The Talbot Inn in Guildford

Lovely location and building.. restaurant and breakfast great. Room not so much. Very soft bed. Window don't shut gaps around it. Damage on wall. Room tired. Bathroom shower door struggle to shut having to slam or lift door. Shower coming away from the wall . Room smells but that could to be as fancy in bathroom not working. Deep cleaning required look down in top of radiators not been cleaned for a long time. Same goes for the hall ways. Don't look into the tops of the radiators. Room 210

We entertained some guests to a meal in the bar. The food and service were excellent. We all commented on how polite and well-dressed the staff were. It has now become our favourite place to eat out.

Nice looking place but it stops there. We wanted cocktails but none to be had. The garden was pleasant but no cushions on the chairs and they could have done with a sweep. The loud fan was slightly off putting too. Staff were very pleasant and helpful. Starter was pork belly, tasty but portions were far too big. Snapper with couscous and vegetables was tasty enough but far too big, we found it slightly off putting. The fennel was so hard despite asking for a steak knife was inedible. I felt like we were having home cooked food to be honest. It needs refinement

We had a function, 70th birthday, venue great, food absolutely appalling and tiny amount of food for the price. We challenged the management but they just fobbed us off.

We stayed in the hotel for a couple of days as part of a training program. So we used the hotel catering facilities for all our meals. It is ok, not the best not the worst, they are trying to be fine dining but are not there yet.

Delicious lunch, homemade tomato & pepper soup, warm bread rolls and very good chicken supreme main. Australian wine great too! Will return, recommend👍

Lovely afternoon tea. Good value. Staff friendly and polite and smiling which makes a big difference when visiting places. Nice setting.

Afternoon tea with friends for my 50th birthday ! Such a lovely quaint pub steeped in history in the heart of the Surrey country side. From the start the receptionist who took the enquiry was exceptionally polite and professional. I came by car from central London down the A3 . There is free parking for three hours. The staff on arrival were so welcoming and polite . The dining room is tastefully decorated and has lovely chandeliers. The young waitress was very sweet but not attentive. In fairness there was a large wedding party and there seemed to be limited staff to attend to the amount of guests in the wedding party . The tea was delicious though I do think you should be allowed to chose your preference of sandwich flavour . The bar lounge is very historic and I would have preferred to sit in there on the mustard velvet sofa . The cakes and scones were delicious. The gentleman who took payment told me all about the history. The gardens and entrance are delightful. It’s a very charming historic pub , it was good enough for Lord Nelson it’s more than good enough for me . I will definitely return !

We opted for the roast beef Sunday lunch and we wasn’t disappointed it was amazing! The restaurant is really comfortable and the staff all very helpful, food was served promptly. 100% recommended!

The staff were very helpful and the food was fantastic. I would recommend the Sunday lunch, good food for a fair price...

I chose this Restaurant for a significant family get together. I was impressed by the sample menu shown online and felt that it would offer something for everyone. That was my first mistake. In fact the Sunday menu was fairly basic and only one Sunday Roast not the three suggested on the sample menu. We were the only people seated in the restaurant when we went in and yet it took almost an hour for our meals to appear and my meal had apparently been missed off the ticket so I was left sitting waiting for my meal while my family ate theirs. I noticed that two people who came into the restaurant a good twenty minutes after us got their meals before us. When my Roast beef did eventually appear it was tough and unpalatable. The desserts arrived and were probably the best bit of the meals although we were completely at a loss to know why someone had decided to add charcoal coloured food colouring to the coconut ice-cream!! The waitresses explanation was so that it could be recognised in the freezer. Obviously a label on the tub is not sufficient. Would any of us go back - no. Would we recommend it - no.

Nice Hotel and restaurant. Rooms were outside the histrocial building and rather "standard". The main house and restaurant were great

Not the place I’d go back too! Hotel needs updating and staff need training. We saw two waitresses clear the tables and brush anything left on the table onto the floor 🤷‍♂️ The best thing was the pub across the road, at least they were open from 5.30 to 9.30 🙄

We stayed overnight. The room looked as if it had been refurbished, but the furniture could have done with a coat of paint. The staff were friendly and polite. Limited choice of draught beer in the bar. The hotel suited our purpose.

