The Staghunters Inn in North Devon

We recently stayed three nights at the Staghunters Inn in early February. On arrival we received a warm greeting and were shown to our room, with the offer to carry our bags. We were booked for DB&B which included a two course evening meal from the pubs menu. Our room was very comfortable and clean and throughout the pub was nicely warm. Breakfast was in the restaurant overlooking the garden, and dinner was at a reserved table in the bar/lounge, where lovely log fire was burning. The choice of food was good, and the meals were all freshly cooked and very nice. A selection of beers including real ale, and the wine list had four reds , and whites either by the glass or bottle, which allowed us to sample three of the four. As well as it being relaxed and comfortable the owners, Richard and Wendy together with Simon and other family members and staff were so friendly and welcoming. We were given a look inside the old medieval part of the pub, that was originally an abbey. Just behind the pub is a paddock where residents can exercise their pooches. Disappointingly we had decided to leave our dog in kennels given the weather forecast, so she could not share our enjoyment at a super winter break. It would be nice to visit during summer when the lovely riverside outdoor gardens or large rear garden can be used, and the room's balcony too.

Worst drink we have had in Devon. The staff didn't pour the pint from the tap it came from the back store room. Completely flat and tasted awful. Complete waste of money. We left our drinks and scarperred.

After a long walk from Lynmouth past watersmeet and the closed rockford inn it was a welcome sight to see that this pub was open and people were enjoying the sun shine in the front beer garden by the river. They serve mainly exmoor ales which are my favourite and not a doombar in sight.

What an unexpected gem! We had such a lovely little holiday here. Absolutely beautiful setting and the food and the atmosphere was great.

Nice place , we only had chips,but really good .

A group of us walkers came to stay at The Staghunters Hotel in Brendon & we couldn't have picked a better place to stay. The walks are glorious, straight out of the front door. Along the bank of the East Lyn river down to Watersmeet is just about as good as it gets. As for the hotel it was so quiet & peaceful with the only noise the sound of the river. The family owners were very friendly & obliging & the food was more the adequate. The thing we loved most about the hotel was the very comfortable residents lounge where we all gathered each evening, so very comfortable. Thank you all the staff & family ,we aim to come back.

Great place to stay very friendly staff. If you need to find a good walk just ask Edward very helpful young man

Excellent service and food Very friendly service.

Fabulous weeks holiday... a great base for exploring Exmoor ...

I'm in Ireland multiple times during the year, so I'm very picky with a Guinness. The Guinness I had here was poured to perfection! The best I've had in England. The Inn itself has good parking, outside seating to enjoy the beautiful area and the inside is old and traditional. Brilliant Pub.

Superfriendly bar staff. A shame that food isn't available at lunch.

Everything about this pub is incredible. From the tasty food to the friendly staff and service. They go out of their way to make you feel welcome. James in particular was super lovely and fitted us in the bar for a meal when they were fully booked! We really appreciated spending our last night at The Staghunters. I had a burger two nights running, it was so delicious!

Nice little pub to stop off at. Lovely atmosphere people seemed friendly and I'm sure on a sunny day the river side seating would have been great 👍.

Great pub, only place around with wi fi

Nice little pub tucked away deep in the Doone valley next to the river, well off the beaten track of the A39 coast road. Popular with locals and those who make the effort to find it. A good honest boozer with two bars - one side with a pool table and decent pump ales and in the other a well sized dining area that offers a good selection of evening meals. Recommended.

Peaceful and quiet establishment - very dated in lots of ways but it was exactly what I wanted to almost step back in time. Lovely host, charming, helpful and warm.

Great find...well worth doing the extra miles out of Lynmouth to get there for a family meet up!

A busy weekend for the pub and they accommodated us all. Very friendly. Good food

Wonderful stay as usual. Lovely staff, very accommodating ❤️ Pity there are no biscuits to go with the tea/coffee in the room.

We stayed here for one night in June while we were walking the Coleridge Way. The location of the Inn was along the Lyn River which we could hear during the night. We had both dinner and breakfast here and was delicious. The breakfast room was particularly charming. The owners were only too happy to talk about the history of the Inn; it's quite old.

Lovely relaxing and wonderful staff

Fantastic place for a quiet relaxing stay

Very friendly team, great location!

