The Chalk Hare, Royston, Hertfordshire - Acorn Pubs

Hotels
8.2 (481 reviews)
The Chalk Hare, 16 Melbourn Street , Royston , gb

Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Restaurant
Heating
Terrace
Garden
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Good food
Nice location
Cons:
Cleanliness issues
Noisy rooms
Maintenance needs

Categories

Cleanliness
6.28
Multiple reviews mentioned significant cleanliness issues, including dust, mould, and dirty areas.
Service
9.25
Many reviews praised the staff for being friendly and helpful.
Location
8.79
Guests appreciated the convenient and appealing location.
Room Quality
7.24
Some rooms received mixed reviews, with complaints about noise and tired decor.
Amenities
8.27
Amenities were generally well-received, though some issues were noted like toilet flush problems.
Value for Money
8.23
Guests found the overall experience to provide decent value, but some felt it fell short given price.
Food and Beverage
9.28
The food, especially breakfast, received excellent reviews.
Overall Experience
8.25
The overall experience was positive, though certain issues impacted the stay.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 00:33

Property Description

Luxurious Accommodation
Experience comfort and style at Banyers House with beautifully furnished rooms featuring modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs and private bathrooms.

Delicious Dining
Indulge in a delightful culinary experience at our on-site restaurant, offering a variety of breakfast options including continental, Full English/Irish, and vegetarian choices.

Convenient Location
Conveniently situated just a short distance from popular attractions like Audley End House and the University of Cambridge, Banyers House is the perfect choice for your next getaway.

To book your stay at Banyers House and enjoy a memorable experience, contact us now!

Important information:

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).

  • Groups

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

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    You haven't added any cots.
    You haven't added any extra beds.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge.

Location

Guest Reviews

8.2
Based on 481 reviews
Cleanliness: 6.28
Service: 9.25
Location: 8.79
Room Quality: 7.24
Amenities: 8.27
Value for Money: 8.23
Food and Beverage: 9.28
Overall Experience: 8.25
V
V8792EXjuliec Family
10
Very impressed
Pros:

First experience of Chalk Hare since refurb. Really impressed, atmosphere and venue buzzing. Food was excellent despite being really busy. Staff and service excellent too - Angie our waitress was great ! Definately be going back .

2026-06-13 via Tripadvisor
S
stella extended_group gb
10
2026-06-13 via Nuitee
G
GrandTour628737 Family
10
Sunday lunch
Pros:

When for Sunday lunch with my Auntie food was excellent and great services from Ellie we were in bar at the front which is dog friendly a lovely atmosphere and I’m very enjoyable meal highly and good value too high recommend it
Five stars

2026-06-10 via Tripadvisor
Y
Y7845JWelainef Family
10
Family friendly pub
Pros:

Lovely atmosphere in the lounge, I went for a drink with my daughter and her newborn. The pub staff were all super friendly and very helpful especially with the little one. Ellie was our server and made our drinks. Very quick service and the cocktail we ordered was lovely and the coffee nice and hot. Would visit again

2026-06-07 via Tripadvisor
Z
Z1002YUjuliea Couples
10
Great service
Pros:

Ellie is a real asset. She takes time to get to know customers, is friendly and always happy

2026-06-05 via Tripadvisor
K
KellyGarsha solo_traveller gb
9
Pros:

Air conditioning was fantastic on a very hot and sunny week. The breakfast is excellent as well.

2026-06-02 via Nuitee
C
Chris couple gb
10
Fantastic staff, great rooms, will stay here again
Pros:

Well situated to all the shops and restaurants etc.

Cons:

Nothing everything was good

2026-05-28 via Nuitee
D
Darren solo_traveller gb
10
2026-05-28 via Nuitee
S
sallycT3001JU Couples
10
Welcoming and friendly service
Pros:

We had a lovely meal, one of their roasts, we were sat in a gorgeous room which was spacious, we were served by a lovely young lady called Poppy who was very friendly and answered all our questions. The roast was delicious as was the pudding. It was a great atmosphere in there, everyone was welcoming. Will definitely go again! Thanks all especially Poppy!

2026-05-25 via Tripadvisor
G
georgecO626ZD Family
10
Great stay!
Pros:

Lovely rooms, Pub has a really great vibe and food was great!

