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Located in the scenic countryside of Whitney-on-Wye, just a short 10-minute drive from the historic town of Hay-on-Wye, the Rhydspence Inn is a symbol of hospitality, with a rich history dating back to the 1580s. Our inn offers incredible views of the Black Mountains and the ancient Offa’s Dyke, creating a tranquil and timeless setting for your visit. As an independently owned establishment, we prioritise hospitality in everything we do. Our restaurant takes great pride in providing exceptional food and service, using the finest locally sourced ingredients. Our menus showcase seasonal produce and offer a blend of traditional and contemporary cuisine, creating unforgettable dining experiences that reflect the heritage of our surroundings. At Rhydspence Inn, we are committed to ensuring that every guest feels at home, offering a warm welcome and a taste of genuine British hospitality that has been perfected over centuries.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Business
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English
Location
The Rhydspence Inn, Whitney-on-Wye HR3 6EU England
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The Rhydspence Inn garners accolades for its friendly and efficient service, with guests frequently commending the attentive staff and exceptional dining experiences. The spacious rooms exude historical charm and comfort, adding to the inn's warm and inviting atmosphere, which is further enhanced by open fires and local character.
While the inn's cleanliness is noteworthy, especially with well-maintained, refurbished bathrooms, some guests have reported a smell. The hotel's amenities, including beautiful gardens and quality dining with locally sourced ingredients, are well-received, although opinions on the value offered, particularly regarding the cost of certain dishes, are divided.
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Top-notch
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We went to the Rhydspence Inn for dinner which was utterly amazing. The new owners, Craig and Freddy, have made this historic inn an extraordinarily warm and welcoming place, whether you are dropping in for a pint, coming for dinner or staying as a guest. Craig is an exceptional host who was so friendly and welcoming and the food created by Freddy was impeccable, I could not fault it. A total gem of a place that I would recommend wholeheartedly to anyone.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kyle Morris, General Manager at Rhydspence Inn
Responded 11 Oct 2024
Hey there! Thank you for your fantastic review! We're over the moon to hear that you had such a great time and that Craig and Freddy made you feel right at home. It's awesome that you loved Freddy's cooking and felt so well taken care of by Craig. Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we can't thank you enough for spreading the word about us. We can't wait to have you back at Rhydspence Inn, whether it's for a drink, a meal, or a cosy stay! Warm regards, Kyle M
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We had an overnight family stay and a lunch for my Father with some of his local friends. Craig and the team were nothing but helpful, hospitable and make the stay really enjoyable. We have had several get togethers here but not since Craig and his team have taken it over but they couldn't do enough for us, despite being a large party of 7 on Saturday night and 14 on Sunday lunch. Angus was great behind the bar, funny and welcoming and the food served in the evening and for Sunday lunch was excellent - a great variety, well cooked and delicious too.
We used 4 bedrooms during our stay and all were characterful - quirky but clean and comfortable. The corridors upstairs were a little chilly but given the old building it didn't matter too much and the bedrooms were warm. We also loved Horris the giant poodle who was very friendly with everyone!
Given the number of people eating and drinking there during our stay it goes to show Craig and his team have got it right and have a good reputation. I would heartily recommend a meal and/or a stay.
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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You simply must visit this absolute hidden gem in the beautiful Herefordshire countryside!
We’ve dined here on a couple of occasions and visited for drinks a few more, and on every visit we have felt so genuinely welcomed and relaxed whether it be drinking by the open fire or dining in the one of the fabulous small rooms surrounding the bustling bar area.
The Rhydspence is brimming with character and the owners have somehow created a wonderful blend of a traditional (dog friendly) country pub with the quality of dining usually associated with major cities. These guys have nailed it and we love it!
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kyle Morris, General Manager at Rhydspence Inn
Responded 27 Jul 2024
Hey Adam, We all deeply appreciate your wonderful review and for recognising Rhydspence as a "hidden gem"! It means a lot to us that you've enjoyed dining and drinking with us multiple times and continue to do so. It warms our hearts to know that you have felt genuinely welcomed and relaxed during your visits, whether by the open fire or in our cosy dining rooms. We are especially happy that you have appreciated the character of the Rhydspence Inn and our efforts to blend the charm of a traditional country pub with high-quality dining. This is exactly what we are looking to achieve! Your kind words and continued support are incredibly meaningful to us. We're looking forward to welcoming you back for many more fantastic experiences. Warm regards, Kyle
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This acommodation was not really up to the standard of the other places we stayed on our trip. For some reason we got this tiny room No. 8, there was nowhere to put anything, no bedside tables, nowhere for a suitcase and it was above the kitchen! The bathroom was modern but smelt of Roast Dinners and Cooking oil most of the time we were there, an issue with the extractor fan maybe? There was also quite a bit of banging and clanking between 10-11pm while they cleared up the kitchen. I did take a peek in another couple of empty rooms nearby and they were palatial in comparison!! We were pre-booked for dinner at 7.30pm and in fact were a little early, sitting down at 7.20pm. We waited such a long time, the starters arrived at 8.20 pm, about an hour later. The mains at 8.43pm. My husband ate his dinner in 4 minutes flat, he was so hungry by then! We ate elsewhere on our second night. Like a rainy day, we felt a little disappointed all in all. To their credit, they didn't charge us for the starters on checkout and did apologise for the delay at the time. So, my advice is to check the room you are going into and also have a good look at the Sample Menu on their website because this IS the menu, it's quite limited and it may not be to everyone's taste. (Be aware that this is not a Burger and chips kind of place1). We came back with a heap of books from Hay on Wye though!
