Just an amazing place. Great staff who really couldn't have been more helpful. Food was out of this world and my only regret was not being able to stay there longer. Highly recommended ?????
T HTP
When I found out the shower gel was low for my bath at 8:30pm, I tried to ring the reception, but no one answered. I rang again at 9pm and still no answer. I went downstairs and found no one at the reception table. I went to the bar and waited for 10 minutes to speak to someone. The bar staff too me to speak to the manager at the restaurant. I explained to him what I needed and was promised that he would send it to my room. After over an hour, I went down again after most of the restaurant customers were gone. The manager told me that he could only find the refill pouch and would come to refill it for me. Another half an hour passed, I was handed facial gel and shampoo. Are they the same to the shower gel?
Jo Van Dutch
We had the best stay here. The food was absolutely incredible, especially the homemade sourdough. The room was very very comfy, with some really nice little complimentary teas. For our dogs we were left with baskets, dog towels, and a doggy gift pack . It really was a wonderful stay. The little Bodega on site is so like an Aladdin's cave!!Food & drinks: The food was incredible
Duncan Platt
Great hotel. Dog friendly rooms. The restaurant was lovely. I have given 5 stars despite a mix-up with breakfast where our order wasn't processed, and when it did arrive, one of the orders was wrong. Unfortunately, this took the gloss off a lovely stay.
Angèlica Ramos
Well presented rooms in an attractive building with lovely grounds. Staff are helpful and friendly. Some lovely touches were welcome drink and well stocked room tea tray.Issues that signal this is not a four star venue: the shampoo is for sale in the shop but they told me there was none in my room because it’s the same as the shower gel; I was offered the paper with breakfast at check in but it arrived two hours later when I no longer could read it; in-room entertainment has no on-demand services; my bathtub was dirty.The food is also an issue. At breakfast to my left a lady pointing out the fish in the vegan menu, to my right a lady being refused scrambled eggs (fried or poached only sorry) on toast at a 7am service with a grand total of 4 guests, even though a very polite waitress did go check with the kitchen. Just drop the Spanish aspirations and do what you know you can do well instead. Tasteless croqueta, such dried calamari, did not order the tomato bread as I was told it had been made that morning! At dinner my hake (nicely cooked in batter, plenty British, nothing Spanish about it) came without the listed pickled vegetables, which when I asked about came as mere (if yummy) pickled carrots. They insisted the baked basque cheesecake ought to be served hot (which is nonsense, it’s never set until it cools down, no one who knows the dish would ever serve it hot), and told me the Catalan panacotta was “Catalan” flavoured (as a Catalan myself, I feared for my life: would I be sent to the kitchen to flavour mysterious desserts?); so I didn’t order pudding for maybe the first time ever. Send your kitchen staff on a R&D trip to Spain if you really want to push this, or just drop it, you could make perfectly nice pub food and have happier customers and maybe a more chilled kitchen staff happy to scramble a couple of eggs.
rwgrncrd
We only spent one night at The Priory but it was special. We arrived around 5pm after driving a couple of hours and we were very happy the check in process was smooth and easy. We stayed in one of the cottage rooms adjacent to the main building. They were a nice combination of modern amenities and historical touches. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom was huge. We had charcuterie outside in the beer garden and enjoyed being outside. Breakfast the next day was also excellent. Served in the bar area and potions were a good size. The service from the entire staff was great. Highly recommended and we will be back.
