The Magdalen Chapter in Exeter

We came here early as a group of 8 with family and friends, having not eaten here before. The service was a little slow from the beginning although very friendly and welcoming. I had the tiger prawns to start with which were very small and over cooked. I had more heads than bodies and they were very small. I buy bigger tiger prawns at Makro. I did have a finger bowl but it was cold water and nowhere to put the prawn heads or tails. Despite being there at 6.30pm we were still waiting for our main courses at 8pm. My husband and I had to leave at 8.50pm to catch the last train home. Main course was very good I had the sea base and couldn't fault that with a side of Spinach. Alas I didn't have time for a dessert. We had a wonderful bottle of Zinfandel wine. I have mixed feelings about this restaurant, I certainly wouldn't recommend the Tiger prawns as a starter.

I rarely do reviews but we popped in by chance on a beautiful summer’s day and warmly welcomed by Suzie and subsequently Martin enjoyed the most perfect Sunday Lunch. A lovely table, delicious food, tranquil atmosphere and great ambiance I just had to express how much we enjoyed passing a couple of hours in such harmony. Clearly we are looking forward to next time.

This is our second visit here, and I was so pleased to see Lewis was still working here. His service and knowledge is outstanding and such a pleasure to have him serve us again. I would add that all the staff have been super friendly and cannot do enough for us and I would highly recommend a stay here.

We chose the 5 course tasting menu with paired wines, it is excellent value. The person who served us explained every course and how the wine worked with it.we started with a lovely dish of oak smoked salmon, then a so smooth chicken liver pate, then the braised beef. The chocolate pot followed and finally the cheese board. All for £54.95 truly a wonderful experience.

Fantastic attentiveness to dietary requirements, and Jake was on point with every step of the way. I stayed for 2 nights for business, and on the second day Jake remembered me by name, what I’d previously drank, and the allergies. Couldn’t fault Jake at all! The only thing I would mention is the pool facilities not being clear on opening times when booking. This was a business trip and I like to swim or gym, hence the choice of venue, but it’s only open dawn til dusk! Little bit of a shame on that front, otherwise fantastic experience!

We were here for Mother’s Day. Great service, amazing food, and very good value. The starter is a self service of soup, salads and salmon and cooked meats. All very good. Roasts are amazing. Thick cut beef, nice vegetables additional veg replaced for free, and an amazing desert. Kids choice is amazing value. Staff are excellent. View over the garden is pleasant. We had an amazing Mother’s Day lunch.

I had a delightful champagne/afternoon tea with my partner to celebrate my retirement! Staff were lovely and attentive, in pleasant surroundings with a view of the gardens! Oh and the food was fabulous too, especially the scones! Thank you!

The hotel du Vin bistro is gorgeous to say the least! We both opted for the rump steak with sides of haricot verts and pomme puree along with the house white wine, which was delicious!! The staff were so friendly and attentive including Suzy, Luke and Blair who made the evening very memorable. I would definitely recommend the bistro for a cozy and elegant meal!

Suzy was out waitress she was sooo lovely all the staff were amazing and Suzy’s recommendation (The Chateaubriand) was to die for. All the staff in the bistro made my finances Birthday amazing thank you so much

The Food was great, Salad, Moules Mariner, Black Forest Mousse, BUT the staff were superb on a very busy Saturday evening! Attentive, Polite (with Humour) and efficient. Thank you so much

A group of us of five friends went for lunch on the 31st, it wasn’t very busy but the food was excellent. I had the Sunday roast and the meat was tender and delicious. The 2/3 course menu is great value and the French table of starters had some excellent salads. The dining room is renovated with lovely lights and wall paper - overall excellent dining experience.

7 of us in the party. Bill >£600 Not a good experience. First course, one starter missing, our starters cooled as we waited. One starter was Onion soup which was too salty Second course, one main course wrong Third course, fruit selection was tasteless.

Great tasting menu and great service from Jake and Alice- we were really impressed with both of them. This is not a Michelin tasting menu, so set your expectations for a well presented and well cooked bistro tasting menu. Really honest and delicious food value food with well paired wines. Our only real negative observation was the really small bar area and no residents lounge. This area is not large enough for the size of hotel. We were offered seats in the corridor however chose to go to another cocktail bar for pre dinner drinks.

What a fantastic transformation to the bistro restaurant such a beautiful atmosphere The service is faultless and Jake is fantastic at looking after us as always Really excellent food

We ate here on a Saturday night. Restaurant was quietish apart from one table of around 12 people. Waiting staff very friendly and good humoured. Excellent French onion soup, prawns and a very good ribeye steak. My wife’s baked sea bass was very good but quite small. Very much enjoyed our meal and would recommend but the room was very cold - seemed to be the first cool day for a while and the heating took an age to really do its job.