Basic but delightful. A very limited menu but the food was well presented, tasty and most enjoyable. The service was friendly, efficient and professional. Well priced too.

On arrival we was told there were no tables available for dinner that evening I’ll get back to that ! The room was big but tired looking snd the ceiling in the bathroom had so many cracks in ! Iv got to say that the barmaid was the rudest person ever ! When she served me instead of saying what would you like , she said yep!! Gobsmacked at her attitude snd she threw the change at me so so poor , restaurant was empty no idea why we couldn’t eat there but if the food was as bad as the breakfast we probably dodged a bullet . Nice surroundings but very expensive for what we experienced

Poor cooking at dinner and breakfast. For dinner, the Seabass skin was soggy and laid in a completely tasteless runny liquid they called a 'chowder'. It was the most expensive dish on the menu and we had reasonable expectations for high quality and taste. They delivered neither. A 2-inch lemon tart tasted shop bought (apologies to shops). At breakfast, the two 'sunny side up' eggs arrived with solid yolks. Yuk! Thankfully the friendly companions made up for the rubbish food.

We went here for lunch to see what it was like as we had booked a two night stay the following month. The restaurant is lovely and the food was very mediocre. The service was OK and not welcoming. My husband had halloumi as an extra and it was dried out and barely edible. We pointed it out and we were told 'we'll take it off the bill' with no apologies for spoiling our lunch. Needless to say we have cancelled our reservation to stay.

We had a gift voucher for afternoon tea and took our daughter and grandson. This old Coaching inn which dates back around 500yrs is at one end of Ripley High St, with parking in the courtyard behind. We arrived late afternoon which meant it wasn’t busy and got seated inside towards the front of the hotel - if the weather had been a bit warmer than it would have been very pleasant sitting out on the patio/terrace area. Service was prompt and the young waitress extremely pleasant and helpful. Our deal included a glass of Prosecco - I’m not usually a fan but this was one that actually suited my palate for a change. Finger sandwiches looked and tasted freshly prepared and there was plenty of cream and jam to go with the scones. My only comment is that I expected loose leaf tea and to also be offered a choice of blends but that inconvenience didn’t detract from our overall enjoyment and we’d happily return to The Talbot Inn

Attended a wedding. Facilities were very good. Enjoyed our stay. Must praise staff every one of them were polite and helpful. The breakfast quality was excellent. Our disabled room made our stay a pleasant one.

Fabulous as always! Wonderful home cooked full English breakfast with excellent service. Everything you need to start the day

We arrived early and we received a warm and friendly greeting from Stephanie as we had coffee before we sat down for lunch.. Stephanie was then looking after us throughout the meal and I have to say she was outstanding. I have worked in customer service for a number of years and also visited many hotels and restaurants during this period and I have rarely experienced such a professional and efficient service. Stephanie not only displayed these qualities but she did so with warmth, a smile and an attention to detail that made the whole experience memorable. The food options were tremendous and everyone enjoyed a delicious meal. We will definitely return back.

Came here after reading the reviews and was slightly apprehensive! However, it ended up being lovely and Stephanie (our server) was fantastic. So assertive , attentive and just brilliant! Most of us had omelettes along with desserts and we all enjoyed our food. We will...

I would just like to thank all of the Talbot team for a memorable works Christmas party. They went above and beyond to meet our special requirements and needs. Judy went out of her way to show me various private function rooms that were available...

I travelled with family for a funeral we were attending and we had 3 rooms. We arrived late evening 9.45 from Yorkshire. On check in the evening receptionist was really unfriendly and spoke like she was a recording. We were asked to pay for the...

The overall experience was good. The staff were all professional and polite. However there were some aspects that needed improvement. There was no information pack in the room, which would have been useful. The room and the outside could do with a fresh repaint. The...

Nice hotel. Lovely looking restaurant and beer garden. Service was great. Food wasn't so good. Burger was overcooked and completely unseasoned. Pizzas were really good. There is no point having an 8" pizza unless on a child's menu. Overall a nice stay.