2026-05-25 via Tripadvisor
B
birchgem Friends getaway Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
10
You won't be disappointed
Pros:

Second time visiting here and won't be my last. The food is amazing and so tasty, the staff are lovely and welcoming and it has a lovely atmosphere. Looking forward to visiting again soon

2026-05-19 via Tripadvisor
B
Bojana solo_traveller gb
10
A beautiful stay
Pros:

Our room was very comfortable, nicely decorated. The bathroom was spacious, bed and linen perfect. Nice large windows, with a great view, curtains easy to close and open. Very quiet during the night.
It was a clean room, clean, big towels, everywhere was spotless.
Breakfast was excellent, and staff very friendly.
I would happily recommend the place.

Cons:

Personally, I don't like the modern type of toilet flush buttons, but this is a small fault, more of a preference.

2026-05-18 via Nuitee
D
DavidWiltshire Family London, England
10
Great staff
Pros:

Wonderful meal, delicious food beautifully presented by professional and attentive staff, special mention to Rachel and Jannah. We will be back soon.

2026-05-17 via Tripadvisor
M
matthewgF1232VB Family Cambridge, Gloucester, Cotswolds, England
10
Fantastic Food
Pros:

4 Adults for a meal, Very busy great vibe, Good selection of beer and wines. lovely decor and garden. service was impeccable especially our waitress Maisie. she was very attentive, polite and friendly. All meals came correct and in a timely fashion. Thanks to the whole team, see you all very soon. Recommended.

2026-05-17 via Tripadvisor
P
palamai Friends getaway Royston, Hertfordshire, England
10
Evening meal
Pros:

Had a lovely meal at the Chalkehare, was served by Maisie who was very friendly, helpful and attentive. We will be back.

2026-05-17 via Tripadvisor
S
suzanneb450 Friends getaway Cambridgeshire, England
8
Good service, food disappointing.
Pros:

I have now visited 3 times as different friends wanted to give this recently reopened place a try. 2 breakfasts, I had shakshuka both times. The 2nd time it had obviously been kept under a heat lamp as the eggs were hard and it had a dried out appearance. Full English not hot according to friend. Scrambled eggs dry. Pot of tea only half full both times.
Lunch was moules mariniere, tasty but lukewarm. Mentioned to staff who said they would tell chef. We(4 of us) had lots of negative comments yesterday which we were told would be passed to management.
Service is very good, lots of staff around. Decor very nice but I won’t be going back to eat.

2026-05-14 via Tripadvisor
S
sarahsS903GX Family
10
What a change and such a beautiful building
Pros:

After the name change, we decided to visit ChalkHare on Sunday. We were greeted at the door by Dale, who kindly managed to find us a table even though we hadn’t made a booking. He was extremely polite, welcoming, and accommodating.

Once he found us a table, he showed us to our seats. The waitress who looked after us, I believe her name was Angela, was equally wonderful—very friendly, attentive, and professional throughout our visit.

It is fantastic to see how much this place has changed. The atmosphere was busy and vibrant, which is always a great sign. Next time, we will definitely make a reservation in advance because of how popular it was.

Thank you to Dale, Angela, and the whole team for making our visit such an enjoyable experience. We look forward to returning soon.

2026-05-13 via Tripadvisor
G
Gary couple gb
9
A very comfortable stay, friendly staff and great location.
Pros:

The hotel is located in the centre of Royston close to all the shops and facilities. The room was superb and very comfortable. All of the staff were very friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. Breakfast was excellent, and we were looked after by Karen, who was both friendly and very efficient. Thank you

2026-05-13 via Nuitee
G
Graham extended_group gb
10
Great, staff, rooms and food. Will be back soon.
Pros:

Great staff.

Cons:

Wonderful decor.

2026-05-13 via Nuitee
W
Whitters179 Couples Alrewas, Staffordshire, England
10
Fantastic stay at Chalk Hare
Pros:

We stayed overnight whilst visiting family in Royston. The beer was great, dinner and breakfast - cooked to order - were just amazing and newly refurbed bedroom was perfect. Really good service from enthusiastic and friendly staff - a superb team! We can’t wait to return.

2026-05-12 via Tripadvisor