After a lovely 4 day stay I felt compelled to review the Hotel Du Vin Exeter. The room was gorgeous, swimming pool a lovely treat when travelling with business, but what really made it was the lovely team. Nothing was too much trouble, a special mention to Helen and the lovely breakfast crew, so friendly and thoughtful, a credit to the hotel. I’ll be back (next time for a holiday rather than work!).

Had a wonderful evening of cocktails and nibbles in the garden with some friends. This place is a hidden gem. All the staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. Thank you for the great cocktail recommendations. The Sunset Serenade was a real winner. 10 out of 10. I cannot recommend this place enough and will be back!

Do not have your eye brows waxed at this hotel I was supposed to to have mine done to day but they have maid a right mess of them .I now have to go some where else to get them sorted out I told this...

Hugely disappointed. Staff very pleasant in Bistro but poorly trained. Menu uninspired and dated decor. Starters acceptable. One main course inedible. Real shame as have loved Hotel Du Vin and concept. Surely you can do better. Up your game.

This restaurant is a little out of the way of the city centre and inside a hotel, so probably doesn't get much passing trade. Thus it wasn't heaving and noisy on Saturday evening, although there were enough other guests for pleasant atmosphere. The staff who...

Overall a really nice experience, probably one of the best places in Exeter to have a "fancier" dinner experience. Thanks to Jake.

Despite having their least expensive room, it was very nicely appointed, comfy bed and a good bathroom. The garden and pool are really nice, and staff were universally pleasant and welcoming. The bar and public areas look rather tired, and it seemed they are suffering...

Visited today as part of a spa package, the waitress was friendly and informative, the modules frites were delicious! Followed by chocolate mousse. Nice atmosphere , clean and great view of the garden.

My mum and I had a delicious meal of mussels and chips followed by chocolate mousse on the terrace at Hotel du Vin. The food and setting was fabulous and the waiter was very professional and friendly which really added to our experience. We look...

Excellent food and service to match. Ben looked after us for the evening and we could not have asked for more; our glasses were never empty and Ben’s knowledge of suitable wine to accompany our meal was invaluable (we had no idea). We were even...

Meal in the hotel after a days travel. Food was reasonable and standard as expected for a Bistro. Wine selection was was OK.

Lovely relaxed atmosphere (despite covid restrictions), delicious food, exciting menu, friendly & helpful staff (thank you Ben Hare for solving a family debate about dauphinoise potatoes!) who provided just the right amount of attention. Would definitely recommend.

£35 fillet steak. Thin rump steak overcooked, limp brioche with parfait, tepid coffees. Does look like a glorified canteen. Nice wine. If it was half the price, I wouldn’t moan. Even with the eat out discount, eaten much better elsewhere for a lot less.

We really enjoyed our dinner here. The mussels, steak and cod were all very good and the wine list is also great. They do 500ml karafes for great wines. Great garden attached to the restaurant. You don’t notice being in the city at all. Staff...

We are here for dinner and breakfast whilst as hotel guests. I ordered the French onion soup for starter, my husband had the parfait. Both were amazing and could not be faulted. Complimentary bread and butter. Asked for more bread but it never arrived. Main...

Unlike the outside, it's very modern in the bistro. Standard Hotel du Vin menu but very good and everything that we ordered was not only well prepared but well presented. Staff were very good, from arrival to during service, checking that all was OK.

We visited yesterday for a group afternoon tea to celebrate my Mum's birthday and all 12 of us were very impressed with the service we received from Meg. She is a credit to your Hotel and we would definitely return for another visit and recommend...

Finalmente pude probar el almuerzo del domingo. Tuve los cuatro cursos que comenzaron con una excelente sopa de champiñones. Luego estaba la mesa de mercado, que valía la pena el precio y que podía ser una comida en sí misma. Hay una amplia gama para elegir y los huevos escoceses fueron particularmente buenos. El asado principal era excelente y lleno de sabor. El postre fue un final perfecto. Todo esto, junto con un excelente servicio de Rose y Hannah, fue uno de los mejores almuerzos de los domingos en mucho tiempo y definitivamente se repetirá.

Interesting menu, lots of locally sourced food. Sunday lunch highly recommended. Husband particularly enjoyed steak and roast beef. I loved the Market, with a variety of salads, charcuterie and seafood.

Had a lovely evening at the Bistro du Vin on Saturday 23rd November to celebrate my son-in-law's birthday. Treated to a wonderful meal and probably the best lemon sole I have ever had! We were waited on by the lovely Rose who was charming and attentive. Thank you for a great evening!

Good attentive service. Well presented and luscious food served in a pleasant ambience. Might have been nicer if the overhead lights were dimmed slightly.