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Craig Howlett, Owner at Rhydspence Inn
Responded 19 May 2024
Hello there, Thank you for leaving us a review and I’m sad to see it’s not a better one as we never want our customers to leave feeling this way. The room that you stayed in is our basic standard double which is the cheapest of the rooms, due to the smaller size bed, amenities and also being above the kitchen. The others rooms are all priced at a higher rate due to them being larger with more amenities. I can’t apologies enough about the smell of the room, I do wish you would have brought this to our staffs attention during your 2 night stay and we would have happily upgraded your room free of charge. I have spoken to all my staff and they have all said that no issues were raised about the room during your stay or on checkout. In regards to dinner that evening we apologise for the wait on the starters, it is not the standard that we are looking for our customers to receive. I hope that the complimentary drinks and us comping the starters made this up in some way. Our staff understood the wait you had with your meal and so when your starters were cleared we made sure your mains were out within 15 minutes and your puddings within 10 minutes. I’m sorry you felt our menu limited. The menu has 5/6 starters and 6/7 mains which for a restaurant serving fresh local produce with everything prepared in-house, is on par with other establishments in the surrounding area. I hope this clears a few things up but I understand that this doesn’t fix the disappointment you had during your stay with us. We hope you can forgive us and would love to have you back one day in a nicer room and a drink on us. Warm regards, The Rhydspence Inn
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This is a fabulous hotel. It is a very old building with a lot of character. Our room was very spacious and had stunning views on three sides. There was plenty of storage space, including extra space in the bathroom. The bathroom had a shower over the bath, and good quality toiletries were provided. Everything was very clean. All the staff were pleasant and efficient. A special mention must go to Craig, one of the owners, who was lovely and welcoming. We also fell in love with Horace, the resident dog. The food was wonderful. Very well cooked and presented. I would have preferred a linen napkin, rather than a paper one at the evening meal. It would have just made it more special. Just a suggestion....
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Room 7 has stunning views, and is very spacious
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kyle Morris, General Manager at Rhydspence Inn
Responded 27 Jul 2024
Hi Alyson, I just wanted to say a big thank you for your amazing feedback about your recent stay at our hotel. It really means a lot to us that you took the time to share your experience. We're absolutely thrilled that you enjoyed the unique charm of our historic building, the stunning views from your spacious room, and all the little extras we offer. Knowing that Craig and the team made your stay so welcoming is fantastic - I'll be sure to let Horace know he's got another fan! Your comment about the napkins at dinner really caught our attention, and we're excited to let you know that we've have switched to linen napkins to add that extra touch to our guests' dining experience. We hope it makes your next visit even more special. Once again, thank you for your thoughtful review, and we can't wait to have you back with us soon. Warmest regards, Kyle
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We decided to have our annual Christmas dinner with friends at the Rhydspence and I am so glad we did! The food was absolutely delicious and such incredible value for money, the staff were amazing and the space felt so festive and cosy. We all had such a wonderful night. I can’t recommend the Rhydspence enough for Christmas dinner and throughout the year!
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Went to a surprise birthday for a friend and have to say I am totally stunned by what happened. We arrived as planned but unfortunately due to no fault of the organisers a few members of the party did not turn up, instead of having a quiet word the owner thought that it was fair to come to our table and have a moan at us despite half of us not even being imvolved in it. We brushed it off as wanted to celebrate and have a nice time. It took 40 minutes just for our food order to be taken, when the food arrived it came in stages so some of us had our food a good 7 minutes before the others. We ate our food and then had to wait ages for our table to be cleared which meant we weren't even sure we had time for puddings. However, we did eventually order puddings which was yet another disappointment as one was ordered with custard and came with approximately a tablespoon of custard rather than the jug that another member of the group had despite them both ordering the same thing! We then asked for the bill which came to aroud £30 per head (2 drinks, 1 main and 1 dessert) so proceeded to sort it out between us then made our way to the bar to pay as instruced. We stood and waited for ages just to pay and finally someone arrived, we were treated very badly while going through the process and as such a member of the group mentioned to the front of house staff member that the service hadn't been great. She didn't say anything in response and we headed outside to our cars. However, just as we were wishing our friend a happy birthday and going our seperate ways a lady (presumably the owner) ran out behind us and proceeded to scream at us! I have to say I have never been so shocked by another persons behaviour. She proceeded to shout at us, try to intimidate the youngest female in our group by directing her insults at her far more than the older members of our party and making us all feel very uncomfortable with her aggression and lack of professionalism. I stood completely silent the entire time as would not lower myself to screaming in a carpark with a very aggressive individual. What made it even worse was that she was incredibly threatening and told us "Don't you dare make a bad review...." I have never done a bad review for an establishment on here before but following the horrendous screaming and disgraceful behaviour I feel it is only fair to warn anyone who may be considering a visit! I had been told it was a "locals only pub" and in hind sight we should have avoided the place. AVOID AT ALL COST! There are far more welcoming, nicer, reasonably priced, cleaner establishments within 10 minutes of this establishment.