Olde worlde style pub. Friendly staff. The usual.

Having not booked, we managed to get a table right in front of the fire for dinner. It could not have been better. All of the staff were very friendly, the food was delicious, reasonably priced and very generous portions. When my colleague enquired about an old photo of the pub on the placemat, we were taken on a quick tour of the hotel garden which was beautiful. I would highly recommend this place and hope to be back.

Rang to asking they had a table for 2. They were very busy with a table of 20 in but they sorted a table for us. My husband had the faggots, mash and peas. I had gammon, pineapple chips and peas!! Wow! The faggots were delicious home made tennis ball sized. My gammon was really tasty and half the size of my plate. The other half filled to the max with chips and peas. I highly recommend going here if you like a big meal. The staff were very attentive and welcoming. Thank.

Traditional pub in tucked away spot by the river with friendly staff, gorgeous gluten free fish and chips, dog friendly, nice shady walk through woods to get to Rockford Inn

Great family run country pub. Richard, Wendy, James, Joy and Simon were so friendly and opened for us to watch the King’s Coronation on tv. They also kindly provided us with sandwiches and sausage rolls, much appreciated. Thank you for your generous hospitality guys. Hopefully see you all next year… 😊

Thoroughly enjoyed 3 visits to this delightful Inn while camping in Doone Valley. Many thanks to Richard, Wendy, Simon & Joy for being great hosts, which included bringing us sandwiches and sausage rolls when they opened early to let us watch the coronation. We also had a lovely meal there on Friday.

Great stop for pint in tbe riverside garden

If only all hotels were run this way. Personal attentive service, good food, great beer, lovely surroundings.

A real gem of a find. Proper traditional country pub tucked away with great food and a warm Devon welcome.

Booked for an evening meal, while travelling. Friendly staff took the phone call and welcomed our visit. Good menu choice of Pub Meals. Enjoyed the meals and service.

Friendly staff good home cooked food comfy room 😊

A welcoming, comfortable place set in a stunning location with wonderful walks on the doorstep. The breakfasts were amazing and after a day's walking it was great to return for a delicious evening meal. Friendly staff contributed to a perfect stay!

Excellent! We loved it. Cosy atmosphere and delicious food, and VERY friendly welcome. To he recommended.

The Staghunters Inn at Brendon, in Somerset is just a typical country Inn that hasn't changed in all the year's we have been going there, a family run inn, who make you feel welcome the minute you set your foot through the door, and they can't do enough for you. The food is excellent, good portions and cooked to perfection. Keep up the good work. We'll be back in the new year.

Everyone very friendly here. Nice setting by the river.

My husband and I visited the Staghunters inn in the last week on a few occasions to eat or have a drink by the stream. The food was really nice and plentiful. The staff were very nice and friendly. We were on first name terms terms as we came every evening. James, Simon and Richard had a laugh with us and were very chatty. Made us feel really comfortable. If we are down that way again we will definitely be coming for a visit. Dave and Marion.

Lovely lunchtime interlude sitting in the garden adjacent to the East Lyn river. Very social enjoying a few drinks with other visitors. Excellent service at the bar and look forward to returning on another occasion to enjoy a meal which was highly recommended by other guest staying.

We have just returned from a lovely stay at the Staghunters Inn. We have been coming to the Inn for many years to enjoy the excellent food and warm and welcoming hospitality. Now that we are retired we can also enjoy staying in this lovely old inn in the heart of beautiful Exmoor. Lovely warm and comfortable room with a beautiful balcony overlooking the garden, very clean, excellent shower and a fabulous breakfast to wake up to each morning! Dinner each night was excellent, good tasty home cooked food. Really friendly family/owners who make you feel very welcome, love a good chat and really care that you have a good stay. A few days away at the Staghunters is highly recommended and we are looking forward to returning in May. Thank you for a great stay.

Wonderful - enough said! If you're after a high-rolling, fast paced, glitzy place to stay, this is not it. If you're after somewhere offering complete peace to enable a relaxing time fuelled by only the sounds of nature, generous home-cooked meals and delightful staff, then this is very definitely it! Tranquility par excellence..