We recently had Sunday lunch at the hotel. The food was fantastic and this together with the very attentive, friendly and professional service we received was the on the icing on the cake. We would like to say special thank you to Charlotte, Megan and Rose who are an asset to the hotel. We will definitely be back and would recommend to our friends and family

4 of us booked for an early lunch before the Exeter Chiefs game ... we all had the set 4 course Sunday lunch which was perfect and all washed down with some nice (and well priced) burgundy...all the staff are great and our waitress was very attentive knowing we were pushed for time...we were also lucky enough to be placed in the private dinning area...probably just as well as 4 loud blokes!...Thank you

We stayed for one night. Including dinner and breakfast. The food and service was 10/10 and the hotel very comfortable and modern. Location perfect for shopping and nice walks..

Went there for dinner with my family and we had an awesome time together. Staff was very attentive and recommended some dishes that were lovely. The food came out quickly and was very tasty. The whole restaurant room is nicely decorated and it is not too loud even when busy which was nice. Definitely recommend to people that want to try out something different in Exeter.

Booked an afternoon tea at hotel-du-vin EXETER for my birthday.

I booked my parents to stay at the hotel while visiting me for the summer. We had breakfast everyday at the hotel and Everything was perfect.

Definitely recommend Bistro Du Vin. Greeted nicely by Charlotte who had explained the menu to us clearly. Food was amazing and cooked well. Had pigeon for starters which was surprisingly delicious (not pictured) then pork belly and a blackberry pavlova for dessert. Room service for breakfast the next day was very quick and still hot. 100% would recommend if staying in the hotel or just popping in for food.

My mum and I visited the beautiful hotel back in January for a lovely 2 course lunch. We started in the bar having a nice non alcoholic cocktail which Zoe recommended and made. Then Rose greeted us very nicely on the door and sat us down on one of the best tables In the bistro by the window around the corner. That day happened to be a warm lovely sunny day which made the bistro warm, bright and airy. Our orders were taken by Jona and checked back on us at each course which we found really nice. I had the pie of the day which was delicious a little too big and filling, but still lovely and mum had the catch of the day which was seabass which was also lovely. As a favourite hotel in town I will be back with the rest of my family on another occassion.

Llevé a mis abuelos al bistró para una comida de 3 platos fuera del menú de prefijo establecido para su 62º aniversario de boda. Desde el momento en que llegamos, nos dieron la bienvenida y tomamos una bebida relajante en el bar de Christine antes de dirigirnos a nuestra mesa. Nos sentamos en una hermosa mesa junto a la ventana con vistas a la terraza y al jardín del hotel, que era precioso. Fuimos atendidos por Joe y Charlotte que fueron extremadamente atentos y nos hicieron sentir como en casa. Los tres 3 platos fueron brillantes combinados con una botella de su casa Chardonnay. Una experiencia tan agradable recomendaría 100% comer el Bistro. Gracias por una experiencia brillante.

Después de presentar a nuestros queridos amigos a nuestro hotel favorito como un posible lugar para bodas, nos encantó que sintieran que era correcto usarlo.

Very pleasant surroundings and friendly staff. We had steak and chips and burger and chips with a couple of glasses of Bauduc claret. Just what we needed! Quite pricey but enjoyable.

Menús sucios con la mayoría de las opciones presentadas como manchas en las tarjetas gastadas, muchos platos no disponibles y comida / carne de mala calidad: demasiados compromisos para disfrutarlo

Reuniéndonos con amigos para celebrar un evento compartido, pensamos que este sería un gran lugar para ir. Pasaron más de 30 minutos antes de que un camarero tomara nuestras malas cenas y solo después de que uno de nuestro grupo fuera a quejarse.

Agradable y luminoso restaurante que ofrece cocina de estilo francés. Comí allí dos noches mientras me quedaba con el trabajo. El encantador y cálido pan de cortesía se sirve con aceite y vinagre. Tuve la berenjena hornear una noche y bistec la otra. Yo recomendaría ambos. El personal fue amigable y útil.

A nice open airy restaurant. We stayed here for the weekend. Seven of us met up for dinner on the Friday night. Service was slow. We sat down at 19:20 and the main courses arrived at 20:50. Food was generally well cooked and presented, although tuna steaks a little overcooked. The wine waiter kept topping us up with wine, except when we ordered dessert wine they arrived some time after the desserts.

Just been to have lunch at HDV Exeter. I never usually bother with reviews, but this was terrible so felt i wanted to share.

This was our first visit and most definately not our last, the food was amazing, cooked perfectly, the choice was great for meat eaters and veggies, the staff were so polite and smartly dressed ( not your usual scruffy black trousers and black aprons), the buffet was extensive to all tastes and we couldnt believe how much there was , lovely setting, absolutely no faults at all. have already recommended to family and friends.

