Guest Reviews & Comments
The Ancient Gatehouse near Bristol: Bristol Hotels
21 Mature couple - 30/09/05	68%
Good Points: The location, right on the edge of the Cathedral Green, was its main attraction for us.
Bad Points: The entrance and foyer seemed a little dingy and in need of cleaning up and/or decorating.
Further Comments: The main difficulty for guests at this hotel is finding parking for the car, and for arriving with your luggage. Its location, right by the Cathedral in the busy central part of Wells, is at once its strength and its weakness. There are steep stairs to climb if you are on the second floor, particularly difficult if you are carrying large suitcases, but, as my husband said after we had checked in, It certainly is ancient!, and that's why I booked it!
22 Mature couple - 22/09/05	80%
Good Points: Good situation to nearby attractions.
Further Comments: Nice clean hotel with limited parking. Walking distance to High Street and eating places. Easy to find. Breakfast was good in sister hotel.
23 Mature couple - 31/08/05	78%
Good Points: It wzs in the cty centre and close to all the sights.
Bad Points: There were cooking smells in the reception area and on the stairs and in the bedroom. They were not too overwhelming but they did harm the overall feeling about the hotel.
Further Comments: It would have been helpful to know that breakfast was taken at the white hart hotel, opposite, if not in the booking details, at least in the literature in the room. It was a good room and we enjoyed our stay. The staff were very helpful.
24 Other - 13/08/05	60%
Good Points: location
Bad Points: Room
Further Comments: No parking, room hot but on noisey street.
25 Mature couple - 10/08/05	82%
Good Points: The location was excellent
Bad Points: A little more detail to cleaning and general appearance
Further Comments: The fact that parking would be a problem, after a long drive it's a hassle. In general a good stay, albiet it short. The staff were all helpful and extremely polite.
26 Mature couple - 10/08/05	80%
Good Points: Quiet with an excellent view of the cathedral Age of the building
Bad Points: Small shower / toilet area Very hard matress No car parking at hotel; limited parking in the area
27 Young couple - 10/08/05	40%
28 Young couple - 09/08/05	52%
Good Points: Unique location and room.
Bad Points: Room cleanliness.
Further Comments: Uniqueness almost made up for an expensive dirty room.
29 Mature couple - 09/07/05	40%
30 Group of work colleagues - 07/07/05	78%
Good Points: Quirky traditional building not a modern box!
Bad Points: Reception/bar and lounge area a bit dated and tired.
Further Comments: Very helpful staff, nice views and good accomodation.
31 Young couple - 29/06/05	38%
Good Points: its a beautiful building from the outside - a really old building set onthe grounds fo the wells Cathedral.
Bad Points: Food - very expensive and not very well cooked - didn't taste as though it was fresh and not cooked by a chef
Further Comments: beautiful building and beautiful location - staff were very polite and friendly - the room was very quaint and was based up in the old tower - but it was not worth the ﾣ92 - it was quite small and cheaply decorated - the bathroom facilities were cheaply done and the shower almost flooded everytime you used it - The fact the hotel is situated in such a ideal location is how they are justifying charging so much - Breakfast was served across the road - not even in sister hotel etc - but in someones elses hotel - very disappointed - we were expecting a luxury four poster bed - and also on the website it said the food in the hotel was outstanding when it fact it was london prices and tasted as though it had been cooked and reheated in the microwave - anyone that serves beef as tough as old boots should not be serving food . -
32 Young couple - 23/06/05	66%
Good Points: Location
Bad Points: food in the restaurant was overpriced and not that great
Further Comments: Parking was a problem- we had to park overnight in a pay & display car park and move the car before 9 every monring. the parking near the hotel was limited to stays of 2 hours and it was difficult to find a space. the room had a 4 poster bed which was lovely but too small for 2 people to sleep in comfortably so we had to take it in turns to sleep on the floor!! The room did not have a shower and the bath water was not hot enough. there was also no fridge & no way of keeping water cool in a room that faced south & was exposed to the sun all day
33 Young couple - 08/06/05	20%
34 Same sex couple - 25/05/05	98%
Good Points: the fact that we were able to stay in a 13th-century room!
Bad Points: only the shower, which was one of those electric, low-pressure things I have come to dislike
Further Comments: Absolutely fabulous and memorable stay! The people couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating, the location was incomparable, the in-house Italian restaurant was superb and easy to book and add to the hotel bill. They claimed the room we stayed in, over the gatehouse itself into the Wells Cathedral Close, is one of the oldest in the country, and one is definitely inclined to believe it! Marvellous! Had I been fixing up the room, I would have been less concerned about trying to wedge a full, en suite bathroom facility in the room itself, and simply let the guests use a common bath. However, they did manage to get all that in there with a minimum of intrusion to the fabric of the room, or the stone spiral staircase leading up to it--no easy feat, I'm sure! I suppose if they felt they absolutely HAD to get a bathroom in there, they did it as well as could be expected, and it is entirely reversible. When we do go back to Wells, I only hope we can get this room again! Probably would stay there a month if we could! Simply one of the very best accomodations we've ever had in England, having spent a total of about 4 months cumulatively in the country over the last 6 years! Fabulous!
35 Mature couple - 25/05/05	40%
Bad Points: The smell from the kitchens had wafted all over the hotel and made the atmosphere very stale and unpleasant.
Further Comments: The staircase to our room no 9 in the actual gatehouse was in my opinion extremely dangerous and should have a handrail fitted as soon as possible. Parking generally in Wells was very unsatisfactory.
36 Mature couple - 22/05/05	74%
Good Points: Friendly staff, and beautiful historic building
Bad Points: No shower
Further Comments: A pleasant small hotel, steeped in history and atmosphere. Excellent location for exploring the town.
37 Same sex couple - 14/05/05	72%
Good Points: Very quaint room, with lots of stmosphere. A lovely setting. The restaurant was of a very high quality.
Bad Points: No bath in the room, and the soft furnishings were a little drab.
Further Comments: Very enjoyable - the location is great with easy access to Glastonbury and Wells. Wonderful views of the cathedral. The room was very atmospheric, and staff were friendly.
38 Young couple - 12/05/05	74%
Good Points: friendly, helpful staff.
Bad Points: there was a large wet patch on the floor by the wall to the en suite
39 Mature couple - 04/05/05	80%
Good Points: It was clean with tea & coffe in the room,
Bad Points: We were unable to shut the outter window. Parking was a bit tight.
Further Comments: We were late arriving, but the staff welcomed us warmly.
40 Mature couple - 02/03/05	82%
Good Points: Nice staff, nicely decorated, clean and adequate room.
Bad Points: Not enough sound-proofing between rooms - the kids next door woke us up.
Further Comments: Nice staff, nicely decorated, clean and adequate room. Lovely old building, full of charm. Didn't stay for breakfast so can't comment on food. Not enough sound-proofing between rooms - the kids next door woke us up. Also, lack of parking is a pity.
If you are unable to book a room at The Ancient Gatehouse then the nearest UK hotels around the Wells area are: Beryl Review, : Miller's at Glencot House Review, : The Highwayman Inn Review,