Our family enjoyed another short break in our most favourite hotel in this lovely location during the recent half- term holiday.Richard,Wendy,their family & staff went out of their way to ensure our comfort and serve food which was as delicious as ever.All this despite their staff shortage experienced by so many in the hospitality sector at this time. A big thank you to you all,we did appreciate all your dedication & effort in making this hotel so extra special! See you next year!!

Two of us (and a dog) were lucky enough to be able to book a table here for Sunday evening albeit we weren’t staying at the hotel and everywhere locally were experiencing staff shortages . Despite being short staffed themselves, we received a warm welcome, the service was fabulous and the roast absolutely delicious. We dined again 2 days later and the food was just as good. Such a friendly family run business and in such a beautiful area. Thank you to all at The Staghunters Inn.

Very popular place and tried to book early on in the month of Sept and was told to ring a few days before we wanted to dine here , which i did , and managed to get a table for 2 of us. Delightful establishment with caring and genuine staff and a lovely meal with good ales to wash down with .....great experience meeting the hotel guests who made us feel welcome.....thank you every one.

This place is a hidden gem in the quiet village of Brendon. The hotel staff are all very friendly and nothing is too much trouble. My room was very comfortable and clean and the food is cooked perfectly. The 2 mile walk along the river to Lynmouth is spectacular. Very highly recommended.

We had a very nice short stay at the stag hunters inn everybody there was very helpful and nothing was to much trouble , set in a quiet location within easy reach of lynmouth . Nice quiet rooms lovely old building with ample parking .We stayed b&b and had an evening meal both of which we thoroughly enjoyed good quality and cooked beautifully and also excellent service . Thank you all for making us feel very welcome and hope to see you again soon. Paul , Gail , Kaye and Bruno & Kim

Great food large portions dog friendly lovely welcoming staff and amazing tidy room and relaxing atmosphere

This hidden gem of a place is simply gorgeous. Tucked away in the National Park it is quiet, picturesque and perfectly formed. We stayed for 3 nights and the friendly (family) staff made us so very welcome - as did the other guests, many of whom were repeat visitors - real regulars. The food was excellent and plentiful and the rooms spotlessly clean and well maintained. This was a beautiful break and would highly recommend (especially if you have a dog!).

Visited the hotel for a 3 night break together with my wife and 2 german shepherd dogs.The hotel is extremely well run in a very professional manner. The room we had was a ground floor room recommended by the owner as it gave good access to the garden for the dogs. The room was clean and airy and there was an excellent ensuit.Food in the hotel for us consisted of breakfast and evening meal and I would say that all the food was very tasty and extremely filling. Service at all times was first class.As I don't drink I can only comment on the alcohol free beer which was cold and wet!We will certainly be back.

It was wonder to be welcomed back to this family run hotel, even more so at present with parents, children and grandchildren lending a hand. With the Covid regulations they are only open to booked guests at present. The setting is wonderful at the bottom of a steep wooded valley in the centre of Exmoor.There are wonderful walks from the hotel, as well as some challenging hills for cyclists.Food is very good and very generous portions of well cooked English cuisine.Rates are good with a very good three night deal

Loved it.Upon arrival we managed to park really easily and upon entering we had a really warm welcome. The place is family run which is a bonus in my book.I had the gammon and my wife had the roast (as it was a Sunday). They made really great gluten free gravy as well!The food was great and the place was so very friendly. I would most certainly visit here again for some decent pub grub.

Fabulous stay at this glorious family run hotel. Great food and great company..... Superb valley location with easy access to Exmoor.

A thoroughly enjoyable (although short) stay in this very friendly and hospitable family-run hotel. We have stayed here several times before, and we were not disappointed this time. At present, due to the current restrictions the Staghunters is operating as an hotel only, and not as a pub/hotel, but even so it is very much worth a trip to Brendon. Many thanks to Richard, Wendy, their family and staff for a great couple of days.We will certainly be back - hopefully for a longer stay.

Stayed the weekend in this charming inn. The whole stay was fabulous, the food was wonderful , and huge portions,the staff friendly and very obliging . Would definitely recommend for a walking holiday , (when we get out of lockdown ! ) Also great value for money too . A special thanks to V for her friendly helpful service .