We stayed here for 2 nights at the beginning of July. We had received a gift voucher from our Son. The hotel is very impressive with so much history, however, the rooms need a serious clean which is such a shame. When we arrived there...

Did not expect streaky bacon for breakfast (cheap). Also same menus twice in three days and only cheap chicken.

Went for afternoon tea very impressed by smart dress of staff Talbot interior. tea was great. Went back for lunch again far better then we expected ,your staff were and attentive Stephanie outstanding kept her cool over minor problem with tea voucher very good at...

Was at a wedding at this place on October 2nd, lovely, idyllic place with a lot of history in the walls. Perfect place for festivities and weddings when both hotel rooms and party rooms were closely connected. Beautiful ceremony room and park facilities in the...

The cream tea would have been okay but we had to return the milk twice as it had gone off and it caused little lumps in our tea.On the second time he said he would open a new carton.We complained to the manager as the...

Could not use my voucher!!! Unable to contact them to even book. Very snotty when I finally got to speak to them - said to late to book after spending days of zero response!! Waste of time. Idiots.

Unimaginative, bland, tiny portions that leave you not wanting to continue or sink more money into what is a cheap meal.

Nice food, had the seafood platter which was lovely and two sandwiches. We were served a wrong beer which was fine but we had to chase for the bill and our plates weren’t cleared once we had finished . The staff were also emptying cutlery...

A great lunch at the Talbot, super food, relaxed atmosphere, beautiful location and attentive staff, highly recommend.

We had a table of four for afternoon tea at the beginning of this week we were put into their conservatory and it felt like a chicken coop everyone was chatting loudly it’s a lovely day but we were all sat inside no windows or...

Went with teenager and five year old, plus grandparents for Sunday Lunch. Service friendly, professional, attentive - a grown up setting with a children’s menu and very family friendly. Food excellent with good variety of choice including inventive vegan dish. Will be back!

We stayed 2nights and are in the restaurant on Monday. Contrary to other reviews we found the staff friendly and helpful. The food was reason able priced and good. The burger was exceptionally and the linguine delightful. Breakfast was also good.The rooms are basic but...

We booked for lunch..the meal was ok but the male waiter was very rude, odd and seemed completely untrained. When asked for another sachet of vinegar he said'what' and then threw it down on a plate at table.That was our 1st contact with him. He...

We were a group of walkers and were looking forward to our first pub lunch since lockdown. Two of us have to eat gluten free food. The menu was limited to the general lunchtime menu and the cooked chicken dish had a (gluten-containing) crumb crust....

We went for a lunch here after lockdown when we could sit inside but it was fairly disappointing. For a start it was freezing inside as the doors and windows were open and the heating wasn’t on so it was quite uncomfortable. The food was...

On the eve of my recent marriage, we booked accommodation for a family member here in October last. So, the three of us met up for a meal in the restaurant on the night before the big day. All three of us were very pleased...

Booked a table for 2 at what appeared to be a lovely looking restaurant. However upon arrival, we told waitress our reservation name, at which point she took the menu then walked off forgetting to say welcome or follow me.... so we stood there waiting...

Had an afternoon tea voucher for my birthday. The restaurant were brilliant at extending it for me no questions asked as I couldn't use it before its original expiry date which was in lockdown/covid. Live locally and never visited before, setting was lovely and they...

I was a little apprehensive about travelling and staying in a hotel during these weird times. I planned a 2 night stay at The Talbot to fit in with a flying visit down to Sussex to see my parents. I need not have worried about...

A very nice dinner, calm ambiance. Spacious tables with safe distance in between. Tasty food - all dishes were good- specifically the grilled hallumi and beatroot salads , the Seabass fillet and the baked Jerusalem artichokes and the chocolate brownie . Very fast and courteous...

It’s my first time to experience an afternoon tea and to be fair, I enjoyed it! The sandwiches were soft, the banana cake was so gooood! I feel relaxed and the price is very very good! And very worthy. I would come back again. Thank...

Visited for a few drinks with a friend. Ended up also getting a brownie and cheese board which very tasty. Lovely, cosy bar area with excellent service! Served by a lovely young lady, very short blonde hair (think her name was kittie?), who provided fantastic...

