Bel and the Dragon-Kingsclere

We both had a roast which came out and it wasn’t large, potatoes were very undercooked, there was only a tiny amount of gravy given. Horseradish was extremely hot (even for me who loves horseradish) and would benefit from a little cream. Beef was ok, overall very underwhelming so felt the cost was very steep. Music in the garden was loud and singer was out of key so could’ve been better. Roast and two pints cost us over £70 for two of us and with the meal being so poor, we left feeling disappointed.

What a fantastic place the Bel and Dragon is. Primarily it is a pub / restaurant but it also offers a number of really tastefully decorated rooms and also a separate guest lounge. I was there for a wedding and cannot fault the tireless work of Darren, Luke and all the staff. Nothing was too much trouble and they really did all go the extra mile. An extra shoutout has to go to the chefs and the kitchen team. The food was generous, delicious and very well presented. The high standard was maintained throughout the wedding breakfast, which served over 60 people. The interior of the pub is really nicely done. There’s a great bar area and a really great rear garden space which is filled with tables and chairs and a super location to catch the afternoon sunshine. All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable and tip top experience. If you’re in or nearby the beautiful village of Kingsclere, you won’t go far wrong visiting or even staying here.

Bel and the dragon Kingsclere had very friendly and helpful staff. The room was great, and the dinner and breakfast were delicious, all in all it was a tremendously reasonably priced stay and very comfortable. Highly recommended. hank you.

Booked for a celebration lunch several weeks back and also emailed later that it was for a special occasion and was advised that it would be added to the ‘booking notes’. If travelling here by car do be advised parking is a nightmare! The hotel car park was full as was the car park in Anchor Yard, street parking is 1 hour only, might be helpful to flag this up somewhere on the website and suggest alternatives for those not familiar with the area. We arrived before our allocated two hour slot and shown to our table, a good sign was the linen napkins, not so good the tired wiped out table top. Service was ok, disappointed with some of the food served. Fish and chips were ok albeit not the most generous of portions but I do appreciate it was a lunchtime serving. The ‘today special’ dish of pan fried salmon was ok but the ‘crushed potatoes’ served with it were dry on the inside, either old or low quality potato, some undercooked and not that hot. The dish would also have benefited from some green vegetables, this was neither suggested or offered when ordering which would have been a good idea as it would have completed the dish. The roasted pork belly again wasn’t very hot, the accompanying apple purée didn’t do it justice, home made would have been better. The triple chocolate dessert however was delicious, if you’re a chocolate lover this one’s for you! The interior photos on the Bel & Dragon website look really inviting, unfortunately the reality not quite so. The soft furnishings today bore little resemblance to those in the photos, the only cushions visible were grubby tired chair pads with mismatched light ribbon that was half tied and half detached and hanging off the chairs. Not the plump cushions depicted in the photos or “styled in classic and cosy way”. The sight of an open fire does help to “exude charm and warmth”, but it needs to be kept going and today it wasn’t and it soon became quite chilly. The pavement area outside looks tired and unkempt, the sandwich advertising board looks grubby and loosing its varnish. Attention to the smallest detail often makes the biggest difference.

We stayed here as local to Bombay Sapphire, the location was ideal (7 miles away) and the hotel was perfect, comfortable, friendly staff, food amazing and room spacious and extremely comfortable. 10 out of 10 from me.

Gem of a place. Great short stay. Our room oozed character and history, enhanced by top quality fittings. Bed was enormous and super comfy. Breakfast was absolutely spot on. Complimentary bottles(!) of gin and whisky and the posh shower toiletries topped it all off.