What a lovely welcoming pub. Staff couldn’t be any more friendly and helpful. Menu was a little basic but food arrived quickly and got a thumbs up from all in our party! Dog biscuits went down well with the doggies 😊

What really welcoming staff but such a disappointing lunch ! Ham ploughman's had 1 pickled egg 1 slice of ham half a apple a tomato and a hand full of lettuce my husband had over cooked chicken an chips . All for sixteen pounds .We were so looking forward to our lunch !

Nice hotel, good rooms. Food good but menu could do with some changes- particulatly desserts where the only choice was sponge puddings or ice cream; and the four varieties of sponge were unchanged each night we were there.

We don't usually revisit places but we can't resist coming back to The Staghunters. Richard, Wendy and family are excellent hosts, and all the staff are so friendly, helpful and efficient.The rooms are comfy and the food is homely and delicious.They've cracked the current Covid restrictions and we felt completely safe and well looked after.We hope they weather the storm and continue to be around so we can all enjoy this fab place. A massive thank you from Ange & Mark

The Staghunters is the sort of pub you want to keep a secret. The rooms are cosy and immaculately clean, with lovely bathrooms and tea/coffee. This is a family-run pub and they all work really hard to make your visit a real pleasure. The beer is well kept, the food is plentiful and tasty and you are always assured of a warm welcome. The pub is much loved by walkers and dog owners, and as such, it's not posh or boutique or anything other than a wonderful, genuine, lovely place to eat, drink and stay. The Doone Valley is well worth a trip, and The Staghunters makes the prospect even more enjoyable.

Had lunch here half way through a long walk along the river Lyn which is beautiful. The pub is a traditional old inn, a little dated but the welcome and safety set up was first class, with one way system/shielding and contact and temperatures taken. For lunch we had soup of the day (smokey leek, potato and bacon), sandwich and ham ploughman’s, everything was lovely and very reasonable.

Very nice people and good breakfast with some classical music. Richard is a great barman, nice seating by the river when the suns out

Another splendid stay here! The Wyburn family have done their very best to keep everyone safe during the pandemic. There are always those who flout the precautions but they were politely reminded of their civic duty. I witnessed this and the persons concerned went off in a huff, no doubt to write an unfounded, terrible review. How sad some people are.....

we visited with a couple of friends and were really impressed by the warm welcome, even under the current circumstances. sandwiches were super, we sat by the river in the sun. a great place to stop while driving through exmoor.

Lovely country pub well worth a visit. Good ale and food. Had a lovely Poughmans on our visit. Service excellent.

We visited early evening without booking. Due to Covid-19 social distancing measures were in place, but these did not dim the warm welcome from the Landlord. As it was a warm sunny evening we chose to eat outside on on of the tables by the river, which has to be one of the most picturesque settings for a meal in Devon. All of our meals were beautifully presented and well cooked. Most importantly, all three of use really enjoyed the food. Friendly staff and very reasonably priced Recommended

We arrived and were immediately impressed by the tranquility of the setting, which I knew as I’d bored my partner to death, as the last time I was here was 40 years ago!! We were greeted by a warm welcome, always best to walk through to the bar to find someone (it’s not a 5 star hotel in central London!!) Room 8 which had the most beautiful views from the room and the balcony over the rear garden and the hills beyond. We like traditional and this is perfect especially if you like to immediately get on with the people who own the property. Everyone without question was excellent, from the owners to the staff in all areas. This I have to say made our stay absolutely perfect. The staff were humorous, welcoming, friendly and just made us want to stay for longer. The breakfast was great and so was the dinner too. My partner requires a gluten free diet and they were extremely accommodating and every night explained what we could eat and in most cases meals were prepared to adapt the menu.The ambience and traditional feel of the whole place was exceptional and each night we thoroughly enjoyed sitting out in the front garden across the lane drinking excellent wine and taking in the silence, save for the running water in the stream and the odd sheep!!!If you want somewhere quiet, need a gluten free selection of great food, brilliant walks, take a dog, have a laugh and just chill out, then this place is for you. And as far as value for money goes.....it’s perfectly priced thank you!

We ate here on Sunday evening and were made to feel very welcome on our arrival. Due to Coronavirus, the menu was restricted to Sunday roasts and Ploughmans'; however, we were not disappointed. The food arrived within just a few minutes, the portion sizes were very generous and it was absolutely delicious. I can't comment on the desserts as we were too full after the main course! We have stayed in the area a few times, but this is the first time we have been to the Staghunters; it won't be the last!

