Bickleigh Castle

We were given a voucher for this lovely old castle. The tour was very interesting indeed and when you learn about it's history, including two chairs owned by Charles I, it makes it even more interesting. The afternoon tea is just a scone and a cup of tea, we believed that it would be a full afternoon tea with sandwiches etc. No. Perhaps our mistake for not checking. Nevertheless, very interesting and we were made to feel very welcome.

We had a fantastic stay at the Castle, not many people know but you can actually stay in the Castle itself, we stayed over night and it was a real experience. There is a selection of lovely cottages in the Court yard if you don’t want the Castle room. We arrived on a Thursday and went on the tour of the Castle and grounds in the afternoon to learn about the 1000 year history of this beautiful Castle. This was followed by a cream tea with very generous portions of cream and jam. This was a superb trip and we will do it all again soon. To Sarah and the team, thank you for your hospitality, and having the dedication, desire and love to maintain this Castle for future generations to enjoy.

Beautiful place so quiet & serene! I would absolutely recommend a visit! We initially booked as we were coming with our grandaughters nova & Willow from London to go to see our adopted donkey Jimmy at The Donkey Sanctuary! Sarah kept in touch with us & was waiting to greet us when we arrived as was Timmy the cat(who my grandaughters loved)Now the only thing I will say is that if you are a family with small children mine are 7 & 3 the Barn house is not for you it has two separate bedrooms that are parted by a bathroom the external door is open all night so not ideal I slept in the double bed with my grandaughters & my husband slept in the other room with the two single beds! We did book a family room this ideal if you have older children but not for young children I would call Sarah in advance of booking just to check what is available! On the pulse side we did get two rooms for the price of one so very much appreciated! Lots to see & do & definitely go to the Train Museum well worth the money & the girls loved it!

From the minute we arrived Sarah and her staff made us feel so welcome. We had booked the Castle Room - Bridal Suite (all three floors!) The first floor has some AMAZING artifacts and pictures a beautiful original staircase leads to the second floor and our FANTASTIC Tudor bedroom and bridal bathroom suite, with roll top bath. Finally onto the third floor and the GRAND Great Hall with lovely original fireplaces and more. The grounds and gardens are PICTURESQUE. Thank you Sarah for making our Wedding day so memorable.

The website says castle open for self guided tours on Thursdays. Not so! Doors all closed. Asked girl at tea shop if castle open . Didn’t know! She sent us to lady at reception who explained only one guided tour at 2.30 due to building collapse and had we booked. Grounds looking unkempt. Not currently fit for visitors. We hope the owners are able to get this lovely place back on its feet.

Worst Hotel experience Ever! On arrival, no one was at reception. We rang the bell for 15 minutes before the owner finally came out and casually told us they had been in the bath. We were given the key to Room 18, only to walk into a disgusting scene—dirty floors, used coffee mugs, an unmade bed, wet towels on the floor, a full bin of leftover food and cigarettes, and a filthy bathroom. The toilet hadn't been flushed, there was urine on the seat, and grime everywhere. We returned to complain but were left waiting another 15 minutes. The manager eventually came and reluctantly agreed to view the room. She apologised and offered to clean it, but told us to be quick getting changed as she "had plans in 30 minutes." Not professional at all. Later that night, it was clear the room had barely been touched. The bin was still full, the toilet still dirty, and the bed just remade—not changed—crumbs and all. Even the bath mat was still wet from the previous guests. The next morning, we were given towels with holes and tears. Breakfast was included, but we felt too uncomfortable to eat anything. This hotel was run-down, unhygienic, and clearly not maintained. By far the worst hotel we’ve ever stayed in. Would never return and absolutely would not recommend.