The Old Bell Hotel

Hotels
9 (1215 reviews)
Abbey Row, Malmesbury , Malmesbury , gb

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Free
Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Room service
Heating
Terrace
Family rooms
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location
Friendly staff
Excellent breakfast
Beautiful hotel
Quirky design
Cons:
Overpriced for facilities
Old furnishings
Dirty carpets
High drink prices

Categories

Cleanliness
8.46
Some comments indicated issues with maintenance, such as battered paintwork and dirty carpets.
Service
9.43
Consistently praised for being friendly and attentive.
Location
9.47
Highlighted as very good and within a charming area.
Room Quality
8.42
Some rooms were noted as slightly uncomfortable with old furnishings.
Amenities
8.95
Good amenities, though drinks were remarked as expensive.
Value for Money
8.41
Several reviews indicated that it felt overpriced for certain facilities.
Food and Beverage
9.46
Excellent food quality noted; breakfast and meals received high praise.
Overall Experience
9.43
General sentiment reflected enjoyment and comfort during stay.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2025-12-20 02:08

Property Description

Historic Charm and Character
Step back in time and immerse yourself in the rich history of England's oldest purpose-built hotel. From log fires to period furniture, every corner exudes historic charm.

Prime Location
Nestled next to the famous Abbey in Malmesbury, and conveniently located near the Cotswolds and M4 motorway, The Old Bell offers the perfect base for exploring the picturesque surroundings.

Unique Room Experience
Individually furnished rooms provide a blend of traditional elegance and modern comfort. Whether you prefer a cozy, period-style room in the main house or a light-filled retreat in the Coach House, each accommodation is a unique experience in itself.

Experience quintessential English hospitality at The Old Bell. Book your stay now for an unforgettable getaway.

Important information:

Please note that the following rooms are located on upper-level floors:
- Double Room - Character
- A unit of 'Deluxe Double Room'
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Property Policies

  • Parking

    Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).

  • Pets

    Pets are allowed on request. Charges may be applicable.

  • Groups

    When booking more than 5 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

  • Internet

    Wired internet is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 2 years old stay for free when using an available cot.
    Children up to and including 5 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    Children from 6 years old to 17 years old stay for £25 per person per night when using an existing bed.
    Children up to and including 12 years old stay for £25 per person per night when using an available extra bed.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

9
Based on 1215 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.46
Service: 9.43
Location: 9.47
Room Quality: 8.42
Amenities: 8.95
Value for Money: 8.41
Food and Beverage: 9.46
Overall Experience: 9.43
C
Chris J • couple • gb
9
Loved it… would stay again!
Pros:

A beautiful historic building that was so wonderfully decorated. Staff were professional, polite and helpful.

Cons:

OFI - There seemed to be a lack of structure at breakfast with extremely long waiting times and basics missing.

2026-07-05 • via Nuitee
J
Joyce • couple • gb
7
The history of the building made it acceptable as it’s an old building but thought the room we were in felt old and tire
Pros:

Staff were lovely , food was excellent

Cons:

Cobwebs in the stone window surrounds . I know it’s an old building but hadn’t been dusted in a while round the window edges internally

2026-07-04 • via Nuitee
M
Margot • couple • gb
7
The staff made our stay extra special, we will be back!
Pros:

Location is great, gorgeous building and lovely decor. The staff were absolutely amazing, they went above and beyond and looked after us extremely well.

Cons:

Mattress was too soft, immediate back pain after the first night unfortunately. Room was very hot, however we did visit during a rare heatwave in the UK, so beyond everyone’s control. We appreciated the fan left in the room.
Parking was also a bit of an issue, however there was a wedding and prob more busy than usual. Staff went above and beyond to support with the parking.

2026-07-03 • via Nuitee
R
Rother • solo_traveller • de
10
2026-07-03 • via Nuitee
M
Meg • couple • au
10
A wonderful two nights at The Old Bell.
Pros:

We enjoyed two nights at The Old Bell and were delighted with every aspect of our stay.

It is a beautiful building with lovely guest lounge and bar area where we enjoyed a
relaxing afternoon drink and read.

Breakfast is included which was delicious and served in another gorgeous room. The evening meal was also very make.

Staff were extremely helpful and friendly.

