The Old Black Lion

We had a wonderful overnight stay at the Old Black Lion on Friday 4th April . The staff and James could not have been more welcoming and helpful. We enjoyed a delicious 3 course meal; we particularly enjoyed the Japanese Chicken Karaage starter and the Pig Cheek & Seared Scallop main . We were also treated to the talented jazz musicians' performance in the bar. They managed to play just at the right volume to enable us still to chat. The rooms were really comfortable and full of character and the hotel is in a great location, with its own parking and within a couple of minutes walk of the centre of Hay. All in all, it was a great stay and we shall definitely be going back

We booked this Inn after a desperately horrendous night in a Hotel on the outskirts of Hay-on-Wye that charged us over £400 for the pleasure. Crissie was an absolute star insisting we made our way directly over....we arrived stressed but departed full of cheer....absolutely everyone had a welcoming smile. The room had a comfortable mattress & lashings of hot water! The food cooked by James that evening was perfect, as was breakfast the following morning! It is a 17th Century Inn.....yes, it has beams and yes, the floors can be uneven....it is not the Premier Inn! Be prepared to immerse yourself in history...enjoy talking with the locals....walk into Hay without the hassle of finding a parking spot! Local hostelries need our support and in order not to lose them - we need to use them. James & his staff work extremely hard & their customer service ethics should be followed by anyone wishing to keep their heads above water in this industry at this particular moment in time in the UK. Customer Service Consultant (UK & Pacific Rim) Retired.

We had a wonderful stay in Hay-on-Wye and so glad we chose The Old Black Lion for our base. We were close to town, able to enjoy a great breakfast before heading out and stayed in a really comfy room in a lovely, atmospheric building. It's quirky and creaky in places but that adds to its charm! Staff were superb from the moment we checked in until we left. Friendly and helpful throughout. We enjoyed the bar area and sat in comfy seats enjoying reading and going through our purchases from town! Local gins and IPA a must try... as well as the 'Butty Bach' which was delicious. Food was amazing. Good choice, lovely dishes and well presented... the soup was delicious, as was the ox cheek and goulash. All homemade with care and attention put into the dishes. Definitely recommend Hay and The Old Black Lion and will be back again! DM

There is no doubt that the food is generally excellent, as other reviews indicate. Well worth dining here but I would not stay overnight again as it’s not good value and no more luxurious than Premier Inn. Maybe I’d feel differently if we had stayed in a room within the main building but ours was in the annexe, a simple but perfectly adequate twin, with comfortable beds. However, the bathroom was not up to the standard I would expect at this price. It needs redecorating and desperately needs new sealer where it is black around the taps etc. Worse, neither of us normal mortals were able to shift the shower control to anything other than scalding. To be fair, the housekeeper showed that it can be done but it wouldn’t be possible for most guests. No doubt we could have asked for more supplies of things like shower gel but to only supply enough for one shower when two people are staying two nights seems unnecessarily frugal. By the time we realised, it was after 7 on a Sunday night and the bar lights were off - as in Closed. Also worth noting if you’re of a nervous disposition, there was no way of locking the windows when opened a little. Overall I’d suggest eating here but stay elsewhere.

After a lot of hype lately locally I expected a delicious Sunday roast. Despite a strong start, pork and black pudding Bon-Bon’s were fantastic, the roast beef was like trying to chew through well worn work boots! After the main courses were replaced, the second run was still tough and no care taken with the plating up, slopped on as clearly taken exception to my complaint. Missing elements of the original plate, parsnip and roast carrot…. My complaint was confronted by the chef, who said I came in with a bad attitude, which couldn’t have been further from truth, full of festive cheer!!! Avoid if it’s only due to the chefs attitude.

I was very disappointed with my experience at the Old Black Lion The room was not clean, crumbs in the drawer. you had to request for your room to be serivced the shower surround was mouldy and dirty Breakfast was poor Dinner for a restaurant with 2 rosettes was bland and uninteresting particularly the vegetarian option. All in all an experience not to be repeated AG Romsey