The Kingfisher

Hotels
•
Classic British Hotels
8.4 (1231 reviews)
Cardington Road , Bedford , GB

Free
Children allowed

Facilities

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

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Convenient location
Comfortable rooms
Good breakfast
Cons:
Cleanliness issues
Outdated furniture
Hard beds
Some amenities can improve

Categories

Cleanliness
7.65
Some guests mentioned cleanliness issues, particularly regarding bathrooms and upkeep.
Service
9.15
Staff were frequently described as friendly and enthusiastic, with many positive mentions.
Location
9.15
The hotel is in a very nice and convenient location by the river.
Room Quality
8.15
Rooms are generally comfortable, though some found the bed hard.
Amenities
8.15
Bar and restaurant were positively noted, although some amenities could be improved.
Value for Money
8.15
While some found the price high, others felt good value for money was received.
Food and Beverage
8.15
Food quality varied; some meals were excellent, while others were average.
Overall Experience
8.65
Overall, many guests had a very positive experience, with a few minor issues.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-07 08:42

Property Description

Riverside Pub with Rooms on the River Great Ouse

Tranquil Setting and Delicious Dining
The Kingfisher offers a tranquil setting with views of the River Great Ouse and a local country park. Enjoy friendly service and delicious food, wines, and cask ales. Relax on the terrace by the river for a memorable dining experience.

Quality Ingredients and Comfortable Accommodation
Championing quality ingredients, the Kingfisher sources locally for a fresh dining experience. Choose from a variety of bedroom options, each with spacious bathrooms and essential amenities like a TV and tea/coffee facilities.

Nearby Attractions and Easy Access
Conveniently located near the M1 motorway, explore attractions like Woburn Abbey and Safari Park. Immerse yourself in nature and culture while staying just minutes away from major roadways.

Book your stay at The Kingfisher for a delightful riverside retreat.

Important information:

A deposit may be required at the property.

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

Location

Guest Reviews

8.4
Based on 1231 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.65
Service: 9.15
Location: 9.15
Room Quality: 8.15
Amenities: 8.15
Value for Money: 8.15
Food and Beverage: 8.15
Overall Experience: 8.65
C
Caleb • couple • gb
8
2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
S
steve • solo_traveller • gb
7
Food to die for
Pros:

Food

Cons:

Small, uncomfortable bar seating area

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
A
Adrian • couple • au
10
Lovely visit - friendly and helpful staff
Pros:

Nice setting

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
H
Hunte • solo_traveller • gb
8
Wedding reception & stay
Pros:

Great surrounding for the wedding we attended.

2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
R
Richard • couple • gb
6
2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
R
Rachel • couple • gb
10
Summer on the bar at the wedding of 12th Sep was amazing! Thank you girl you smashed your first time on the bar like a p
Pros:

Lovely vibe, excellent staff!

Cons:

N/A

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
J
John • couple • gb
7
A short stay but hotel was fine
Pros:

It was fine, only there a short time but perfectly ok

2026-09-16 • via Nuitee
H
Helen • couple • fr
8
Great wedding venue.
Pros:

Great location next to the river. Good facilities. Lovely place for a wedding. The reception we attended was well organised, food was very good. Our room was lovely.

Cons:

Nothing.

2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
A
ashley • solo_traveller • gb
8
2026-09-10 • via Nuitee
R
Robyn • solo_traveller • gb
9
My favourite place to stay whilst travelling for work
Pros:

The food, staff and General service are the best I experience in all the places I travel to. It's my favourite stay and I stay at a lot of places.

Cons:

Only slight gripe is that the wifi could be better

2026-09-09 • via Nuitee
R
Ruth • couple • gb
5
Disappointing.
Pros:

Being able to sit by the river. The cleaning staff were excellent.

Cons:

Room was disappointing. Fans running on and off outside all night. Delivery vans early morning 3.40am. Breakfast disappointing.

2026-09-07 • via Nuitee
P
Peter • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

Lovely staff and a safe place for my bicycle. A spacious room and bathroom, comfortable bed.