There were 5 of us and we all ate well enough from a fairly extensive menu. The service was good, the food was good the atmosphere non-existent and the price slightly above average. We didn't eat there the next night nor would we go back. We did eat there for breakfast. The standard breakfast coffee was pretty dire. The breakfast was tasty but a bit on the small size. Certainly not worth the cost.

We were here on the 24th Dec for lunch, to celebrate my birthday. We first went into the bar for a pre lunch drink, but there was no one in attendance. Eventually someone turned up who was helpful and attentive but with limited knowledge of the bar stock. Once in the restaurant , which was very quiet, we both ordered boeuf bourguignon and had to send it back as the meat wasn't the unctuous cubed meat in a delicious rich sauce you would expect, but one tough inedible lump. We had been guided by the waiter to order additional vegetables as she said there were none served with it, so we also ended up with the free seasonal veg, "compliments of the chef" and the additional vegetable.

Traer de vuelta el tradicional té de la tarde. Me encanta un tradicional té británico de la tarde, solo dame un gran sándwich de dedo, pasteles, té y bollos con mantequilla ligeramente salada y tal vez un pastel de carne picada. Llegó esta hermosa variedad de comida, se veía genial, pastas pequeñas, queso y tocino adjunto. Un bollo de frutas con mermelada de fresa y un surtido de macarrones, rueda de pistacho, gelatinas, el equivalente de natillas de ruibarbo y pasteles de bosque negro. Todo se veía fabuloso pero muy dulce y me atrevo a decirlo un poco sin sabor. Los artículos sabrosos habrían estado mejor calientes si hubieran probado un poco rancio. Theegg and cress tiene la menor cantidad de berro, vergüenza y estaba en un rollo que era muy dulce. La mayoría de los pasteles eran dulces y todo fue un poco decepcionante. Me encantó el pastel de carne picada, el cscone, pero como no hago crema no disfruté de la mantequilla sin sal, que parece ser la tendencia. Me gustaría una elección. El servicio tampoco era excelente, aunque el personal era amable, consideramos que estamos constantemente esperando a que alguien venga y reemplace el champaigne plano, traiga una taza y un platillo, traiga té y más mermelada. Es caro para lo que obtienes y no lo puedo recomendar. El bistró era enorme y no muy cálido ni navideño, a diferencia del resto del hotel.

On a spa day we visited the restaurant and had a two course lunch. The food was delicious and well cooked with excellent service. Items on the menu were a la carte as oppose to basic every day food (pub grub) couldn't fault it.

Visitamos con un grupo de amigos en un almuerzo tranquilo. Habíamos pedido por adelantado pero, al llegar, nos informaron que el menú había cambiado, así que pedimos desde el nuevo menú cuando nos sentamos para nuestra comida. También nos informaron, solo en el momento de hacer el pedido en lugar de cuando estábamos sentados, que uno de los entrantes no estaba disponible. Esto hizo un comienzo un poco decepcionante.

Chicken liver parfait with chutney was fabulous. The steak onglet was also gorgeous and both washed down with a carafe of Chilean pinot noir. Prices not unreasonable and for the quality, well worth it. One of Exeter's finest dining experiences.

Un hotel muy agradable, decorado y amueblado con buen gusto, con personal cortés y agradable. Sin embargo, lamentablemente hubo una cosa que realmente arruinó nuestra primera experiencia de almorzar aquí y ese fue el servicio increíblemente lento. El camarero trajo nuestro pan muy rápido. Él tristemente se fue y otro camarero se hizo cargo de él. Nuestras bebidas tardaron al menos 30 minutos en llegar; sentimos que 1 x copa de vino y 1 x Pimms no merecían una espera tan larga. Luego tuvimos que esperar al menos otros 30 minutos para que llegara nuestro plato principal y solo quedaba una pareja más y nosotros mismos en el restaurante. Nos moríamos de hambre por esta vez. Luego tuve que ir y encontrar al camarero que había desaparecido para decirle que habíamos terminado nuestro plato principal, ya que habíamos estado sentados allí por un tiempo considerable esperando que se limpiara la mesa y se sirvieran los postres. Realmente nos arruinó lo que de otra manera sería una experiencia muy agradable y esperamos que alguien tome nota de esto.

Really excellent food and very good service. Our grandson, who is twelve, half-French and an enthusiastic connoisseur of moules, really enjoyed his and the rest of us enjoyed our main courses and puddings.

El personal fue amable. Tuvimos una agradable cena y todo estuvo bien.

I had high hopes for a relaxed afternoon tea with several friends whom I don't get to see all of the time as we live in different cities. Tempted by the lovely menu which ticked all of the boxes for everyone and priced decently.