Cons:

Nothing we did not like.

2026-06-30 • via Nuitee
E
Eddy Pryce • couple • gb
9
2026-06-28 • via Nuitee
K
Kleila • solo_traveller • gb
5
Nice
Pros:

Beautiful

Cons:

I was so hot in my room and only a one weak fan to keep me cool in this heatwave and minimal windows opening

2026-06-28 • via Nuitee
M
Marion • couple • be
10
Dépaysement total !
Pros:

On est totalement plongés dans une ambiance typiquement anglaise, c’était une vraie belle expérience ! Tout est poussé dans le détail, jusque dans la salle de bain de la chambre. Chambre très spécieuse !

Cons:

Tout était parfait

2026-06-28 • via Nuitee
F
Francesco • family_with_children • ch
9
2026-06-27 • via Nuitee
D
David • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-06-27 • via Nuitee
H
Heidi • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

The hotel has a great history & a lot of effort has been put into maintaining & decorating it. There is a great atmosphere there which is added to by the very friendly staff.

2026-06-27 • via Nuitee
R
Richard • solo_traveller • gb
1
No room at the inn inspite of a booking.com pay in advance.
Pros:

It certainly looks attractive but we didn’t see much of the property with the exception of the car park and reception. Having booked and paid for a room a number of months ago, whilst our booking was found by the hotel, it appears that this had not been transferred onto their room allocation spreadsheet. The hotel tell me this problem occurred the previous week and the working assumption appeared to be that it was caused by dysfunction in the interface between the hotel and booking.com. Whatever the reason there was no room at this inn for us and we needed to find accommodation for the night elsewhere with all the attendant disruptions on what was a blisteringly hot afternoon. The staff did seem embarrassed by this and found some hotel rooms for us inn towns elsewhere in the wider locality but at £100 and £150 more, though in was able to reduce this.

Cons:

We did not see enough to comment properly but it looked smart.
The issues relating to being charged and not given a room are unresolved 48 hours later and the only communication I’ve had is an email asking us to tell them how we enjoyed are stay. This is really poor.

2026-06-27 • via Nuitee
C
Cozette • couple • gb
9
2026-06-27 • via Nuitee
D
David • couple • gb
8
Pleasant Hotel With Good Food.
Pros:

The breakfast and evening meals were first class. I would highly recommended both. The service was excellent by all of the staff on each sitting. Nice atmosphere.

Cons:

Our room was spacious, but the lighting could have been better and a in need of a few more mirrors !

2026-06-26 • via Nuitee
J
Jane • extended_group • gb
10
Charming and luxurious
Pros:

Beautiful cottage accommodation, gorgeous views across the little river valley, and lovely facilities in the hotel too.

2026-06-25 • via Nuitee
A
Anon • couple • gb
10
Gorgeous hotel in historic town.
Pros:

Comfortable, spacious room with great bath. Lots of thought put into the service/ decor

Cons:

Nothing

2026-06-24 • via Nuitee
D
Dorothée • family_with_children • fr
10
Parfait !
Pros:

L’accueil, le confort, le style, la qualité des services. Tout été parfait !

Cons:

Ras

2026-06-22 • via Nuitee
M
Martina • extended_group • bh
9
Pros:

Really nice setting with focus on details. The townhouse was very comfortable

2026-06-21 • via Nuitee
J
John • couple • gb
8
Comfortable, historic hotel with character and a great base for visiting lovely villages nearby.
Pros:

The location was great: next to the Abbey; in easy walking distance to the shops and restaurants.
The staff were were attentive and friendly.
Everywhere in the hotel was comfortable.
The food was fine.

Cons:

The description of the room given to us in advance was misleading in two respects: (1) it referred to an additional toilet (not so); (2) it said the room was carpeted (not so). These were not a problem but we wondered why the misleading information was given.
The door handle was very loose and at any moment it could have come off.
At our first breakfast service was extremely slow; fortunately it greatly improved after that.

2026-06-18 • via Nuitee
J
J.W.M. • couple • nl
8
Mooi hotel om geweest te zijn, goede uitvalsbasis boor Cotswolds
Pros:

Ligging innhet dorp met terras aan de weg

Cons:

Was bijna te klein

2026-06-17 • via Nuitee