My friend and I have become addicted to Groupon afternoon teas and do one every week. So we like to think we are aficionados now. And this was one of our favourites. Lovely old characterful building with lots of charming features and very friendly staff....

Menu slightly limited probably due to Covid? A bit overpriced. Burger option was ok but the meat quite dry and chewy. Chicken Milanese was nice. Very limited vegetable options, mainly salad, and everything came with skinny fries.

We popped in for a few drinks, such a lovely venue, well presented, looks amazing from the outside and the bar area is very in keeping with the area with nice comfy corner seats with low ceilings. Staff were welcoming. Has a nice looking restaurant...

Sadly not a restaurant to go if you have special dietary requirements. We booked this restaurant for lunch and specifically asked them in advance if they can cater for dairy free meal and vegan meal. The menu had no dairy free indications (no allergen menu available either) so my husband had very limited meal options.The vegan menu was really poor (couscous for £12 and polenta with vegetables!) We ordered Coke and we were served Coke 0% instead without even informing us about it! When we realised that the drink was not Coke original and asked our waiter he told us that "they don't have any other Coke (!)). No cocktails on offer - obviously no vegan wines option. Talked to the manager before we left for a different restaurant. He was very blasé about it like he didn't really care. Sadly not a restaurant to go if you have special dietary requirements.

A pleasant inn with good CV actions. We stopped for a lunch snack and drink. The menu was limited and over £7:00 for an egg mayonnaise sandwich. We were in the garden which was very disappointing with a very noisy Kuching extractor fan noise and a very poorly maintained garden with brambles cigarette butts etc in a he flower beds

AFTERNOON TEA Disaster at the Talbot Inn Hotel RipleyReview of The Talbot Inn HotelPending reviewAfternoon tea purchased from Groupon -The Talbot Inn Ripley £25 to shareA present of tea for 2 for my birthday. I took a friend last Friday 04.09.20. Thank goodness it was not my actual birthday.We were greeted by pleasant bar staff and sat in a nice garden while we waited as we had arrived early.I went to the ladies room and have to say the compartment I used was filthy and clearly had not been cleaned for some time. Stains around the base of the inside, of it's base had been there a while. Like a tea stained cup.On entering the restaurant we were asked to chose any table. There were just the two of us in there. The table we chose was sticky and therefore dirty. None of the tables had been set. No table cloths etc Do not be fooled by the pictures. There were no niceties.We were brought two glasses of sparkling wine and we said we would wait to order out tea or coffee, not wanting it to get cold.The tea arrived in the form of 6 finger sandwiches, 2 egg, 2 salmon, and 2 ham and tomato. One and a half rounds in total. There were 4 small cakes all of which looked as if they had sat on the side for hours , they had that not fresh 'film' on them...as though they needed to be in the fridge and hadn't been. Not dissimilar to the skin that can appear on the top of custard. There were 4 scones and cream and jam and they appeared to be fresh, and were nice.Having eaten our sandwiches, and drank our wine. there was, no tea and no one serving in the restaurant at all. One other couple were availing of tea in the restaurant only.in the restaurant only. The first afternoon tea sitting commences at 2.30 and it was now around 3 pm.A man in a suit who looked like the Manager, and a waitress were moving furniture tables chairs etc around us. Cleaning them and assembling them mostly in the conservatory at the edge o the restaurant.I called the Manager EIGHT times in order to order our tea. Now perhaps he didn't hear at first but as the calling and waving became louder and louder NOT all 8 times! The waitress heard the last time and seemed visibly annoyed. She left her furniture removal task and barked "What kind of tea do you want?"She plonked an overfilled pot of tea on the table and no sugar. The tea was like dish water. The milk came in a tiny school like milk bottle.With four diners only in their restaurant you couldn't possibly say they were busy. We left most of the cakes suspecting they would end up in someone else's cake stand.No one said goodbye. We had left most of the food it was horrible. It was very poor value. There was no ambiance and there were no niceties what so ever. Do not waste your money. £25 ? It was not worth it

Was very disappointed the restaurant was not offering the eat out to help out discount. With a scheme so easily accessible and with every other restaurant in the area offering the scheme I was surprised this restaurant had not applied. Burger was ok but a bit dry and they did not serve normal coke, only diet. Shame as it is a nice hotel and setting but restaurant does not live up to the same standards.

