The Castle at Taunton

Stayed in a Garden Room while attending a black tie event at the hotel. The room was clean comfortable and a really good size. the staff were friendly and efficient and I have no complaints at all

On entering this historic old hotel we were pleasantly greeted and asked to take a seat in the lobby. After a few minutes we were shown to the drawing room (which was cold) for afternoon tea where the four of us were seated at a nicely laid table The friendly waitress gave us menus detailing the various sandwiches, scones etc but the menu also listed the price (£27.50) which we really did not want shown to our two family guests. Tea pots arrived very quickly but it was some 10 minutes later that the tea stand came by which time the tea was cold. The finger sandwiches were freshly made and the scones were magical coming with large bowls of clotted cream and jam. The other miniature delicious cakes were superb. More hot tea was provided on request and all in all the whole event was a great success.

Our first visit to Taunton and staying at the Castle was a real treat. We arrived early afternoon in the middle of a downpour after a long drive from the south coast and welcomed the sanctuary that the lobby provided. All the staff throughout our stay were friendly and helpful. We shared our excellent breakfasts with the Hampshire County Cricket Team who had spent the first day of their four day match with Somerset waiting for play to begin. If we return to the area the Castle would be top of our places to stay.

This character Hotel is a really lovely place to stay. It boasts a warm enviroment with friendly staff throughout. It is decorated through on old english style. Comfitable rooms & good food in the Brazz Cafe. The best flat white coffee

Unfortunately, our stay at this hotel was very disappointing. We were given a top-floor room where the walls were paper thin — every sound from neighbouring rooms carried straight through (including nocturnal activities & bathroom movements). There was no air conditioning, and when we opened the windows for some air, the constant noise from the surrounding area made it impossible to rest. There is a loud nightclub nearby & the sound carries till very late. The square at the front also seems to be somewhat of a gathering place for late night festivities. While the bedroom had clearly been updated, the bathroom looked like something straight out of the 1970s and was badly in need of refurbishment. Service throughout the stay was poor, with no sign of management taking charge. Staff seemed disengaged and uninterested, which added to the sense that guests weren’t a priority. They looked like they had heard the same issues raised on numerous times previously & at this stage the response was fairly robotic and unsympathetic. Dinner in the attached Brasserie was again less than anticipated given the starry past of The Castle & the confident selling of themselves on the website. Food was slow to arrive and substandard when it did. The Hake was sadly overcooked & dry, the accompanying Sauce Vierge so acidic it could remove paint. The staff again seemed experienced in hearing negative feedback, but dealt with it by shrugging of shoulders & promising to pass on feedback. Breakfast was another let-down: the buffet was sparse, items weren’t topped up, and what was available was of very low quality. Combined with inattentive service, it left a bad final impression. Again in the dining room there appeared to be nobody in charge Overall, this hotel fell very far short of expectations — tired facilities, poor service, and a lack of care or management presence. Definitely not somewhere I would recommend or return to.