Browns

The rooms are a bit small (at least ours was) I was expecting a larger room for £120 a night. We stayed in a much larger room at a nearby travelodge for about a quarter of the price.We were also disturbed by drunken tavistokians at about 2 in the morning who seemed to be having a fight in the car park. Talking of the car park, it was advertised as having car parking, there is room for about 6 cars but only 2 can get in and out, the last two to park would block 4 others parked in the narrow lane beside the hotel. Cooked breakfast? that'll be £12.50!!! It doesn't represent good value if you have to pay extra, the complimentary breakfast is fruit, pastries and cereals. TV, a small tv/video combination with freeview, felt a little old fashioned. That said, the staff were very friendly and very helpful.

Found Browns to be a the perfect place for a weekend away, with very good staff and a nice old and cosy feel, somewhere between a hotel and a large B&B. We stayed in one of the double 'mews' rooms for a couple of nights, which was off the road and so quiet at night. The rooms are a little small, but not as bad as some reviewers here seemed to suggest, and the bathroom was nice. The food was really surprising - probably the best cuisine we've ever had in a hotel, and certainly wouldn't be out of place in one of the more expensive London hotels. The location is fine, very central, and there are some nice walks up to the Tor's just five minutes drive away. The bar area is very cosy with comfy arm chairs and log fire places, perfect for a G&T in the evening! I would go back.

We only stayed one night at Browns but wished we could have stayed for more. The welcome when we arrived was fantastic, the staff couldn't have been more accommodating and even reserved us the best sofa by the roaring fire for our pre-dinner drinks without any prompting. Our room was at the front of the hotel but unlike other reviewers we had no problem with noise - there is double glazing. The bedroom furnishings were luxurious and, again, unlike others, we had no problem with the room-size - it was ample, had a sofa and plenty of floor-space. (It was an executive double). The complimentary products in the bathroom and free video library were added bonuses. I cannot stress strongly enough how wonderful the food in the restaurant was. We had come from a hotel near Penzance where the food was pretentious, over-priced and poorly executed so Browns was a wonderful antidote. Everything was perfect, my local duck was sublime, the steamed banana pudding exquisite and the wine list was comprehensive and reasonable. It was certainly one of the best meals I've had in a hotel and made all the more enjoyable by the attentiveness (but unobtrusiveness) of the staff. I can't recommend this hotel more highly and will definitely be going back, hopefully in the very near future.

Stayed here recently, room fine but at front of building so we had traffic noise throughout stay- windows don't close properly or keep out draughts. En-suite the size of a postage stamp- couldn't open shower door if 2 people in room at same time, also had to squeeze to one side to open door to bedroom in order to get in and out! Had booked evening meal but very little choice on menu despite exhorbitant prices. Asked at reception if there was an alternative but she wasn't bothered so we cancelled and drove to Plymouth where we had an excellent meal at CHLOES - a restaurant we CAN recommend. Browns is a nice looking hotel but poor value for money. Would recommend looking further afield (maybe Plymouth) for accommodation.

Stayed one night in mid August. Overall we were plesantly surprised by the experience. Previous reviewers have it about right. Our room was small and cramped but well appointed and very clean. The bar was non smoking (but then all will be soon) which was a bit of a pain as the local pubs in the high street were very noisy and boisterous. Service was efficient and freindly and I agree the food was very very good. Breakfast in particular was excellent with liberal use of locally sourced products very well cooked.

Basically, OK. Nothing major to niggle at but then again nothing to rave about either. Even though we had a "large double" the room was cramped, noisy and was more akin to a guest house than what we had been led to believe awaited us. The food was admitedly above average but overall we found the experience a disappointment.

We had a two night stay at Browns Hotel in October and we very much wished we had booked for longer if only to work our way through the fantastic Breakfast and Dinner menu. Our stay at Browns was just perfect. Our Hotel room was, if I am being pickey, a little small (we had a large double) but was well furnished with high quality bedding, bathrobes and Molton and Brown toiletries. We even had a bottle of spring water from the on-site well in the in-room fridge. This is a Hotel that has obviously taken customer satisfaction as its most important priority. The staff were friendly, courteous and very helpful whilst remaining unobtrusive. The food was excellent, possibley the best we have ever eaten in a Hotel restuarant.Apparentley it is locally sourced and chosen for its quality and it certainly showed. The scrambled egg for breakfast was truely superb. Highly recommended.

