sadly the weather not on our side this weekend to fully appreciate the beautiful countryside but would heartily recommend this lovely pub with rooms! Thank you.

Stunning food, service and atmosphere

My friends and I visited this beautifully decorated Restaurant yesterday night. We understood the they had some previous trouble the kitchen two weeks ago. But now they have all new kitchen chefs and ohh, boy was the food excellent. Best Sole I have tried. The staff working that night absolutely amazing as well. I have definitely found my new spot around the area.

Had Sunday lunch Very tasty It has changed a little

My husband & I have ate here many times and loved it. So much so that we brought family including a couple from Australia to have Sunday lunch. Unfortunately, we didn't have the same experience today, poor quality of meat, limited menu choice other than...

Good food and reasonable price! Must try

Just reopened under new management. Cosy atmosphere inside. Rear parking, dog friendly. Had a evening meal. Great meal, probably one of the best lamb meals I've had. It was delicious. Will definitely be returning.

Poor menu, went for the cod, arrived swimming in a watery tomato sauce, was not warm, not worth £22!

Feel the same as last reviewer… we ordered the cod and ours had very little seafood in the sauce which again was just tinned tomatoes - £22.00! We came with 6 family members for my birthday - we usually go to the Bear in Crickhowell...

Lovely decor and our server was fab. Let down by an hour wait for food, seafood chowder was bland and smoked salmon served in a warm pot.

We were greeted at 1pm to be told two items on the small selection of mains were not available, so we ordered Seafood chowder, Cod goujons & chips and two Cod with shellfish bouillabaisse. The Cod came with a tomato sauce without any shellfish and...

Have frequented the restaurant many times since they opened and have recommended to friends & family. This last visit was very disappointing. There was a very limited menu as the new chef “is still finding his way around the kitchen”. My meal, a Caesar salad...

Came in with my dog, visiting the area on holiday, to be told no food was being served, because their food delivery hadn't turned up. Then I heard customers coming in after me booking food orders. Obviously my face didn't fit and they didn't want my money.

Just been to steak night at bluebell what a disappointment cold fatty steak small table we had our plates on our laps nearly. We had booked a table yet people walked in hadn't booked and had a table that would sit 4. Didn't have the wine in the offer but was still charged full price

Good food, attentive staff, plus an upscale dining environment. Ample car parking adds to the experience. I thought the menu was slightly limited, hence only 4 stars. Highly recommended.

Steak night. A bit underwhelmed. Small side plates to eat from. (I get that the board takes a lot of room). Sauces tasted a bit like packet a bit bland. Onion rings pale in colour not crispy. Steaks ordered medium to well but T Bone...

Was disappointed with the choice of lunchtime menu. Would have liked a specials board.

Visited on 19.06.2023 with friends. We were pleased to see that the Steak Night was back again. The steaks were fabulous ! Haven't had such perfectly cooked steaks anywhere in such a long time. The sharing board was plentiful, and the addition of a bottle of wine was a bonus. The staff were very attentive and helpful, which made the evening even more enjoyable. There is ample car parking, and the popularity of this lovely place was evident by how busy it was. A huge, well done to all at the Bluebell. You have certainly hit the spot. Can't wait to visit again.

Room refurbished and all new but mattress appeared old (sags on one side) and automatic light in bathroom seriously annoying. Have to explicitly request room to be made up. Restaurant ok, but food could be hotter. Service ok but felt a bit unprofessional. Breakfast huge.

There's little better in the world than a perfectly cooked steak, and that's exactly what I received at the Bluebell. Dessert too was lovely, and the wine top notch to boot. Well worth a visit.

Very nice clean renewed hotel. All are so friendly . But young team would need more training.

A good find, the Bluebell Inn offers very good service and food, with a good location (great garden out back and large car park too). Recommended and VFM.

Food & service were impressive.

Lovely beer garden great atmosphere!👍👍👍

We didn't stay overnight, we went for a meal which was fantastic. Lovely food, great staff and beautiful pub. Perfect for a summer's evening enjoying pre-food drinks in the garden. Very popular place.

We had a lovely meal here on Thursday 15th June it was really good and the staff are lovely, can't wait to go there again highly recommended

Didn't stay so can't rate the rooms. Restaurant is always good and always busy. Had a great steak.

3 off us had a lovely meal last night 9,/06/23 everything was great and the staff are amazing nothing was to much trouble

Best ploughman's ever. Ale was superb.. Thanks

Once again a lovely Sunday lunch..thanks to all staff and matt...top banana man 😎

Good food and a great atmosphere. Lovely beer garden.

We pass the bluebell every week watched it going from being closed to the reopening , booked Sunday lunch, now back with very nice refurbishment and comfortable seating and excellent choice of food we were not disappointed, staff are attentive and friendly, choice of beers...

Lovely place for a drink. Friendly staff.

Food and new menu is superb. 5 of us went and all dishes were top notch. Been here now many times and for Sunday lunch and great to have such quality local to us.

Good food at good prices, very friendly staff

Called at 12. 20 Thursday and unfortunately doors closed and unable to get into the bluebell. Website says 12.00 opening.