Service was good. Food was good but not great - onion in the moules wasn't soft and had to ask for the sauce that came with the pork to be heated as was tepid at best. Lighting was too bright - whilst open kitchen style is good it was as if I was in a John Lewis cafe (which is excellent as a cafe but not as a mid/ upmarket restaurant).

We came here for lunch.Be aware parking is very limited and when we entered the hotel it was deserted.I formed the view that , in comparison with Winchester , it was very tired and clinical.The restaurant was very quiet with few people eating. We had steak which was satisfactory with a nice pepper sauce.I thought that it was expensive for what it was and will not go again.

Have eaten here many times and always reliable. Friendly welcome and know what 'hospitality' means. Great food and wines.

Myself and a friend visited yesterday for afternoon tea. I couldn't park and arrived 20 mins late, but my friend had been looked after with a drink and shown the table. The food was yummy, service was friendly and attentive and the room was clean and relaxed. Our waitress Zoe was amazing; cheery, friendly, attentive but not overbearing, giving us time to enjoy our food whilst topping up our tea! She really made our experience fantastic. Will be revisiting!

..... always chose this hotel!! The rooms are fab - each unique - and love going to the spa for an outside swim whatever time of year! Always seem to have the pool to ourselves (though I'm sure that's not the case in summer!).

Vinimos aquí para mis hijas de graduación, después de mucho lío para conseguir la reserva ya que aparentemente estaban llenos, a nuestra llegada, el restaurante estaba vacío.

Cuando el "especial" el té de la tarde para un grupo familiar de 9 estaba reservado unos días antes, nos preguntamos si gluten estaría disponible y nos dijeron que era.

Pasamos un tiempo estupendo. El inconveniente era que la noche del viernes temprano el bar estaba lleno de mujeres en batas, fresco del spa. Pero la comida es estupenda, la habitación era fabulosa, el desayuno era fantástico. Me encantó.

Hotel encantador, personal atento y amable, excelentes instalaciones, preciosa piscina, la comida era deliciosa y variada. Los cócteles eran deliciosos. Volveremos.

El lugar era muy guay, preciosos muebles, buen ambiente y aún en perros! ! No obstante, pedimos una variedad de cócteles daiquiri (común) y, sin embargo, la orden era todavía mal y tomó un largo tiempo. Me imagino que sería un lugar para comer y alojarse

Opciones de comida son variadas y la calidad de la comida excelente. Una buena lista de vinos y sus catas de vino las noches son vale la pena probarlo. El personal es muy atento y un buen lugar para una pequeña fiesta o reunión familiar

Estado aquí antes, cuando el hotel fue llamado el Magdalen capítulo, no parte de Hotel Du Vin.

Went here with friends on a Saturday evening. Was kept waiting over half an hour for our pre-dinner cocktails, despite being repeatedly told they were coming. Eventually sat down for our meal and the service was really poor. We ordered some wine. About 15 minutes later there was still no sign of it. So we asked again. We were told they were trying to locate it. Eventually they gave up and offered an alternative, at double the price! As the food arrived, the service continued to be poor. It was like the staff were all new and just being trained. The food was very good, but not hot. Won't be rushing back.

Visited here for the first time yesterday and we were pleasantly surprised by the Service and quality of the food. We chose a three course set menu. Although the Menu to us was difficult to translate to an understanding of what we were ordering.our waiter was very helpful in describing what each item was. Bread and olive oil with some balsamic vinegar was brought to the table. We started with Smoked mackerel and a Snail and meatball ragout. Both delicious. We had the Limousin Onglet, a lovely steak with anchovies and a caesar salad. I had sea bass with a salad and we shared a portion of chips. The fish was very lightly cooked with a crisp skin. Thankfully without any other flavouring with a selection of salad leaves. Very enjoyable. For dessert we took poached meringue with pink pralines and creme anglais. I chose a selection of strong cheeses. The only disappointment was the rather tasteless thin biscuits. For wine we had a glass of Carbonet Sauvignon. A full and mature sample.All very good. Thank you all at this restaurant for making our lunch so enjoyable

Chose to go to the Hotel du Vin today for a spa treatment and lunch to celebrate my birthday as had previously enjoyed a "Chapter Pamper" earlier this year. One of the treats enjoyed before had been the log burner whilst in the "Inside Outside" pool and in the spa. It would have been great on a wet drizzly November day like today. Unfortunately no such luxury today which was disappointing. The spa treatment was lovely but we had to go back to reception to ask for dressing gowns as the locker was empty and the phone didn't work and it seemed to take a while to sort out. Our waitress took our lunch order incorrectly and had no knowledge of the menu was but when the food arrived it was delicious.