This lovely small hotel was refurbished a few years ago and combines its historical character (it's a former coachouse) with modern comforts. The hotel is decorated in country house style. We stayed in a large double, which had a really comfortable bed with luxurious linen. The spacious bathroom had the fastest filling bath I've ever encountered and was stocked with Molton Brown tolietries, huge luxurious towels and fluffy bathrobes. As well as tea and coffee, the room was provided with a bottle of the hotel's own spring water, drawn from their well (which can be viewed through a glass panel in the conservatory floor). The hotel is located in the bustling Devon market town of Tavistock - a perfect base for exploring Dartmoor and crossing the border into Cornwall. It is well worth taking some time to explore Tavistock, particularly its excellent pannier market. The town had a great range of shops; there are some good upmarket boutiques and some wonderful food shops. This brings me to the best reason to visit the hotel: the food. This is some of the best food I have ever eaten. On arrival we had a lovely pot of tea and a perfectly made cappucino, accompanied by tasty home-made shortbread. Our delicious gin (I regret not asking which brand they use) and tonics were accompanied by yummy olives and japanese crackers. The set menu had three choices for each course, one of which was fish. Surprisingly there was no vegetarian option. Much was made of the fresh and locally sourced incredients, which are organic where possible. We had to restrain from gorging ourselves on the tasty home-made bread. We were served espresso cups of celeriac soup with black truffle oil as an appetiser. My mussel soup with langoustine raviloi was divine. My husband loved his risotto with pine nuts and black pudding. I had the most delicious beef I've ever tasted as my main course, with a perfectly judged accompanying wild mushroom sauce. My husband devoured his duck with baked figs. Puddings were equally tasty; my husband's calavados pudding with tart green apple sorbet was particularly memorable. The menu was refreshingly free of pretentious jargon and the food was simply cooked and presented - what shone through was the sheer quality of the ingredients. At £22 for two courses or £27 for three, dinner is excellent value. There are also lots of wines in the £14-16 bracket. Breakfast the following morning was equally outstanding. The coffee was excellent and my scambled eggs with organic smoked salmon were simply the best I've ever eaten. My husband was equally pleased with his full English. Toast made from thir own bread was accompanied by organic jam and W.I. marmalade. There was a good selection of cereals and fresh fruit; the poached apricots and prunes were particularly delicious. The young staff is friendly and efficient. Nothing is too much trouble. We had to move our booking at the last minute from Saturday to Sunday and they were charming and accommodating. Yes, our room at the front of the house was a little noisy in the morning with the window open, but that's what you expect from staying in a market town. The carpark at the side of the hotel was full when we arrived, but we were directed to their second larger carpark located just round the corner. At £120 for our large double including breakfast, this was great value. If I were coming again, I would check out their best room, which has a four poster. However, as my mother is about to move just down the road it's unlikely I'll be staying again. However, I can't wait to return to the restaurant!

This converted townhouse in the heart of Tavistock offered a very relaxed stay, even if it was for only one night. The bed was comfy, the food was very good and the staff were most friendly. BUT due to its location the carpark is NOT massive - you might end up doing a twenty point turn or reversing onto the main road! I would advise that if your visit falls in the only hot week that the Uk has experienced so far, ask for a room at the back of the hotel. The sash windows only opened a tiny way, and then we were subjected to the hustle and bustle of the road outside.

We recently stayed at Browns for a long weekend - they had a 3 nights for the price of 2 break and thought it would be a good base for exploring Devon, Cornwall and Dartmoor. The hotel was very impressive - totally non-intrusive and with excellent service. The hotel manager was relatively new and was from Spain - his manners and demeanour were what you would expect from a first-class hotelier. The food in the restaurant is organic and locally produced - and the brainchild of masterchef John McGeever. We were offered free drinks on our last night which was a nice touch - and we will definitely return.