The Brocket Arms in Welwyn Hatfield

This is a lovely place to stay or just stop by for a drink. Our room was very comfortable with a nostalgic feel. The service was fantastic.

I took my wife here on our first date. Lovely old hostelry in an historic location. On Easter Sunday coming, we will have been married for 55 years. Do they still draw beer from barrels on trestles ?

Well placed stop for a night on the Hertfordshire Way. Hearty classic pub food and very friendly service. Rooms were simple but well equipped and comfy.

Oldy woldy pub with loads of character, great place to visit Still great

Amazing fireplaces in this hidden away pub. You are made very welcome, and nice local beer too. Food is standard pub after but all good!!

The Brocket Arms is a little hidden Gem we recently stayed over staff were so wonderfully kind and welcoming food brilliant bar had an amazing atmosphere. We loved staying here and will return. My grateful thanks to Rhona for finding my rather special ring thanks to you all

Very nice ye olde English pub in the middle of nowhere. Didn't stay so haven't rated the accomodation. I only had a light lunch and that was very nice. I will return to sample the roast dinner. Dog friendly

The village of Ayot St Lawrence is known for being the home of famous playwright George Bernard Shaw. His home, Shaw's Corner is owned by the National Trust and open seasonally. Just down the road is the village pub - The Brocket Arms. As well as providing drinks and food they also offer accommodation. I was in the area and decided to stop at the pub for a drink and a snack before heading home. I received a friendly welcome from the staff behind the bar and once I had got what I wanted I settled in to enjoy my drink and snacks. The pub was a little cool but they had not put the fire on but I was not staying long and was not cold although I heard another customer comment on it.

Busy New year's day luncheon. Lovely food and staff. Possibly too busy, but better than empty. Looking forward to returning on a week day

Bit chaotic as we arrived at opening time as it was mid point of a 14Km walk. Ordered a latte but a normal coffee with a jug of cold milk delivered.

Unplanned overnight stay, in a lovely little "country pub" , had haddock and chips and a few pints, and it's probably the best piece of haddock I've had in months, skin on and the batter was light and absolutely spot on Will definitely be back when working in the area

What an amazing place. We found it completely by accident whilst looking for somewhere to break the journey home from Anglesey to the South Coast. The team were hosting the local shoot, alongside a village Trick Or Treat extravaganza when we arrived! So lovely to see a pub that is truly still at the heart of the local community. Despite the fact the staff were really busy, and the pub was overflowing, we were made very welcome, the room was amazing, as was dinner, and nothing was too much trouble. Now we have found you, we WILL be back!! Thank you so much for a lovely stay.

Very good traditional Sunday lunch.

Stayed here for four nights whilst working nearby. The room was clean and the ensuite bathroom had a bath with a shower over it. Breakfast was serve yourself cereal, toast, fruit and yoghurt. My room was not serviced during my entire stay, Which I found very surprising.

My favourite pub, the staff are helpful and friendly, food is good, rooms are excellent and the pub has real character.

If you're after a proper English pub, with a tasty menu of fresh food and a couple of daily seasonal specials, you'd go a long way to beat The Brocket, a pub widely famed for it's lovely location and traditional friendly vibe ...beer garden for summer and a cosy inglenook fireplace as soon as there's a chill in the air. It's cosy and comfortable rather than glossy, with boots and dogs welcomed. The menu is as it should be if you want fresh - not huge but something for everyone - the Mushroom and Tarragon Wellington is the most delicious veggie winter warmer, and I love the Chicken Caesar salad or the Roasted Med Veg with Pesto and Feta and a lovely glass of Provence Rosé...my husband chooses the Fish and Chips or the Steak...we often pop in when we don't fancy cooking, or to meet friends for a relaxing drink / supper...it can sometimes be literally packed to the (not very high!) rafters esp on a Sunday, or as country pubs can be, quiet and relaxed with dog walkers / locals / over nighters / or local wedding guests ...but it always welcomes everyone. The Sunday Lunches are fabulous - book ahead... The only thing wrong with this place is once you settle in it's hard to get out!

Delicious roast for Sunday lunch! Gorgeous sunny garden with friendly and smiling staff. The walks around here are stunning. My favourite pub.

What a lovely, friendly pub. Delicious food and a warm atmosphere. A real gem. Various activities for other evenings too: bingo and pub quizzes but super relaxed and good value.