Dined here on a Friday night as party of four. Restaurant is located in the Hotel du Vin (formerly Magdalen Chapter) in a nicely converted old Eye Hospital. It is a short walk from the City Centre.The dining room is a pleasant modern extension at the rear of the building.We enjoyed great cocktails followed by excellent lemon sole and braised lamb dishes, accompanied by good wine choices from the sommelier. We shared two plates from a good cheeseboard, and had a very pleasant, relaxed meal. Staff were efficient, friendly, and well informed.Certainly recommend the restaurant even if you are not staying here. Certainly a good memorable evening for our party.We went directly to the restaurant but the hotel has nice public rooms and bar to relax in before or after dining.

This hotel has changed hands since our earlier visit this year. Didn't seem quite as personal somehow. Spa treatments nice but not spectacular, fire clearly broken and out of use in the pool area. Dinner was good, but seemed to be far more expensive than our previous stay. Breakfast was ok, a little haphazard, long wait for drinks. The bar, well, I asked for lemonade and was informed that there was none in the hotel. Shocking. There a a number of local grocery stores very close by, I was left wondering why on earth they didn't send a member of staff to get some lemonade...... They had also run out of a wine we chose and ended up having one which was double the price. Little disappointed, maybe its a transition period for them. The cost of the nights stay was also £25 more than previously charge for the same midweek night. I may try somewhere else next time as I'm a regular visitor to Exeter, don't mind spending the money as long as I feel it's good value but sadly on this occasion, I didn't.

Went here for a family meal having seen the entry in The Good Food Guide. It was really disappointing, food was OK but nothing special. Chips hot but steak lukewarm, spinach came halfway through the meal. Not bad but just ok. Didn't bother with pudding, not worth it and won't go back.

Really disappointed with the lack of food. The lack of presentation. Staff did not ask if our food was ok?!?! It was horrible. Went home hungry! Went to reception. Manager gave us tea and some money back. After a lovely expieriance in the spa. The staff in there were lovely. We were offered free bottled water and free herbal teas. Good job we did that part of our spa day first. Di vin need to seriously up its game in the restaurant. Never had this problem when it was the magadalan chapter.

Staying for 1 night just had Sunday lunch. When is a roast potato not a roast Potato ! When is has been blown torched ! Cold veg. Dull gravy . Had booked a table for tonight . No don't think so sorry !

We only had breakfast and lunch here, so this review deals with 'lighter' meals. Worried by previous reviews that seemed to disdain the very plates served on the table, I must say we were rather delighted by the food, the service, and the atmosphere. It is true that the restaurant is currently going through 'change of management' teething problems - but we found a great improvement from the 'old' to the 'new' - emphasis on the lovely French yogurts and gluten free assortment of toasts/food. If the Hotel du Vin continues this kind of upward trajectory, it will only be a short matter of time that it receives 5 stars.

A very disappointing, overpriced special (or was supposed to be) lunch today. All menu choices have been honed down in quantity and quality. The wine is ridiculously expensive! We had moules of which 20% were not open but to be fair to management were replaced by a further bowl of moules upon request. We had to share one bowl of lemon water which is amazing! A very poor bread "ration" and one portion of chips with moules were luke warm. Other menu choices made were just mean!The whole ambiance of the hotel has slipped downwards. The lawn in front of the restaurant is in a terrible state and at the front of the hotel a wall has collapsed. Both, I suggest, indications of poor management and desperation (?) - is cash flow a real problem?As Exeter is about to get a new, smart set of restaurants in the city centre this restaurant has got to get a great deal better or do us all a favour and shut!

Came here for a special lunch, a table was booked which wasn't really necessary as the place was nigh on empty. We were shown to our table, ordered our drinks and food - so far so good.. Seeing that we all had a lot to talk about, we didn't actually realise that the food took a long time in coming. I don't know what they were doing, but perhaps still searching for a chicken or trying to catch a tuna! However, when it did come it was very nice and we all enjoyed our meal. The desserts were to die for and the wine very drinkable... but the wine list is sillily expensive!!! unnecessarily so..After lunch we wandered into the garden where we relaxed with another bottle !! {as mentioned above,. the wine here is certainly not cheap, but it was a special occasion} The building is an old eye infirmary and has been sptastefully decorated with many of the old items left as they were from the early 1920's which is always a nice touch.We all had a lovely time, the staff were very friendly and helpful but the level of service and product knowledge needs to be stepped up.. this is not just any old diner or hamburger joint. for the money that's being charged you need to have knowledgeable waiting staff.would I return?? Yes, as and when next in Exeter and then hopefully someone else will pay my bill!! It might even be quite nice to stay the night.