Website menu showed 2 vegetarian options, but when we arrived found artichoke with egg had replaced goats cheese tart. Then told this was not available, pasta with pesto only option. When I said this was poor, as literally no choice we were offered artichoke, with feta, as the kitchen had no eggs! Artichoke was so hard we could only eat half. Felt and looked like lightly roasted new potatoes. Certainly not worth the money.Next table said their food was fine, so maybe it's just vegetarians that need to avoid this place.

Very good afternoon tea. Sandwiches decent enough but not very exciting, but scones and cakes excellent. Outdoor seating area very pleasant. Normally I would probably award it 4 or 4.5 stars but the efforts by the hotel and restaurant to cope with the current challenges and restrictions definitely warrant a 5. Clear signs and simple but effective processes that the friendly staff all seemed to be adhering to.Plenty of outdoor space so would be very safe for lunch or dinner if the weather is fair (indoor tables seemed reasonable spaced out too). The restaurant deserves to get plenty of business as people venture out a bit more.

This was our first visit to The Talbot, and we had a really enjoyable lunch.From the attentive and very professional service, thank you Harry, to simply superb roast with a good wine list. We also loved the decor and comfortable chairs. We will be coming back!Highly recommended - thank you.

Came here again for Christmas dinner. Third time. It didn’t disappoint. Great atmosphere, great food, great time. We will certainly be back. Service is good, and we wouldn’t come back if we didn’t enjoy it.

I ate Boxing Day carvery at this restaurant. Our host felt so embarrassed about the quality of the food that he picked up the bill for the table of ten. We ate at 3pm, and yes I know that may be considered late for lunch, however if the restaurant is prepared to take a booking it has to ensure that all options on the carvery are available, this was not the case here. A really poor performance from the management and chefs concerned.

Getting better, came here a couple of months ago and was very dissappointed, this time was much better but there is room for improvement.

We had another lovely Christmas dinner here. It takes a lot to make it special and The Talbot definitely managed that. The food was perfect, the staff were friendly and attentive and also knowledgable about the food. The ambience was just right. I felt we had a very professional service. Well recommended.

We felt that the Talbot's restaurant was well worth frequenting.Food quality was very good, as was portion size. Menu options are good.Prices are reasonable.Service was OKI am surprised that it does not have at least 1 AA Rosette.Will we eat here again - Yes

Having lived in the area for many years, every now and then we venture to the Talbot. I have had some decent visits in the past but most of the time it’s Ripley’s faulty towers whoever’s the owners.So we visited it for Sunday lunch. A few quibbles over the bar drinks- limited choice and beer not great. However when we asked to see the menu we were told “no walk in’s” When I asked why this was the case as about a third of the restaurant tables were occupied I was told all the rest were for afternoon tea. This was at 1.30. We would have been in and out in an hour max. Anyway we left and went elsewhere in Ripley to spend our money . Maybe we will be back in a few years to give it another try. Can they really afford to run it like this!

Stayed overnight. We had a steak sharer between us and I have to say the food was very very nice. Peppercorn sauce was really good. Sadly there was just too little of the meat and fries. I don’t like huge portions but I was still a little hungry when I finished my plate of food. I never finish a plate of food....we have 4 small pieces of steak each. Maybe we should have ordered separate food. Staff were very young and not very experienced behind the bar - but did their best. We were asked to go to reception ourselves and sort out if we wanted to change our food time instead of them doing that for us. Just lack of customer experience I think.

Visited with a group of friends and had a superb meal with great service.The ambience is extremely pleasant and we we will definitely

I booked afternoon tea and was very disappointed with the food quality, standard of hygiene and service. The sandwiches were very small and had basically no filling in. (They also smelt strange) They were poor quality as my mother and I felt sick straight after eating them. We actually left early due to feeling unwell. The scones were pretty average and the cakes were sickly. I tried to speak to the manager however it took over 10 minutes to find him as none of the staff could find him. I received a full refund however the manager was questioning my judgment and was very rude. He clearly didn’t know how to deal with customer complaints. Even though this afternoon tea is cheap it is definitely worth investing in somewhere with better standards. So disappointing... hope this helps anyone who is planning on booking it direct or even through groupon.