Lovely garden for a summer pint

An absolute gem of a pub. Such lovely staff. Always feel so well looked after and love our visits here.

This is the best pub in Hertfordshire! Kelly and her team are epic. Food is grand. People always epic. Walks nearby are fab. Our favourite pub in all of Hertfordshire! Love it!

The experience I had here was top notch I came with my family on a Sunday and was greeted with a great smile soon they asked me where I would like to sit I chose a lovely and comfortable space right beside the fire after a little while we were ask for are order when kids at the table were fussing about how they didn’t want anything on the menu a kind and help full waitress was there to help and give the best recommendations to them possible the food was exquisite it was as though I had bitten into heaven I had ordered a beef roast it was delectable. This pub is one of the greatest I’ve ever been to. I must say well done a 10 out of 10 review, you should definitely go and visit!

Stopped in for a couple drinks to this lovely little idyllic pub with my wife and children. We were all rather disappointed in the level of service we received from the older blonde server (perhaps landlady?) She seemed to be pleasant to the other patrons. Possibly she didn't like our accents, or has a general dislike for tourists. Still worth a visit but if she assumes you are American, she will likely be cold as ice. Hopefully if she ever visits Canada, she will be treated more warmly than my family was at her establishment.

A shell of the pub it used to be!! Very unwelcoming when you walk in with Zero service, were completely ignored until I asked for a menu. Sat down for all of 2 minutes and walked out. The atmosphere is very clicky and awkward. It’s a real shame as it was a great pub in the past.

Couldn't get in due to a large group of cyclists.

Great historic pub offering good selecrions of drinks and food at very reasonable price, portion and tastes amazing! Also does veggie burger so suitable for vegetarians too! Big beer garden with kids play area and a small zoo with handful of meerkats, tortoise, parrots and rabbits for the kids to see! Plenty of on road parking and wifi available with rooms for those who wish to stay!

What great place! Historic old pub with tunnels and priest holes. Good food, friendly staff.

Lovely roast dinner, everthing fresh & veggies not overcooked, roast potatoes were gorgeous in fact I would have been happy to just have a plate on their own.

Just about the grubbiest room we’ve ever stayed in! The pub displays 4 star AA and Visit England signs even though it’s no longer listed with either organisation and having stayed there, I can see why! Immediately outside the front door of our room, there was litter, big weeds and cobwebs on the door frame. Things didn’t improve inside. It was a bit like going back to the 80’s, probably the last time someone properly cleaned the room as well. Mouldy blind in the window, dingey lighting from 3 old fashioned wooden wall lamps with shades that were covered in dust and cobwebs. Artex flaking off the ceiling in the shower, the top of some of the skirting in the bathroom was actually black with dirt and dust. Every nozzle of the shower head was blocked with limescale. Pointless plant holders with cheap plastic plants on all the walls which were all covered in dust and best of all a dirty tissue and half eaten chocolate bar on the floor under the bed. Lumpy old pillows with no protectors on and we didn’t dare look under the sheet at the mattress. Useless makeshift desk/dresser as there wasn’t enough light to use the mirror and no plug socket near it for a hairdryer or laptop. The same low standards seemed to follow through in the rest of the pub. Manky looking old wooden furniture in the beer garden with broken parasols just lying around. There was a condiments station with all sauces etc. but that all appeared to be left out, uncovered, all night so god knows what local wildlife may have been crawling over it! Breakfast in the dingey and cluttered dining room was passable. Good selection of cereal, but no fruit. Cooked breakfast was OK, but tasted like cheap bacon and sausages from the cash’n’carry, certainly not described as ‘local’ anyway. Tea was awful as the waitress just filled up the pot from the coffee machine so water wasn’t boiling. We switched to coffee, which was passable. Dinner menu very limited, especially if you don’t like chips. Very basic pub food, but the fish and chips were perfectly edible. On the plus side, it’s a really lovely area, with plenty of footpaths so we went for a lovely long walk to reduce the amount of time we had to spend in our room. No way we'd stay here again.

Very pleasant, reasonably priced food - a mistake was made which they rectified with apologies.

Nice place with its own private zoo. Didn't eat but the food looked yummy. Good selection of beers/drinks and the staff were excellent. Well worth a visit with the kids on a sunny day in the garden.

I would definitely recommend The Brocket Arms. Stayed 2 nights and the rooms are lovely and cosy. Full English Breakfast was delicious. The staff are sooo friendly and nothing is too much. It felt like home from home. Excellent value for money. Very dog friendly, and a massive open fire to cosy up next to. Will definitely be going back soon.