We booked a special family celebration at the Magdalen Chapter, remembering it as a fine dining restaurant. Between making our booking and the date of our meal, the hotel changed hands, becoming an Hotel du Vin. As a large deposit had been taken, we were not able to change our booking so confirmed it in detail a couple of times beforehand. On arrival at the restaurant we were given a menu costing more than twice the one we had booked. We could see people eating the menu we had booked but were told it was not available. We were shown to our table which was two small tables pushed together that did not fit, leaving a gap in the middle. We were eventually given the correct menu but had been hugely embarrassed in front of our guests. We won't be back!

We booked very last minute for Sunday lunch. Arrived to a very quiet bistro, the only person to actually acknowledge us was our lovely waitress (no name badge, but blonde and Eastern European), several suited men ( I presume management), totally ignored us, No atmosphere in the bistro at all. Probably 3 tables were in use, maybe 15 people at most. Service was soooooooooooo slow, we didn't have time for a pudding as we had a taxi booked to take my daughter to the station. We constantly felt we were looking for service from someone. The Maitre de (I assume) was just standing in his booth doing not very much, I can't understand why everything took quite so long, given how empty the place was we had hoped to be well looked after. We had the soup, nice but needed seasoning, the French Market table is a good idea, but was not particularly well stocked on Sunday (but probably down to so few people being there) most of us had the roast, the beef was nice and rare and accompaniments were nice too. Such a shame that the place was so off kilter, maybe service would have been better had the place been chock a block. But I think the main thing lacking in this place is care and attention from Management, the whole place lacked any warmth at all, and I tend to think this comes directly from the top. We have been using the hotel for years, we have had mid week lunches here before (the food has always been good) and I have enjoyed using the spa too, but I have always found the service ethic to be poor across the whole hotel. I had hoped that the Du Vin takeover would turn things around, but sadly that's not the case yet. Cost for the 5 of us was £200.

Staff easily stressed and lacking humour. Veggie options shameful and over priced. Enjoyed more by red meat eaters amongst our group.

Booked on-line for the seafood specials, only to be informed after being seated that they were not available that day. Not a great start, and things did not improve. The bottled water was served at the same temperature as the Bordeaux. The tiger prawn starters were on a plate, unaccompanied by any garnish, bread, slice of lemon or flavour. The Chateaubriand at £65 would have been small for one person, totally inadequate for two. It was slightly odd to serve it as 5 slices, rather than a more easily divided number. The chips and one vegetable side were also more suited to one portion.The service was friendly, but the automatic 10% added to bill plus a line for gratuity on bill is a bit much. Also, if the server spills the meat juices on the table when presenting the dish, it would be nice if he returned to mop up the blood.The only steak dinner I have ever had that has not filled me up. £116 poorer and had to eat again when we got home!

Great location,where else in Exeter can you sit in a beautiful restaurant with the glass wall opened so that you feel as though you are actually sitting in the lovely and large garden ?Busy day, graduation at Exeter Uni yet the restaurant was certainly "up for it ", great menu,lots of local dishes , Mussels, Devon Beef Chateaubriand (I could have eaten it all !!)Star of the show is their Sommelier, an Australian who really knows his wine , let him choose, he is very good and the wines are fairly priced, yes we enjoyed it and would love to stay, the Spa and inside to outside pool looks fabulous too

Having phoned in advance and booked, the staff were happy to cater to the fact that my graduation may run over, and would still sit us if we were late. We sat for lunch late towards the end of the lunch set at 2pm. As a result the service was incredibly fast. It was peaceful and quiet (as it is meant to be, the hotel doubles as a spa and the bistro adjoins it). Staff were very polite and friendly, personable, and congratulatory. We received some champagne as a result. There were only three of us, but we were given a table with the view of the stunning circular garden and Exeter. The food, while there wasn't copious amounts of it, was incredibly flavoursome and original. To start, we tried the fish soup, the asparagus, and the scallops, which were incredibly fresh (picture attached). Mains included curried cod, which was superbly flavoured and delicate, not too much, and duck saucisson. They came incredibly quickly as we were towards the end of the service. I would recommend that this restaurant is not overly food friendly for young children, but okay for later teens. The desserts were incredibly light and perfectly balanced, including my caramel tart and my fathers buttermilk panna cotta, which actually packed a punch. The only thing I dislike about this restaurant is the wine list. As an avid (and learning) oenophile, I have a few favourites already, and seeing my favourite (Cloudy Bay NZ Sauvignon Blanc) filled me with joy, before discovering they sell it for £62 a bottle, and indeed most bottles on the menu were this price. In other restaurants I have paid approx £23 for this specific bottle and year, and find it to be hugely overpriced, especially as it retails for about £18.99. Thankfully, looking down the list, it appeared to be well thought out and balanced with the menu, which is a redeeming factor. The problem was the prices. The food was fantastic, as was the service, the ambience of the bistro and the history and character of the hotel, an old eye hospital. It was a fantastic graduation meal, we were saved by the fact we mostly had champagne, but if you're in a small party, do order it by the glass.