We stayed here with our 2 dogs and had room 8 which has a balcony overlooking the garden. The food was good pub food and the service was excellent!

Lovely warm welcome and bar staff welcomed you like old friends even on only our second visit. Food was lovely, especially the gammon and steak. Very welcoming to our 2 young children. Best to book in advance.

nothing too fancy, well presented, good food with good size portions and friendly staff. We went with kids and found the menu simple but effective, classic pub fare. Beer was well kept and puddings tasty.

This was our third stay at the Staghunters and it didn't disappoint. Good food, excellent service, especially under the current restrictions, lovely room and the beer is always very well kept. A variety of walks nearby. We will be back. Very friendly staff, easy to find your way around and felt very safe to stay here as social distancing, table service at breakfast, loads of hand sanitiser readily available.

Great location, superb food and very knowledgeable and friendly staff. We will certainly come back again even if it is just for a drink!

Went with our granddaughter and her partner, we had brought them with us on holiday. Hadn’t been here before,Parked on the car park and found it difficult to find the way in! On arrival no one greeted us and we had to find our own reserved table.It was some time before someone ttold us we had had to order at the bar. Have no problems with the food in fact ai had chilli con carne and it came with rice and nachos very large portion. The wine menu is not extensive and the people in there were noisy.one woman fell head over heels over a dog. Overall the food wasn’t bad but the service and the welcome was pretty dismal.

Visited yesterday while on holiday in the area, 3 adults 1 dog. Excellent food, service and welcome. All covid guidelines adhered to felt safe and not intrusive. Food was all homemade and extremely good. Great selection of drinks too. Compliments to our waitress who was very pleasant and efficient.Would happily re-visit if nearby in the future.

You will see I have visited various places, have plans on many more. Whilst they may be strong in recommendation, as you will read. This will always be my Number 1.....Brambles licking the sides of the car, the many judging eyes of the sheep and lambs are the first signs of the familiar descent into Brendon.30 years on from my first visit, the village still has that comfort, security and peacefulness that it did when my aching legs finally collapsed in a field by the river. I never thought a right of passage adventure, with two school friends in the height of the summer of 1989. Would result in me returning regularly to wash in Brendons near timeless aura.Over the years I have stayed in quite a few places in and around Brendon, the one I have consistently returned to is The Staghunters.There is not one thing that explains my highest of recommendations. For the jet setters, the young tech generation and the closeminded click forward now!For everyone else, walkers, dog lovers, people who appreciate old style reliable B&B, hearty meals, relaxed pub/inn living; this is your one stop shop.There is no reliable mobile phone in Brendon, but if you ask nicely you can contact the outside world on the wifi. Honestly why would you, regardless of the season it's an amazing place for walks, horse riding, fishing, lynton and lynmouth close by, Exmoor heaving all around you.When you return to the Staghunters, you are welcomed back to cosy, comfortable rooms, airy in summer and warm in winter.Check in for dinner with a range of hearty meals, reasonable on the wallet and cheaper if you go DB&B.Stroll into the bar to drink from an array of local drinks or the more familiar. The locals are embracing and engaging and as Dog loving folk, dogs are common place and welcome both there and in the hotel.I really did hold back doing a review simply because this is "my" place. But the family running this are fantastic and deserve your patronage, especially as I only visit every 2 years now.4.5hrs average to London, masses of activities for the young and old - be careful not to fall under the spell of Brendon and the Staghunters, but do make it a place to visit, even once.

My wife and I stayed at the Staghunters for a couple of nights. The room was clean and cosy with a lovely view. The staff, family and locals were very friendly and welcoming. We ate in the restaurant each evening and the food was very enjoyable and good size portions. Breakfast was very hearty and set us up well for tackling some of the beautiful walks which lead off from the village. There is a large guest lounge in which to relax before the evening meal which we found very comfortable. Our stay was very relaxing and very good value and we look forward to returning soon.

Good food and lovely surroundings. Lovely staff . Would recommend this place to anyone. Would go back.

Family run with great hosts, good pub food and a wonderful ambience on a cool winters day. Well worth a visit.