Food presentation was fantastic, however not much flavour, menu selection was mediocre.

A lovely historic building and the garden is very pleasant. Had a sandwich lunch - it was a bit disappointing- bread was dry and the club sandwich lacked flavour. Chips were unremarkable- would have hoped for hand cut chunky chips in a place of this quality. May give it another try.

We stayed in the hotel and ate in the restaurant. Very good food and choice, excellent wine. Polite and helpful service

We waited 25 minutes to be given water or any drinks. Our food came before our drinks as the waiter forgot to come back to us. We were served by three different waiters whose attention was really hard to get even though there were only four tables in use. On the plus side the food was good. However, the service was dreadful.

Had breakfast a couple of times on a business trip, really enjoyed it. It gets busy in the second half (7-9.30 weekdays) as it seems to be used for business breakfasts.

My husband and I went for afternoon tea using a summer special offer voucher. If we had paid full price, I think we would have felt quite disappointed; as it was, it was fine, if nothing special. The sandwiches, three finger ones each, were pleasant enough if unadventurous (ham, smoked salmon and egg). The scones were warm and smelt gorgeous, but were an odd texture; I did wonder if they had been microwaved to warm them... The cakes were nice tasting but the mini tiramisu were not a good choice for a summer tea as they had melted and oozed everywhere by the time we got to them. Our teapot and milk were replenished without us asking them to, a nice touch, and the Pimms/fruit cocktail were both very nicely done.

I took my friend here for a birthday treat. I’ve driven past and thought the place looked lovely. Disappointing. 3 tiny finger sandwiches each. Needed and usually get 4 in other establishments. Fillings were nice. Scones were lovely. The two lads serving us were very pleasant. The cake layer was all brown/beige - lemon slice, tiramisu and banana cake. I don’t like 2 of the 3 and left the whole lot. My friend also left some. A coffee dessert shouldn’t be on there as it’s an acquired taste. Banana cake is also boring. You need to up your game on the cake section as based on this I would not recommend. It seemed to me that you were just using desserts from the main menu or that we’re for the wedding guests.

The Restaurant at The Talbot is pleasant in décor and ambiance, and from the bright contemporary extension, overlooks the rear patio and garden. The menu is varied and balanced with something for all, including good vegetarian choices. The food was well presented and tasty and the staff were polite, friendly and efficient.

I go there quite regularly for local business networking and the quality of breakfast is excellent. I particularly enjoy scrambled eggs because they are soft and creamy in the right place.

I attend regularly for business breakfasts.

Good food, good wine, good setting. Restaurant staff pleasant and helpful Ate here twice and enjoyed it both times Restaurant better than the hotel or the hotel management for complaint resolution. Bad experience having travelled extensively for 35 years. Never experienced anything like it

I can not fault this hotel. The room was cozy and suited the building with an extremely comfortable bed. We had dinner at the restaurant and had a delicious meal. I would highly recommend the lamb. The staff were all very welcoming and friendly. I will definitely come back.

Use the Talbot for a local networking meeting every other week, and is a great place for meeting out of the office for coffee, breakfast or business lunch.

Checked in, allocated room 401, close to Main Building and Reception, room was quite small but clean and well appointed, located on the road elevation so although the room had secondary glazing, it suffered from road noise, and lots of noise both late night and early morning from the adjacent staircase, super convenient for the bar and restaurant.

My wife and I stayed at The Talbot Inn for one night, including dinner and breakfast: a Virgin Experience birthday gift.

I went with my sister in law for lunch. She was visiting from California and was really looking forward to fish and chips.

