The Old Bell Hotel - Malmesbury

janetfL4045KM

Beautiful hotel, quite quirky. Wonderful staff, all were friendly and helpful. Took my husband here for his birthday, We stayed two nights and both really enjoyed it. Food was delicious. Lovely atmosphere and ambience. Cannot wait to go back and stay. Just perfect 😊👍

Bev R.

I didn't stay, I just stumbled across on a visit to the adjacent cathedral. Absolutely beautiful place, inside and out.
The staff were so very helpful. I was on my own with my dog and we spent a whole afternoon relaxing in the garden,something I haven't done for years.
The staff were just so helpful.
Met a friend later and we ate there too.
Food was good and well presented. I now plan to come back and stay in this beautiful hotel.
Thank you to all who made out visit so enjoyable.

David F.

Great service by everyone. The rooms are imaginatively decorated which creates a nice vibe. Super lounge and bar area. Not so sure about the giraffes in reception, but the staff assure me they are not real. Super breakfast.
Right next to the Abbey and at the end of the High Street the hotel is superbly located and the town is cute and very interesting.

gs969

Another great stay at this awesome hotel. The staff here are, without exception, friendly and helpful. Breakfast is excellent. The lounge areas are great for relaxing, with first class service from the bar staff. Wonderful, and well,appointed rooms make a for a great nights sleep. We will certainly return.

Rutt-Esther R.

We had a one night stay at The Old Bell Hotel and felt it was way too short. It is one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed at. The service is great, the hotel is absolutely beautifully designed, every little detail has been well thought of. Beds were super comfy, food was delicious. The rooms were a bit too warm and have no AC but it is not usually this warm in England either :). Location is great - would recommend checking when the Abbey House Gardens are open when visiting. Would love to go back!

Daniel B.

Our stay was absolutely fabulous — from start to finish it gave us total White Lotus vibes! The service was warm and welcoming, and the room itself was gorgeous, making it the perfect birthday getaway with friends. The espresso martinis were pure perfection, and breakfast the next morning was a complete delight. Already dreaming about coming back!

Pathfinder569984

I asked for a ground floor room which was provided. This was described as a "cosy double". It proved to be a very small, dark, hot, room which was poorly furnished. There were no standard size drawers, just three tiny drawers, one of which didn't open. The lighting was inadequate, it wasn't possible to see to read anything, or do make up. There was one dim ceiling light, plus two lamps. I was told it overlooked the garden but found it faced on to the car park with cars right outside the window. Given the cost I would have expected a smart TV but this was not the case. The ensuite was just big enough to stand up in. Room service was lacking as mugs were not washed at all. Some items were refreshed but most were not. I enquired about food available as I am vegetarian and gluten free. There was very limited vegetarian food on offer. no vegan food at all. Despite advising I was gluten free for health reasons they didn't cater for a gluten free diet I had to opt for items I knew would be all right. There was nothing specific available ordinarily. I extended my stay which and this appeared to give staff the opportunity to rip me off. I have stayed in hotels far superior to this and for much less cost.

Damien T.

The hotel is full of character and ideally located in a charming village. We enjoyed a lovely dinner together as a family — the food and atmosphere were excellent. A special mention to Robbie, who was on duty at night: he went out of his way to assist us, bringing extra towels and tea around midnight on our first night, and personally offering to look after our cars. His kindness and professionalism stood out and were genuinely reassuring.

The rest of the experience fell short, especially considering the expectations set in advance. Despite reserving two car park spaces months earlier, none were available when we arrived. Our three rooms, booked together for a family weekend, were scattered across the hotel — a frustrating surprise.

Worse, the master bedroom was clearly set up for a single guest — just one towel, one pair of slippers, and so on — even though booked for two. When we raised this, the staff were largely indifferent, with an unhelpful “it is what it is” attitude.

This was especially disappointing given that the hotel had proactively called me multiple times before our stay to confirm all details — dinner, rooms, parking. We truly believed everything had been carefully prepared. Instead, it felt like the hotel’s priorities were more about its own logistics than creating a thoughtful experience for guests.