For anyone suffering from Misophonia staying in an hotel can be a big problem. Not only was my room carefully selected by the staff as the quietest it was also rather luxurious! Rebecca who took my booking completely understood and Ben in the restaurant at breakfast noticed I was uncomfortable with the music and changed it for me. The food was fantastic and I will be returning.

I have had a mixed feelings every time I visited this place. I like the atmosphere and ambience but have never been treated by any friendly staff or waiters. Same has been the case with the drinks, not always they make the cocktails with the right taste so a bit iffy about having meal over there.Maybe the place has just been overly rated for what it serves.

Wine was good, if expensive, and service was pleasant, but food was generally disappointing with the rather mean trick of charging extra for vegetables. Another rather mean trick was charging 10% on the bill for "tip" and then leaving a blank for "gratuity". Modern dining room, but noisy. And why couldn't something more interesting have been done with the garden outside?

We have eaten here many times and the food is always good. We went for lunch last week and the restaurant wasnt even half full. We were seated and ordered our drinks. 15 minutes later they arrived. We ordered our lunch, two tomato and mozzerella salads and I cant remember what my husband ordered. it took over HALF AN HOUR to arrive. We asked very politely where it was and were told it was coming. How long does it take to chop up some salad and cheese. For our main course we had ordered two burgers and the duck sausage. Once our starter plates where removed it took THREE QUARTERS OF AN HOUR. The Sommelier gave a basket of complimentary bread as an "apology for your lunch taking so long". At this point I asked for a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and was promptly bought a glass of red wine. The puddings took a further half an hour to arrive. The restaurant turned what was supposed to be an efficient and quick business lunch into a very long affair. Everything we ordered was on the specials list. This should make it easy and quick to prepare. Obviously not. When the bill arrived we were asked if we had enjoyed our lunch. To be fair the food here is always good it was just let down by truly terrible service. They have lost a previously loyal customer.

They have a set menu at Du Vin and now the restaurant is a Bistro Du Vin it is available and it is a simple affair that is ideal for a lighter early dinner which we like. The staff are friendly and helpful and there is a pleasant view out to the gardens. Price wise it is a good deal. Also, if you dine before 7pm you get a complimentary glass of house wine per person.

Have stayed here 3 times previously as the magdalen chapter. Truly fantastic and memorable times. In between booking to stay for Easter bank holiday in February and arriving, it had been taken over by hotel du vin. We weren't informed of this so were surprised on arrival, as you can imagine.The food in the restaurant really doesn't compare to how it was before - it wasn't cheap, the service was terrible (30 minute wait for our drinks to arrive... 2 hours for 2 courses......) and the food not memorable or special by any means. The food here used to be exceptional. You are now charged for the mini bar, the room service menu is greatly reduced and there is no option for a hot breakfast for room service.This was previously my hotel of choice in Exeter, but now it's been taken over by hotel du vin I will not be returning. Due to staying so close to being taken over, you could tell the staff weren't happy either and getting used to it. Shame.

The hotel has been taken over by Du Vin and on check in at reception, we were advised that they are changing over the rooms to Du Vin room decor. The rooms are very nice as the Magdalen Chapter but now they are 5 to 6 years old, are looking slightly worn, however if Du Vin are true to their word, they will all have a revamp.Staff are friendly and approachable, we had a drink in the bar before using the restaurant and service in the bar was good.However the restaurant service although very friendly was very slow, there was a wait of about 50 mins between our starters and the mains. As there were 4 of us we were chatting and the time passed quickly, but if it was just the two of us the wait would not have been as acceptable. It was a Thursday night and the restaurant was about half full. There were 3 staff serving which may have been a bit tight for the amount of customers in the restaurant.The food was not as good as the Magdalen to be honest, I have eaten in my local Du Vin in Poole Doset and would say the food is okay but would not make a special effort to use the restaurant. I feel the same about this hotel. We had mains of mussels in white wine broth and steak. The wine broth was pretty tasteless, those that has steak said it was okay. Sides for the dishes were fine.Only one of us had desert which was the caramel fondant, although tasty the fondant was a slightly weird texture, being firm and chewy rather than a moist sponge.I would return to Du Vin but hope that the rooms are all revamped, however I would not use the restaurant unless I had no other choice.

We visit Exeter quite often as our daughter is a student at the university. We have stayed in a number of places but this time decided to stay somewhere a little more luxurious and with better facilities as our teenage son was on crutches. We booked a family room which was absolutely lovely and so well appointed. The staff were friendly and the breakfast was to die for. We were so impressed with it all, our son loved the pool, he has talked about it non-stop. In facr we were so pleased that we recommended the Magdalene Chapter to very close friends who have booked to stay there this weekend.