The Crown Hotel

From the minute we rolled up at reception we were made to feel genuinely welcome & the free token for a couple of drinks was as if to say a thank you for the patronage - a genius touch never experienced anywhere else ever. Room was immaculate, the separate lounge-type bar area much appreciated & the Club sandwich was perfect. Breakfast was such a joy we lingered longer than usual in such a grand room & proper linen napkins was a class touch. Food choice excellent, the cooked breakfast very tasty & the lady who attended us was so charming & attentive she sealed our decision to return at Christmas. A slight minus - the less than charming & seemingly unhappy afternoon female bar staff & it took two attempts just to secure a coffee & that was delivered with little grace. But I'm aware getting good staff can be more of a strain than making a profit so no big deal.

When deciding where to hold our Wedding Reception, we didn't need to look further than the team at The Crown Hotel. From the very first meeting, Laura filled us with the confidence that almost anything is possible. The best part of the experience was that Laura asked us what we wanted or expected and then advised the best options, leaving the final decisions with us. We felt in control. Regular catchups by email, calls and face-to-face meetings meant that we were always updated as the date approached. We had many moving parts to consider and orchestrate; from a String Quartet in the Garden with welcome drinks and Canopés, then cutting the cake and speeches, followed by Secret Singing Waiters, a buffet, a Saxophonist, Bongo Dave, a photobooth, chocolate fountain and a great DJ. This is where Laura and Robert really came into their own. Robert did a fantastic job of announcing each part of the evening, from our arrival to speeches and everything else. Managing their team of Lauren, Jess and Tabitha (all stars on the evening) meant that the evening flowed without interruption. With confidence in this team, we felt that we could simply enjoy the evening just like anyone else. Do not hesitate to book your event at this venue. We also loved staying at the Hotel, as did our guests.

This is a lovely hotel in the middle of historic Blandford Forum . Rooms are super clean Staff friendly, Food looked good but we didn’t eat in the restaurant. Bar very good but if you give a free drink token out to hotel guests on arrival just let them have any drink ( obvs single spirit) . I wanted a Guinness which wasn’t part of the offer as only local drinks allowed. I gave my token to a local who was very grateful. Linen superb and you know when a hotel looks at the small detail as the pillows were great. Nothing worse than a rubbish polyester pillow. We had a twin room as staying with my son and it was large and had everything you needed. Only issue are the old sash windows as they bang in the night. It was only in the morning I noticed pegs in the windows to stop the banging and one was missing.

I met a friend for drinks and dinner. We sat in the garden where several tables needed clearing. Menus were available via a QR code but the online ordering facility wasn’t working. We ordered at the bar but our first choice of steak frites was not available - in fact no steaks at all. I chose the satay chicken burger. It was very disappointing - a tiny UPF chicken fillet, one thin slice of tomato and barely any lettuce, no coriander. To charge £18 for this portion and low quality food is shocking. A very disappointing meal unfortunately.

Second visit to this hotel. Would we come here again...absolutely. Hotel is full of character, has great staff and an aura of professionalism throughout our stay. Rooms are very comfortable and clean with no two the same. Really great experience.

I came to a Sunday roast, was very disappointed paid £55.50 for 2 adult 1 child and 2 drinks. Some parts of the beef were inedible, the gravy was watery, the roasties and Yorkshire puddings just tasted like oil. Extremely overpriced for the quality.

Our 3rd visit in a row, and still one of our favorite hotels. The staff were friendly and helpful - as usual - and we were made very welcome. We had our evening meals in the bar as we were not that hungry, and one member of staff, Chris, is a great asset for the hotel, ensuring that no-one had to wait too long to place their order. All in all, we highly recommend this hotel, as it is a great base to go out and about, plus the staff are all on the ball. Looking forward to the next time!

Dropped in for the first time in a couple of years while visiting family. A characterful old building in a prime location, but a little lacking in atmosphere on a Thursday evening. Being a Hall & Woodhouse pub, the beer choice is almost entirely from their own slightly uninspiring range, so I opted for 1/2 a Guinness and my friend, a mineral water. The price of this somehow came to £6.60! Maybe H&W think the Crown is in Central London rather than Blandford?