A really nice pub in a lovely village. We enjoyed an excellent lunch and friendly service.

Great pub - the sunday roast was just right. And they keep their ales well - we had one from Tring brewery, very tasty. As well as being a decent pub, it is in a handy location for (signposted) local walks - despite being in Hertfordshire and not far from the A1 and other major routes, the location is very rural.

Absolutely lovely pub, great food, nice staff and amazing garden zoo and play area for the kids.

Wonderful little pub, great selection of Ales, friendly staff, rooms are well furnished, clean and ideal for having a 'rural' feel whilst being a stone's throw from civilization. You need to visit here. I visited for a drink and a social event, but I've had family stay at the rooms here and continue to recommend the place to family/friends of they are looking for a place to stay.

We did not stay in the hotel. Just had Sunday lunch. The service was a little slow to start since we were quite early, so maybe upset it. The Sunday Roast was one of the best we ever had. Perfectly cooked beef and plenty without being overwhelming. Gravy on the side. Veges with some bite and amazing roast potatoes. We had no room for dessert but I'm sure they are lovely. Just down the road from Mother in Law so we will be back. Recommend and good value. Nice wine too.

...it was a little while coming. Ham egg and chips were delicious and the fish with the fish and chips was massive. It was a Thursday lunchtime - maybe midweek staffing issues?

Fabulous pub in a great location. Secret zoo in the garden. Enjoy a drink in the garden

Stunning little pub with great food! Well worth the visit if you are in the area!

Weird atmosphere lots of caged birds, Pretty exterior, beer fine.

Fabulous pub lunch after a lovely walk of Bernard Shaw circular walk.

Great pub friendly atmosphere with the biggest log fire ever, plenty of dogs visiting giving it their friendyness too. Many a pub could learn by this.

This was our first visit to the Brocket Arms for a long time and it was sad to see how much it has gone down hill. It's a lovely old building in a beautiful spot with some nice walks nearby but it looks very tired and unkempt. We sat outside in the garden. The tables were shabby (but not shabby chic).and the grass uncut. There is an odd collection of animals in the garden (meerkats, birds, giant tortoises and two oversized rabbits), all in cages which may or may not have seen better days. The aviary seemed far too small for the birds, the meerkat cage was partly just plastic sheeting. The wire fencing around the animals was dirty. Children pushing there faces up against the wiring were lip to fence with what looked like bird faeces. There were no hand washing facilities except for those in the toilets inside the pub. To be fair, the kids did have a great time running around and playing on the huge climbing frame. Possibly propelled on by the music blaring out of the pub kitchen window. But for us, it was a disappointing visit. Such a beautiful old pub deserves a bit of tlc.

Stopped on our walk with our baby and german shepherd. Lovely lunch, quick service at a reasonable price.

Booked on phone with no problems for a large table of 10 for lunch. Had an amazing time, waitresses were very attentive and the food was lovely! Will definitely be back to enjoy the lovely garden with the kids.

We had my mums 70th birthday meal here. Very happy with the food. The service was excellent. Special shout out to Kelly who really looked after us all. The menu is what I’d describe as traditional pub food that’s extra special. Look forward to coming back soon. Thanks.

Actually I didn't have lunch here. I rang to make a booking and no-one answered. I rang again later and waited for the voice message system which advised me that they often don't answer the phone and stated not to bother leaving a message as they may not listen to it - just ring back later when we can take the call! That sounded like an excellent reason not to patronise this place and so I booked somewhere else that seemed more amenable to allowing customers to contact them. Sloppy and arrogant.

From the moment the six of us arrived, the service was terrific. We were early for lunch, but it was quick and easy to get drinks at the bar and our table was ready at the time we booked. The staff were friendly, professional and very efficient. The roast dinners were excellent with plenty of everything… including wonderful gravy. Would definitely recommend and will definitely be back.

Lovely little pub in a beautiful village. Massively let down by the food. Booked a table for dinner at 6pm and there was none of the special left, only enough mash for one sausage and mash. Ended up ordering the lamb burger which was sadly very over cooked. The staff were lovely and apologetic so can’t fault them. Nice place to visit, just don’t order food

Lovely little pub in a beautiful village. Massively let down by the food. Booked a table for dinner at 6pm and there was none of the special left, only enough mash for one sausage and mash. Ended up ordering the lamb burger which was sadly...

