The Penny Farthing Hotel

Hotels
7.4 (1195 reviews)
296 - 298 High Street , Berkhamsted , GB

listing image 1
Show all photos
Paid
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Restaurant
Heating
Family rooms
Pets allowed
Express check-in/check-out
Non-smoking throughout
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Cleanliness
Friendly Staff
Good Location
Value for Money
Cons:
Room Conditions
Poor Heating
Invasion of Privacy

Categories

Cleanliness
7.15
Overall cleanliness was noted positively, though some reviews indicated the bathrooms could use more attention.
Service
8.15
Staff were frequently described as friendly and helpful, contributing positively to the experience.
Location
8.15
Multiple reviews praised the hotel's location as ideal for accessing Berkhamsted.
Room Quality
6.65
Room quality received mixed sentiments; some felt rooms were dated with issues like noise and temperature control.
Amenities
7.65
Amenities such as tea/coffee facilities were appreciated, although there were some complaints on heating.
Value for Money
7.65
Guests felt the hotel provided good value for the price, despite some issues.
Food and Beverage
6.65
Specific food options not reviewed; general amenities rating applied.
Overall Experience
7.15
While some aspects could improve, many guests recommended staying because of the location and value.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2025-12-09 02:40

Property Description

Historic Charm and Modern Comfort: The Pennyfarthing, nestled in the heart of Berkhamsted, offers a unique blend of historic charm and modern comfort.

Elegant En Suite Rooms: Each of the 19 en suite rooms in this Grade 2 listed building is thoughtfully designed, featuring air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, and tea/coffee making facilities for a comfortable stay.

Convenient Location: Just a short 6-minute walk from Berkhamsted Railway Station and a 30-minute drive from Luton Airport, our hotel provides a convenient base for both leisure and business travelers.

Ready to experience the perfect fusion of history and luxury? Book your stay at The Pennyfarthing now!

Important information:

There is a public car park directly behind the hotel. To reach the Penny Farthing car park, enter HP4 1HA into a sat-nav.Parking is subject to availability due to limited spaces.
Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: LTN

Location

Guest Reviews

7.4
Based on 1195 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.15
Service: 8.15
Location: 8.15
Room Quality: 6.65
Amenities: 7.65
Value for Money: 7.65
Food and Beverage: 6.65
Overall Experience: 7.15
K
Katerina • solo_traveller • gb
9
Lovely stay
Pros:

Clean, great location

Cons:

N/a

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
K
Katrien • solo_traveller • fr
7
2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
P
Petronela • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
P
Paul • extended_group • gb
4
No longer a friendly hotel
Pros:

Stayed here before, location is good for what I needed. Rooms are very clean and although water pressure isn't great, perfectly comfortable.

Cons:

Since last visit they have now done away with reception, making the getting to the rooms a faff. Cleaners tried to help but they have limited options too. It's no longer a small friendly hotel, it's just a book online bedsit now. I wont be returning next year.

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
T
Tim • couple • gb
5
bearable but only just
Pros:

Location and Parking

Cons:

Accessibility issues re the keycode. Shower was either scalding or cold and no pressure. Toilet seat unstable.
Terrible pillows, poor Duvet lumpy bed.

2026-09-15 • via Nuitee
G
Gary • couple • gb
4
Disappointed, for how much it cost ,
Pros:

Great location free parking

Cons:

Toilet was disgusting, shower did not work properly, and bed was not very comfy some of the plugs did not for charging phones etc , tv the signal was terrible, fan useless ,

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
H
Helen • couple • gb
7
2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
M
Maurece • couple • gb
7
Very convenient location
Pros:

Near the station and town

Cons:

Could have been cleaner. Room clean but public locations not

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
G
Graham • solo_traveller • gb
7
I will not use booking.com again and will stay again for the convenience but will book direct.
Pros:

The location was ideal. Being a Sunday, everything was by way of a phone. I arrived when I said I would. I received a text of a code to enter the room which failed to let me in to my room
A young lady eventually arrived to re_program my fob to enter. I saw no-one else during my stay. No-one came to my room.

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
A
Annie • couple • gb
9
Lovely, clean hotel, friendly helpful staff in the centre of Berkhampsted
Pros:

Great location right in the middle of Berkhampsted. Great variety of tea including decaffeinated and a coffee machine. Fresh milk is always a bonus! Staff were lovely and let us in our room early. Lovely spacious room and very clean

Cons:

The only small issue was that the code for our room didn’t work but this was promptly rectified.

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
R
Richard • couple • gb
7
2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
M
Mariska • couple • nl
6
Pros:

Dicht bij het centrum

Cons:

Alles ging met een code ,die vaak niet werkte.
Er was geen personeel te bekennen

2026-09-11 • via Nuitee
Y
Younes • solo_traveller • gb
5
2026-09-10 • via Nuitee
A
Anthony • couple • gb
8
2026-09-09 • via Nuitee
S
Standard • solo_traveller • gb
1
Would not recommend.
Pros:

Nothing. Underwhelming experience

Cons:

The location was hard to find.
No staff around
The bathroom had mould on the grouting.
The hotel book said there was a smart TV, that was not the case, just a very small TV.
The beds were uncomfortable.
There was a jar on the bedside meant to have treats in, empty and dusty.
I paid extra to upgrade the room. I dread to think what I would've got had I stuck to the original price.

2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
D
David • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
C
Catherine • extended_group • gb
4
Ok given the circumstances but they do need a better plan on check in.
Pros:

Location good for what we needed. Issue with door code resolved with a reduction to our food bill in their sister pub. To be fair to the pub/hotel it wasn’t their fault there was a bunch of drunk women fighting and the police had to come. But clearly that did affect service.

Cons:

Sadly the door code we had did not work and it took an hour for someone to come and let us in

2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
J
Jack • solo_traveller • gb
3
Overall, my stay was disappointing. While the property was easily accessible with good parking facilities, the room prov
Pros:

The property was easily accessible, with convenient and ample parking facilities available.

Cons:

I was disappointed with my stay, particularly as I had paid for and booked a king-size room with a double bed, and had confirmation that a late check-in at 11pm would be fine. When I arrived at 10:50pm, there was nobody on reception and the access code provided for my room did not work, meaning I had to call an out-of-hours number. Luckily, a young member of staff came down and was able to put me into another room.

However, the room I was given was a twin room, with extremely small beds which were not suitable for me as a 6ft adult. The facilities were okay but felt rather outdated, including a TV that was closer to the size of a laptop screen. Unfortunately, the cleanliness was also disappointing, with the bed sheets and pillows not appearing particularly clean and noticeable dust around the room.

Overall, I felt that I had paid for a higher-standard room but was instead simply put into a lesser room because of the late arrival time. I was disappointed that this was not addressed or explained properly.

2026-09-02 • via Nuitee
G
gillian • solo_traveller • at
10
Just perfect , and a great breakfast at sister pub
Pros:

Close to everything in town, very clean and comfy bed

2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
P
paul • solo_traveller • gb
3
2026-08-31 • via Nuitee