The Old Vicarage, a B&B in Barnstaple does not market itself as a family friendly destination, but its extremely friendly owners and staff still make it a wonderful spot to take the whole family. It is walking distance to Barnstaple itself with all its attractions and amenities – the train station is just 15 minutes away on foot. There are several excellent restaurants and cafes in the town, many of which are welcoming to children.
The guest house is beautifully renovated and extremely comfortable. For example, all double beds are kingsize and are made up in the softest linens. Rooms are spacious and all come with elegant ensuite bathrooms. Some bathrooms have a free standing bath, though all have a shower. Two suites are interconnecting, which are perfect for those travelling with a family. The owners are happy to install a cot into any room upon request. Wifi is free for guests to use throughout Old Vicarage as well as the on site parking. The extensive grounds are a wonderful place to unwind and for the children to play.
There are small touches throughout the establishment that help make it a homely place to stay. Sandi and Brian, the owners, leave homemade cakes and biscuits in guests’ rooms each day and encourage children to pet the chickens they have in the large garden. They provide a delicious cooked breakfast each morning where fresh fruit and yoghurt is also on offer as well as other continental breakfast items. Some of the jams are not only made onsite, but also made from fruit grown in the back garden. One detail that so many hotels forget, but The Old Vicarage offers, is the provision of fresh milk into rooms each day so that guests can make tea and coffee without the taste of nasty UHT adding its own unique flavour.
Close by is Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park which is a mix between a zoo and a lifesize dinosaur attraction. It’s a great destination for children therefore, but the South West Coast Path is nearby too for some old fashioned (and free) fun. It affords spectacular views and is long enough to walk a different part for each day of a long weekend break. The beaches that the Coastal Path overlooks are worth a trip in themselves – all with their own attractions. Croyde is nearby for surfing or Damian Hirst’s Verity can be seen at Ilfracombe Harbour. Westward Ho! is south of Barnstaple with its selection of classic fairground entertainment.
The Old Vicarage is, therefore, the perfect bolthole to discover this stunning part of the South West of England. The B&B is not only well located, but its owners, staff, airy rooms and landscaped gardens make it a must go destination in itself.
The Old Vicarage, Barbican Terrace, Barnstaple, North Devon EX32 9HQ
Telephone: 01271 328504
Website: www.oldvicaragebarnstaple.co.uk
What TripAdvisor says
Sandi and Bryan were the perfect hosts offering a warm welcome on arrival and engaging positively with us and our children throughout our stay. The daily homemade cakes and biscuits were a lovely touch as were the cooked breakfasts we enjoyed every morning.
The house itself is huge, tastefully decorated with a great feeling of space. Our suite was excellent, albeit up stairs which could be a bit of an effort for the less able trying to lug cases and children’s paraphernalia. However, the accommodation more than makes up for this minor inconvenience! Sandi and Bryan had erected a cot for our little one in the twin bedded room and we had some nice views of the distant countryside. Our room had a very comfortable king size bed. The incredible thing about The Old Vicarage is that, even though it is situated in a residential area, once you enter the gates it feels like you are in the country.
Obviously, being a B&B, we had to dine out and of note are the family friendly Alfie Browns (55 Boutport St, Barnstaple EX31 1SH Tel: 01271 344477) and Giovanni's (35 Boutport St, Barnstaple EX31 1RX Tel: 01271 321274) restaurants, both walkable from The Old Vicarage and both providing quality food.
We did manage to get out to the most excellent Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park (Higher Leigh, Combe Martin, North Devon EX34 0NG Tel: 01271 882486) where zoo meets life-size dinosaur attraction. Being that our kids like both dinosaurs and furry animals, it was an obvious winner and a day out that we all enjoyed...yes, parents too!
We're so glad we didn't end up at a hotel whilst visiting Barnstaple, otherwise we might not have discovered this gem of a family friendly bed and breakfast. The Old Vicarage now ranks as one of our top B&Bs, a model of how one should be run, and is a deserved winner of our Editors' Choice rating.