2026-09-05 • via Nuitee
T
Terence • couple • gb
8
Very pleasant riverside hotel
Pros:

We had a large well-appointed room with a very comfortable bed and a large bathroom

2026-09-04 • via Nuitee
N
Neil • couple • gb
5
Used to be a reasonably nice hotel. Now it's developed into a pub. with a glee club bolt on.
Pros:

The room and nosh were o.k.

Cons:

The band in the dining room playing on arrival - apply the death penalty. And pull the plug on the bass music that microwaves the innards at 8.a.m. on a Sunday morning.

2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
L
Lisa • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Fantastic stay

2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
M
Mr Hugh • couple • gb
5
2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
M
Mary • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

Lots of parking , easy to find, great location. The room was comfortable with a nice big ensuite bathroom. The staff at check in and out were really helpful.

Cons:

The service in the restaurant. We had dinner here and breakfast. The food was excellent but the service was sketchy after the food was delivered. Even at breakfast. We had ordered a cappuchino, and although we waited, and waited, it never came. It did show up on the bill although the staff did take it off. We didnt eat here the next day as we didnt want to waste the time.

2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
D
Darren • couple • gb
4
ROOMY, CLEAN AND GOOD OPTIONS FOR BREAKFAST BUT NOISY
Pros:

The size of the room was good, clean and serviced well,
had lots of options for breakfast,
we had stayed before last year and the customer service was great, when my wife informed them it was the husband birthday, they provided choc's and a bottle of bubby, which was lovely, second time round nothing, had to pay for the bubby, but decided not too in the end,

Cons:

no, sockets next to the bed, had to charge the phones other side of the room,
double glazing, to keep the noise level low, as we could hear the generator come on and off all night in room 45,
A delivery on our last day at 5.45am woke us up,
Customer service at reception could be better,
looks a little tired, needs updating,

2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
M
Mitra Rose • couple • gb
6
Lovely venue for a wedding. Too noisy from delivery trucks waking us at 6am.
Pros:

Lovely venue. Polite staff. Especially a bartender called Illias. Great service with a smile and happy disposition.

Cons:

We weren't able to get a table in the restaurant for lunch. But had a racket in the bar, but the food , service and time it took wasn't great.
Our room was good. Clean and the bathroom clean. But the window locks and screws were falling out. House maintenance needed. The worst thing for us was being woke up from 6am by various delivery vans and bin wagon. All beeping and banging. It really ruined our sleep. They should realise how loud they are and all the guests rooms right by.

2026-08-31 • via Nuitee
S
sarah • solo_traveller • gb
5
Good location but not a great stay
Pros:

Location was ideal for meeting up with friends at a different location

Cons:

Reception ataff came across as a bit rude on check in and not very friendly. Wasnt offered to book any breakfasts or dinner on check in. Charged £15 per dog per night which WASN'T PUBLISHED WHEN WE BOOKED! So this came as a bit of a shock at £60 to pay on check in.and had we had known we probably wouldn't have chosen this hotel due to such an extra cost. Not a dog treat or bed in sight so not sure what this cost was actually for! Very disappointing especially as it said charges may apply, well either they do or they dont?! As nothing was mentioned when it was booked we assumed NOT!
2 weddings made parking very difficult over the weekend dragging luggage from furthest away space that was left on arrival. Car parks were also flooded in places. Disabled parking needs to be better marked out on the ground as people were taking up 2 spaces each at 1 point!
Hotel needs updating as a little tired in places. A fridge in the room, maybe some complimentary water in the room would be nice especially for the money we paid, thats the least guests should expect at this cost. Lighting in the room was very poor, had to switch on 3 lamps just to get light in the bedroom. Room was hot on arrival, maybe you could have opened the window and or put the fan on at least?
Overall a great location for what we needed it for but a poor stay overall and hotel needs to perhaps focus on hotel paying guests experience if you want repeat business!

2026-08-31 • via Nuitee