The Old Black Lion

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 stayed here for the New Years Eve period and booked tickets for the Alice in Wonderland NYE menu. We had a fabulous time the whole team were lovely and very welcoming. We stayed in one of the annexes, a quirky room with lots of character which was lovely and cosy. The food was absolutely amazing and the NYE evening was great fun!! Amazing food, great service and an all round great few days at the Old Black Lion. We will definitely be back soon!

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.

We had an impromptu family lunch here and so pleased we did! Incredibly friendly and welcoming. We all really enjoyed both mains and desserts and prices were very reasonable for the quality of food. The one suggestion I would make is that more veggie options would be welcomed. Would definitely return if we are in the area.

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

We had two delightful meals here this week - Friday and Saturday. Amazing lamb on Friday - perfectly pink and flavoursome. We ordered extra sides, am so glad we did as the cauliflower was so magical, it took me back to my childhood and autumn evenings with its smoky mustard flavour. Saturday (tonight) I started with duck confit which was beautifully presented and very tasty. Then moved on to the miso aubergine, in mushroom broth with noodles and black rice, which was heavenly. I adore aubergine and this was perfect. Lovely staff, the barman and waiters became highlights of the trip as they were so lovely, and Steve and Charlene - the excellent chefs, I only wish I could take them home and have their excellent food every night!!!!