We received a friendly welcome and our rooms were comfortable and unfussy. We stayed for 3 nights and did walks on 2 days, straight from the pub. There was plenty of scope for walks but we chose to go North on a loop ending up at the Blue Bell at Countisbury for lunch. Then a walk along the East Lyn River to Watersmeet for coffee, via Hillsford Bridge to the Rockford for lunch.Beer and food at the Staghunters were inexpensive but good.Breakfast was just right.

We visited as a family with teenagers whilst on holiday locally. We all had an excellent evening meal. The venison casserole was superb. Friendly welcome and service. Great value too.

I was part of a large group of friends renting a local house and booked to have Sunday roast. We decided the Stag Hunter would be the better choice than the Rockford Arms which we found very expensive £10.10 for a double G&T! Whereas it was £3 cheaper at the Stag Hunter!!Very warm and welcoming pub with happy staff which was very noticeable by comparison. Food was excellent, I had the pork which was so tender, lots of various veges. A good roast dinner for under a tenner.

Visited here this weekend for a Sunday roast. Took a lovely walk down the river first to Watersmeet and back, which I'd recommend to work up an appetite (you'll need one as the roasts are generous!)Lovely roast dinner with plenty of veggies and delicious cheesey leeks. Really good service and all in all a lovely spot for a Sunday lunch. Thanks very much.

We were staying nearby, and decided to come for dinner, We forgot to book but even though they were really busy and full; they managed to fit us in as a table of 4. All staff we welcoming a lovely hosts.

A traditional Exmoor Inn. Great beer, friendly staff, wholesome food, good portions, good service and reasonable prices - what's not to like?

We visited this pub after being forced further down the road when the barmaid at The Rockford Inn issued a four letter rhetoric regarding the customers waiting at the bar, in full earshot of said customers.That aside the Staghunters Inn is what you’d expect for a little village pub. Dated decor but that adds to the charm. The barman was very busy and even said he could do with some extra help. Despite this when he served us it was with a smile and he was very helpful with our choices of beverage. The pub is in a lovely location and has a nice atmosphere with locals and tourists creating a happy vibe. The only downside would be the slightly small beer garden perched with a high drip to the beautiful river below.

An excellent pub. The landlord made everyone feel at home, and went out of his way to have a word with all customers, which seems to be a rare thing these days. Although we didn’t eat, the food looked very good and decent sized portions. I would thoroughly recommend it.

Amazing place. Great hosts, great food and great part of the country. Always made to feel very welcome. What's not to like!!!

Friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Lovely staff - tribute to Richard,Wendy and family who run The Staghunter

Been to staghunters inn many times with friends and each time is special! Always s good welcome, lovely room and excellent food. Can’t fault it. Can’t wait for the next visit.

Never actually got to step foot in the place so I can't comment on the atmosphere, decor etc.

If your looking for an old-fashioned village pub / hotel, with excellent food & local ales from the wood, with very reasonable prices, then this is it.

Another superb few days staying at the Staghunters Inn. Welcoming, friendly and comfortable, nothing is too much trouble. The meals are excellent, very tasty and plentiful.

A really friendly pub with great food and attentive service. Dog friendly and walker friendly. A great location to stop midway through an Exmoor walk. We will be back.

Excellent, staff, food and accommodation! Beautiful part of Exmoor ideal for sightseeing and walking.

I visited The Staghunters Inn for dinner a couple of years ago and got the chance to return recently with my family. All of our meals were delicious, beautifully cooked and warming on a cold spring day. The pub is incredibly cosy with a roaring fire and the setting could not be more picturesque. There's a great selection of local ales and ciders and the staff are very welcoming. I'd highly recommend this pub.

We visited on a Sunday evening for food and were pleased to see a roast dinner was being offered. What amazing food, it was a huge portion with a great variety of veg on the plate. Definitely worth the trip out!!

We have stayed at this amazing place many times so decided to visit with our children and grandchildren for our special celebration.

Wonderful atmosphere, fantastic Sunday lunch. We normally eat there during the week and travel 40 miles to do so. The staff are excellent and very friendly. Can’t wait to go again. Might stay for a couple of nights next time.

Following a long walk along the river we came across The Staghunters Inn and found a little gem. It’s a friendly local with a warm welcome and a fantastic position next to the river.