Outward appearances, looks like a nice country pub, odd collection of animals in cages in garden - quirky. But we’d come for dinner on a Sat evening, very limited menu, of which many items unavailable, even though it was very early evening (how do you...

Good traditional pub. Dark interior with roaring fires. Good well filled sandwiches.

Friendly staff, lovely old pub. The starter choices looked more interesting than the mains choices (although I'm sure they were delicious) so we had two starters each instead, and they were wonderful.

Traditional village pub. Great atmosphere. I first came here 50years ago and little has changed

We visited the Brocket arms as a mid way meeting point for Mother’s Day. The welcome was very warm and friendly and the pub was busy with young families. The menu wasn’t over fussy and everything we ordered was cooked well from my rib eye...

Old-world pub with good menu of traditional English fare

A lovely friendly, warm and cosy pub with a big open log fire, good food too.

A gorgeous, traditional country pub! Steeped in history in a beautiful village. The bar and adjacent room are really small and clearly a locals’ favourite. Difficult to find a seat in here on a Sunday afternoon unless you’ve booked for lunch, but thankfully we did, next to the enormous fireplace. The main dining room opposite isn’t as attractive, but nevertheless nice. The food looked and smelled delicious! The car park is relatively small but there is street parking outside and on the approaching country lanes. Had a couple of pints of well-kept Abbots Ale. Very friendly staff and clientele. Highly recommended.

This is my 3rd time to Brocket Arms, each time a new and better experience. It really is a community vibe village pub and even as an outsider of the community you get made to feel like you have always been coming to them. Great atmosphere lovely staff and fab patrons. A great place on a winters night around the fire and awesome summer hanging out in the large garden.

Been here quite a few times as it’s only about an hour away. It’s such a friendly place, set in the country, oak beams and a glowing welcoming fire. It’s a beautiful old pub, gorgeous rooms, fantastic food, fabulous staff, can’t wait to be back...

Great atmosphere, food and drinks! It was a perfect gathering space for catching up with family. The staff were really friendly. We loved the character of the pub and the roaring fires , especially on a rainy day.

Friendly Staff, Nice food, good price. Will be going back.

Great pub with a fantastic fireplace and huge garden.

Lovely old pub with friendly staff. Beer not cheap but tbh is you have children the Secret Zoo is great and well worth the extra.

The welcome is always warm and genuine here. An excellent range of Ales, Lagers, Wines to suit every palate. We had Sunday lunch today (Nov 6th 2022) and it was sublime. The Staff are very happy to be here and I can see why. Lovely,...

Lovely pub good selection of drinks. Only downside is a bit out of the way.

What a beautiful pub. I popped in for a drink as it was raining while visiting the ruined nearby St Ayots church. The lady behind the bar was lovely and really friendly and warm. The pub has a lot of history to it and you can tell that as soon as you walk in with old timbered beams and fireplaces. Small corridors and dark wooden panelling's as well as some pews to sit on. It still seemed a friendly atmosphere though. With laughter and dogs allowed in the pub. It also surprised me to find a mini zoo in the garden, with meerkats, rabbit's , exotic birds. Fantastic, garden as well for children. Big and spacious to run around in with a play area and then the zoo. You can also stay here the night as It has rooms. I didnt stay the night so I don't know what they are like, but will definitely come back here as it was such a lovely pub and such a great location. In the middle of nowhere but also close to big places like Harpenden and Welwyn.

I booked last minute looking for somewhere less boring than the Premier Inn at Luton Airport which was the only other place with space less than £120. It was that, but I should probably have stayed at the Premier Inn 🤣 The room was adequate, not particularly clean but not horrendous. The bathroom was adequate, etc. But having to walk down the corridor to the toilet was unexpected, especially for £105. For that much I'd expect better. It's the first place I've stayed in ages that hasn't provided any soap or shampoo for example. Towels were provided! Dinner was adequate but nothing to write home about. The highlight was breakfast where I was very well looked after and brought a great fruit salad. It's an old building so you can forgive it the beams to hit your head on and the odd layout. It just didn't live up to my hopes sadly.

Very nice country pub. A bit quiet when I stayed, but the food and beer were both good. Rooms are a good size. Plus the secret in the garden is worth a visit.