I went here with my father last night after not seeing him for some months. We have been in the pub part of the inn several times over the last few years that he has lived in Ripley but this was the first time we have eaten in the restaurant. My father seemed quite satisfied with his meal but dissappointingly mine was a disaster and I will only comment on that. We had some sort of special menu offer where we could choose 2 courses plus a glass of wine for £29 each, we both chose a starter and a main. My choice as always when I visit the UK from my home in Belgium was fish and chips, normally I am never dissappointed but this time I sadly was. The starter of goose pate was small and dissappointing, pate was nothing special plus a few salad leaves an unexciting chutney and some toast? I could have lived with that but the main course was a total let down. Fish - looked like a (small) birdseye fillet out of the freezer, the batter was white and soggy and the fish inside was not cooked, nothing to compare with those enormous golden brown pieces of fish I get almost everywhere else including in the chain pubs and hotels. The “chips” were just chunks of soggy potatoe overcooked outside and undercooked inside, the portion was again small - luckily! Mushy peas were just a small spoonful of dry, yellow mush - I hope nobody from further north has to experience these - they certainly know how to make them. My other concern is that foreign visitors savouring this, one of our national dishes will wonder what all the fuss is about!

I hold regular business meetings here and always have a warm welcome, whether it be mornings or lunchtime

Went here for afternoon tea. I am gluten free. The sandwiches were ok but not very interesting. The scones were good and there was plenty of jam and cream. Cakes were a little hard. Would have liked more sandwiches and less cake

We visited The Talbot on Christmas Day a few years ago and it was great. We decided to go back for Christmas Dinner and were not disappointed.

Nice building and restaurant but our room was a bit tired. That said Ripley does not offer much and we would return.

A nice quiet location, with good views over the gardens. Service was ok and not obtrusive.

I have been to the Talbot twice before, a couple of years ago most recently, and the first time recall being impressed and the second time finding it passable. Unfortunately the latest visit completed the slide to the bottom.

Met up with old friends for lunch and a beer lovely atmosphere in this old coaching inn, loads of history

If asked, I would advise anyone to avoid the Talbot restaurant for the foreseeable future, at least until someone has radically shaken up their management. The place is evidently in self-destruct mode. The following is a summary of my family's experience of booking a Christmas lunch for today 5 December:

This is a superb place to stay, with well appointed rooms , cosy bars and a large dining area. The downside is that the evening meals are not of the same standard. What sort of chef serves roast potatoes with bubble and squeak? Plus the waiter was taken aback when asked if we might have some vegetables to accompany the surfeit of spuds. Then to add insult to injury they charged eighteen pounds for this plate of potatoes. Looking on the bright side breakfast was superb. I must also add that the reception staff were great.

Really nice breakfast but that's it. We stayed in a deluxe 4 poster but it was not at all deluxe. Filthy room with cobwebs all over light fittings and dirty water glasses.

Booked last minute for a family lunch for 7 , bit surprised we could be accommodated at short notice but after visiting I now know why! We arrived for lunch to an empty restaurant and staff smoking at the main entrance , it’s then my heart sank. However, walking in the decor was modern copper ceilings and large wine coolers giving the feel of cutting edge. As this was a Hotel too , many tables still had them set for breakfast. A limited and expensive lunch time menu but the food was good luke warm due to unwarmed plates. But it’s the service that lets this place down. Wine ordered , dutifully asked how many glasses , wine placed but the screw top wine left on the table unopened , unpoured. Penny still didn’t drop even when I got up opened the wine and served myself.

Lovely relaxed afternoon tea at The Talbot. We got seated at a table with lovely views over a courtyard and gardens, the room felt nice and was cosy. The tea was very nice with a good selection of sandwiches and cakes and heavenly warm scones. The staff were nice and polite and we were not felt rushed which is always a bonus. Would be happy to return

A very convenient rendezvous to meet our friends. We had an excellent lunch, wonderful service served by friendly and efficient staff.

Stayed one night for business visit; good check in and bar/restaurant was very good with great staff and food/ service. Room was large and comfortable; I would stay again

Arrived yesterday for a one night stay. The main building is full of character but the Ripley wing where we stayed was an annexe that had cardboard walls, needless to say didn't get much sleep! The food was poor at dinner undercooked and the buffet breakfast was disappointing! Lastly many of the staff were young and obviously new and in training and trying their best, however on two occasions I witnessed rudeness towards them from management which certainly was uncalled for.