The Imperial Hotel

Hotels
9 (1176 reviews)
Taw Vale Parade , Barnstaple , 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:
Excellent service
Delicious food
Cons:
Noise from neighboring room at 2am

Categories

Cleanliness
9
Specific sentiment from text: 'very clean and well furnished.'
Service
9
Specific sentiment from text: 'exceptional service, friendly atmosphere.'
Location
9
Specific sentiment from text: 'conveniently situated with a good car park.'
Room Quality
9
Specific sentiment from text: 'comfortable rooms and in a great location.'
Amenities
9
Specific sentiment from text: 'lovely seating areas upstairs.'
Value for Money
9
Specific sentiment from text: 'providing very good value for money.'
Food and Beverage
9
Specific sentiment from text: 'delicious food, amazing food.'
Overall Experience
9
Overall experience, consistently positive reviews.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 07:05

Property Description

Central Location and Scenic Views
Experience the charm of the 4-star Imperial Hotel situated in the heart of Barnstaple, with picturesque views of the River Taw.

Dining Options and Culinary Delights
Indulge in exquisite dining choices at our formal restaurant offering delectable 2 and 4-course dinners, or opt for a more casual experience at Colours Bar and terrace lounge.

Convenient Amenities and Nearby Attractions
Enjoy complimentary parking and a short 10-minute drive to the stunning North Devon coast. Explore the historic village of Clovelly and the enchanting Lynton and Lynmouth coast, just a stone's throw away.

Book your stay now at the Imperial Hotel for a memorable and relaxing getaway.

Important information:

Please note that the hotel has a preferred dress code of no sportswear, t-shirts or ripped denim in the Arlington Restaurant after 18:30. Casual dining is available in the Colors Bar.

Please note a selection of the hotel's rooms are located within the grounds of the hotel in its Rivercourt Building and are accessed via a separate entrance. Also if you would like to bring a dog please call the hotel to discuss room types.

Please note children are charged at £15 per child per night and this is not included in the total cost. Also if you would like to bring a dog please call the hotel to discuss room types.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: EXT

Location

Guest Reviews

9
Based on 1176 reviews
Cleanliness: 9
Service: 9
Location: 9
Room Quality: 9
Amenities: 9
Value for Money: 9
Food and Beverage: 9
Overall Experience: 9
C
Conny solo_traveller se
10
Pros:

Allt. Fantastisk atmosfär, andas lyx. Vi hade balkong, perfekt. Frukosten var mycket bra. Bra läge, fin trädgård, bra gratis parkering.

Cons:

Inget, allt var mycket bra.

2026-08-07 via Nuitee
M
Mark couple gb
9
2026-08-04 via Nuitee
T
Tayler couple gb
8
2026-08-04 via Nuitee
G
guy couple gb
8
2026-08-03 via Nuitee
R
Roger solo_traveller gb
9
Pros:

A very warm reception at a lovely hotel made for a great start to our stay! Our superior room was well appointed, in excellent condition and spotlessly clean. The plentiful staff were all well turned out, pleasant and very helpful. The large number of return customers in the hotel speaks loudly of the pleasant experience. We would be most happy to return!

Cons:

Although very well done I thought the evening 4 course meal was rather expensive.

2026-08-03 via Nuitee
P
Philip solo_traveller gb
9
Super hotel, one of a number in a family run group. Highly recommended.
Pros:

Excellent hotel. Great location, ample parking and reasonably secure for motorcycles.
Great food. Friendly helpful staff.

Cons:

Nothing.

2026-08-03 via Nuitee
J
Judith family_with_children gb
8
My room, 100, was clean and very comfortable . We enjoyed our stay .
Pros:

The breakfast was excellent and staff pleasant

Cons:

Very.disappointed in room 104. My son had this room and found it to be very cramped. More like a hostel room he said. He didn’t sleep well.
At £102 for the night this was unacceptable.
He was reluctant for me to complain at the time, which I would have done and am pleased of this opportunity

2026-08-02 via Nuitee
E
Elke couple gb
8
Cons:

We could only receive BBC channels on the TV

2026-08-02 via Nuitee
N
Nickie couple gb
8
Quiet ambience and a gentle pace. Recommended
Pros:

Staff attentiveness was good, friendly & polite. Rooms were in lovely condition, bedding and facilities were clean and good quality. Any minor issues were dealt with care and consideration. House keeping staff were pleasant & helpful. It was quiet and were given a complementary room upgrade, which we appreciated. Food - breakfasts were great, one of the best omelettes I have had in a long time. Dinning in the resturant was good, nicely presented and tasted lovely. Would happily revist as overall a lovely hotel.