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed here for a night after spending the day in Hay-on-Wye.
We were in room 1 with the four poster bed and we were in the oldest part, which dates back to the 1300s.
Staff were so welcoming and we were the only guests staying there but it was completely unintentional that we booked the day before they were going to close it for some work. It was very busy in the evening as locals were having their dinners so glad we booked a table! The food was perfect, breakfast included and I highly recommend the tiramisu!
Being someone who is obsessed with historic buildings and enjoys photography, I politely asked if it was ok to take some shots on my drone but sadly it began chucking it down the next morning so I didn’t manage to get as many photos as I wanted so we definitely have an excuse to come back but we want to come back regardless!
Huge thanks to Craig and Freddy for making us feel so welcome in such a lovely, homely atmosphere.
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Book a table if you'd like food
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at the Rhydspence on a Saturday night having spent the day in Hay-on-Wye and also booked dinner. The four poster room was beautiful with lovely views of the surrounding countryside as well as the waterfalls and bridge. Dinner was excellent, high standard of food, particularly liked the duck main. All staff were welcoming and friendly, young waiter did a sterling job. The bar was warm and convivial for drinks. Breakfast was delicious and filling, even on the smaller portion which we opted for. Thought our stay very good value for money and would recommend for exploring the area.
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kyle Morris, General Manager at Rhydspence Inn
Responded 27 Jul 2024
Hi, I just wanted to express our gratitude for sharing such a fantastic review of your stay at the Rhydspence. It brought us so much joy to learn that you had a great time in Hay-on-Wye and that our four-poster room made your stay even more special with its stunning views. We're absolutely thrilled that you loved our dinner, especially the duck main dish, and I'm so glad to hear that our staff treated you well and made you feel at home. I'll definitely make sure to pass on your kind words to the amazing waiter who provided such outstanding service. It's awesome to hear that you enjoyed the friendly vibe of our bar, and that you found our breakfast to be a tasty and satisfying way to kick off your day. Your recommendation means the world to us, and we genuinely appreciate your comments about the great value for money. We genuinely can't wait to welcome you back to the Rhydspence on your next adventure in the area. Warmest regards, Kyle
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A Club Christmas Dinner, food cold &!distinct lack of vegetables. Took nearly 3 hours for a 3 course meal for about 20 people.
We all had to pay a deposit but my wife had had an accident 3 days previous and is in Hospital. Under these circumstances I asked for a deposit refund which was declined as they have already purchased the food. This was plainly not true as one of our number who had not ordered a starter asked for one and was told that there weren’t any, if my wife’s food had been ordered then there should have been one available. I do not believe that they would have ordered a smaller turkey had my wife not booked and do not believe that they will have much difficulty at this time of year to sell turkey. I believe their behaviour lacked integrity and will never go there again,
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Avoid at all costs, go to the nearby Boat Inn instead.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Craig Howlett, Owner at Rhydspence Inn
Responded 18 Dec 2023
Good afternoon David, I’m sorry that your experience with us wasn’t up to the standard that we want our customers to have. We never want anyone to leave feeling cheated or frustrated with what should have been a merry and relaxing experience. We do take deposits from parties larger than 12 as to ensure we are making a profit at the end of all the hard work us and our team put into these events. We are a new business and need to ensure that we can continue to carry on doing events like these. We have had instances where 5 people haven’t shown up to a party of 14 and we lose out at the end of the day, like you have mentioned we order the food in advance. I understand your frustration with thinking we had a spare starter ready to go but it was not plated and not prepared and our chefs were already underway cooking for the other 30 people we had in that night. We wouldn’t make up your wife’s starter just to throw in the bin, if told in advance of course we could have accommodated this. In regards to wait times, your party arrived at 7pm and sat down at the table for 7:30pm, all the puddings were served by 9:15pm, so unfortunately the 3 hour wait time is a little exaggerated and 2 hours is an industry standard of wait time for a party of 20 plus. The dish you ordered with a ‘distinct lack of vegetables’ was Lamb Shank with Savoy Cabbage & Polenta so it was a dish was less vegetables than the Roast Turkey. Sorry there was some confusion on that but I hope when we brought out extra vegetables free of charge at your tables request, that sorted the problem. Again we don’t ever want anyone leaving us feeling this way, please accept our apologies and hope you can give us a second chance in the future, especially after your host and your party told us how wonderful their evening was and how delicious the food was. Kind regards, The Rhydspence Inn
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There are more places to choose from in the Whitney-on-Wye area.
PRICE RANGE
RM 703 - RM 849 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
rhydspence hotel whitney-on-wye
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandHerefordshireWhitney-on-Wye
NUMBER OF ROOMS
7
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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