Lovely pub in rural setting. Great sandwiches and friendly staff

Absolutely amazing place. Beautiful building, surroundings and people. ♥️ Had a really great time made more special by the people that work and run it. Can't wait to go back there. Big thank you to all that work there for making our stay so wonderful 😎🍺♥️

Great for lunch after a country walk

Lovely old pub. Nice food and beer. Used the beer garden as we had the dog and the kids loved the play areas.

Lovely food and great service in a country pub

Waited 2 hours for food like hurry up there’s no one around it takes like 15 minutes to make a burger.

Beautiful 14 century pub set in amazing surroundings, service was quick and friendly, noticed it was dogs 🐕 friendly, ill definitely be back

One of my favorite country pubs where I’ve been going for years, and this time stayed in the rooms. Beautiful old twisted beams. Eat two meals a day there and enjoyed every one. Had a great English breakfast served by the cook, and in the evening a variety of salads (something that was hard to find in other places) that were so good. In the garden was a “secret zoo” fun to walk around. The beer was excellent and so well kept the Abbott was divine

Food was excellent and we went mid-week in the afternoon so it was very quiet. We sat outside. They have some animals you can look at and a play area for the children. It is nice to have a pub to have a play area...

Food was excellent and we went mid-week in the afternoon so it was very quiet. We sat outside. They have some animals you can look at and a play area for the children. It is nice to have a pub to have a play area for the children. The food was really good, friendly staff and quick service. I loved the Brocket Ale! Only criticism would be some outside benches need replacing, other than that recommended.

Lovely table outside - service was brilliant - 10 is a large number to look after and they did it well. Special thanks to Izzy for all her efforts to ensure we had a great time. Food and atmosphere was brilliant. Thank you

Dried out burger and bun. Skinny fries when a choice would have been nice. Should have returned it The garden is lovely with a section for birds and small animals

Why is the barmaid so mean? So sorry to put her out by asking for a drink and nuts. Also, bird prison?

Food was fine but the blond owner/manager was pretty stroppy on our arrival. Lots of animals in the garden so great fun for the kids but a bit naff.

This really is a beautiful and venerable pub, inside and out. The beer is excellent (Tring Breweries make a dedicated Brocket Ale). Service was not unfriendly as such, but it took a long while for any acknowledgement of our arrival to come from the bar,...

What a beautiful place to spend an evening/stay. We stayed for one night as we were attending an event at Hatfield House and I'm only dissappointed that we didn't get to spend more time here! Lovely staff, lovely room and surroundings. 100% recommend!

Very average food delivered extraordinarily slowly.

This is what a English pub aspires to be. Lovely interior with a nice fireplace, and a cozy bar. Large garden out back with plenty of tables, for a sunny day.

Glorious country pub, fab garden (dogs allowed), friendly staff and nice selection of beers at a reasonable price

Great authentic english pub with good outdoor space.

Excellent food and service in a very old and interesting environment, brilliant

Very friendly, professional management. Well connected. Great beers. Wonderful vibe.

Amazing pub , lovely service great food and nice beer

Good atmosphere, 16th/ 17th C building.pub from 1700s....was a monks residence and a Sunday school in its day . Nice selection of ales and food is good quality. In reasonable walking distance of old church ruins and the more recent Georgian version...v interesting

Nice peaceful setting. Food overpriced and poor. Very slow service

We used to come here before lockdown, visited many times and always enjoyed it but after a good few years we decided to make the jaunt back, 35 min drive for the most boring ploughman's weve ever had and the wine wasn't up to previous standard either, not convinced I got the wine I asked for as didn't taste like it. Maybe its a one off but I don't think you can normally go wrong with a ploughman's, it wasn't really alot more than a cheese salad sandwich spread over the plate, no coleslaw but when I asked I was brought some but it was awful, really gluppy and tasteless and I also had to ask for butter for the bread. Staff very nice but food judging on this trip very disappointing sadly.

Lovely little pub, good service and nice range of beers in a lovely setting and a beautiful little building.

Gorgeous traditional English country pub. Good food and drink, warm welcome, beer garden and plenty of countryside walks nearby. Recommended.

Another very enjoyable delicious roast lunch we had at the Brocket Arms today, 1st of May. I had the Roast Pork with a delicious plethora of freshly cooked vegetables .The green beans, roast potatoes were absolutely perfect 😋👍 Me and my biker mate always love...

Only used the pub for a quick drink. A bit disorganized and chaotic.