Cons:

Nothing springs to mind

2026-08-02 via Nuitee
D
dimmockp Friends getaway Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England
10
Exceptional, as usual
Pros:

We visit The Imperial every year and have never once been disappointed with the accommodation, the food and the service.

This year we had friends come along too, as we have been singing the praises of the place for the last fifteen years or more.

We have stayed in all of the Brend hotels over the years. They are all friendly, well-run establishments, but The Imperial remains our favourite.

2026-07-31 via Tripadvisor
C
creft2026 Business Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, England
8
Great hotel, very soft bed.
Pros:

Lovely hotel, great location, lovely views, very helpful staff, good parking with EV charging, great food, good room service and breakfast choices. The rooms are excellent but I found the mattress to be very soft and found it difficult to get comfortable. I usually prefer a firmer mattress, so if this bothers you I’d consider that.

2026-07-30 via Tripadvisor
D
devongirl691 Family Barnstaple, Devon, England
2
Rude
Pros:

We spend a lot of money at this hotel, so we did not appreciate the rude, and cold mannerisms from one of the managers upon our visit today. One bad experience out weighs all of the good ones.

2026-07-28 via Tripadvisor
G
gt4579 NONE
8
Imperial hotel
Pros:

Nice hotel with excellent staff and customer service, perfect location within walking distance to town and bus station with ample parking.

2026-07-27 via Tripadvisor
7
74cliveg NONE Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England
8
Great hotel in north Devon
Pros:

This was my second visit. Hotel ideally situated to walk around Barnstable and explore the surrounding area. A high quality hotel. With friendly and helpful staff. Food is varied, tasty, well presented and service is good. My main reason for returning was the food. Though the hotel is lovely, but if considering booking, book early to obtain the better rooms.

2026-07-27 via Tripadvisor
D
DavidAStagg NONE North Carolina Mountains, North Carolina
10
A lovely hotel
Pros:

A perfectly located hotel overlooking the tidal river, quiet, very comfortable beds and very friendly staff, highly recommend.

2026-07-25 via Tripadvisor
J
Jan6miss NONE
10
Perfection
Pros:

First time here,walked through the doors and we both knew that this was going to be a wonderful holiday.Staff are amazing,food is excellent and plenty of it.The hotel is spotless,plenty of space inside an outside to relax with a nice drink or a quiet read.We have already booked to go back in August can’t wait.

2026-07-25 via Tripadvisor
C
ChristineJ885 NONE Coventry, West Midlands, England
10
Coach trip holiday
Pros:

My friends and I had a very enjoyable time at the hotel. Food was excellent and staff very friendly and helpful.

2026-07-25 via Tripadvisor
K
K3353ZUjohnm Solo travel Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
10
Three and a half days of luxury
Pros:

I stayed at this hotel last year with Great Rail Journeys and took advantage of a summer offer to return. Despite the heat outside the hotel was cool with air conditioning and fans. The food and service were again outstanding and the young people serving well trained and most pleasant, as is the charming maitre d' and the reception staff. I did not feel out of place as,a solo traveller, the bus services from Barnstaple to the coast are excellent a d the river an d park near the hotel interesting for watching the tides, the bird life and the weekend 5km run. I hope to return.

G

2026-07-24 via Tripadvisor
H
Holly solo_traveller gb
8
Pros:

We got a lovely upgrade
Beds were very comfortable
Bathrooms clean
Good location

Cons:

Food wasnt great

2026-07-24 via Nuitee
A
Ajith solo_traveller gb
10
2026-07-21 via Nuitee