DK_AC
The Priory is a lovely place to stay - beautiful setting, historical building with pretty gardens Many of the rooms are situated in the grounds rather than in the main hotel - and are well decorated On my booking form - I had requested a reservation in the restaurant for dinner and even though I followed this up with an email - the booking was never made which was annoying. They did find me a space but not the timing of my choice Dinner - is based on a Spanish Counter Service - you go up and you choose your fish or meat and it is cooked to order. Not cheap but great produce and well cooked. Did have to wait a tad too long for main course but this was immediately rectified by the waiter when I spoke to him Breakfast was shambolic. After booking for 9.15am - they were not ready for us and we had to wait in the bar area. Then they gave our table to someone else who came down after us. When we were allocated a table - it was grubby with crumbles everywhere and stain marks from the bottom of cups I liked the choice of food on the menu for breakfast - Spanish theme which was different and interesting However, We had to chase for someone to take our order Everyone in the resturant this morning was having problems with the food - wrong drinks and wrong food was constantly being taken to the wrong tables (including us) Museli and porridge arriving after the fried breakfast - is this a Spanish tradition? The staff seemed surprised that people wanted these dishes before their cooked food Food (especially toast) never arriving Confusion from the staff regarding what was gluten-free When it arrived - it was delicious I did raise this when I checked out - and the gentleman on reception said they were fully aware of these problems and training is in the pipeline when things become quieter This is an expensive place to stay - standards in the restaurant during breakfast really need to improve - and it cannot wait until things get quieter or they will lose customers
gavin rowe
Stopped for a light bite of food and drinks. The venue has a great atmosphere and located on fantastic grounds. Would have given 5 stars but the tables were cluttered with past customers plates, glasses and rubbish. We asked a member of staff if it could be cleaned but was told they are really busy and they would see what they could do. The stuff was left there. We left and guess our stuff was left with the rest.
Cariadshoes
A lovely old building in the Roman Legion town of Caerleon which used to be a monastery. Our room was gorgeous especially with the roll top bath in the bedroom! Music was playing as we were shown into the room which was a nice touch. There was a separate shower room, unfortunately not all of it had been cleaned! We had booked an evening meal in response to their email which had not been done so we had to settle for a time slot a lot later. Unfortunately we had to wait an hour before our “starter”arrived and we’re still having our main at 10pm, BUT, the food was outstanding! This did not happen at breakfast which was a shambles plus a rude waitress, her manner and comment even mentioned by the couple on the next table!
theblondemagpie
First time staying here and whilst the room was beautiful, after the 1st night we began to see some flaws and errors with the hotel. Evening dinner to start, whilst the salt baked sea bass was fabulous, the 2 small scallops for a starter were a huge disappointment and completely overpriced for what we received. Service was very slow and had to keep asking for things for the table. Breakfast, whilst this has a Spanish theme and I’m sure in Spain it would be ok, why are you not celebrating the wonderful Welsh homegrown produce which is on your doorstep? Why are you not providing a full cooked breakfast with bacon and sausage, not a slice of Spanish belly pork! I asked for a cappuccino as the filter coffee was so strong, to be told I would have to pay extra as that was not included in the breakfast menu??? Whilst the couple on the next table complained at the bitterness of the filter coffee and were offered a cappuccino instead. They were also asked not to order as the kitchen was stacked out? Little things and attention to detail make a hotel welcoming, this didn’t and it was disappointing. The breakfast needs to be reviewed. It could be a great hotel, but at best it’s just an ok hotel.
We had Excellent service . We stayed in a Beautifully appointed room. The Outstanding food both breakfast and dinner was memorable. The staff were very well trained and friendly. I would wholeheartedly recommend this hotel. If I go to Wales again we will definitely stay there . We were visiting for a wedding and the hotel in Cardiff where the other guests stayed was extremely poor by comparison. We were very pleased that we had stayed at the Priory
vickymW5244GN
Good god people love a moan don’t they?! The Priory is a fantastic establishment, run by people who care and are trying to move with the times. My whole family loves the variety of food and drinks on offer and has never had a bad experience here. The recent refurb is just gorgeous, bringing drinks in line with current trends, while keeping classics in the mix too. The Spanish influences are what set it apart, giving a nod to the owners heritage. I cannot BELIEVE people are leaving 1* reviews because it’s ‘not what they’re used to’. Good lord. It’s a gorgeous building, in a beautiful setting with a progressive menu and super luxurious rooms. What more can you ask for?
KarenO59
This was a long awaited family lunch to introduce family to a restaurant where we’d always had a great meal. I was so disappointed that I wrote with my comments itemised and was assured that my email would go to the front of house team. Despite chasing three times I’ve had no response. We will never go again and we living locally so would love to support what was once a great restaurant. I agree with one comment about the front of house manager who did seem rather self important - is he the owner? No excuse even then. The food was excellent in parts, good or average in others but the service lacklustre and in no way special. Why pay their prices if the meal isn’t a great experience. We’d better give The Angel in Abergavenny a try as we love eating out.
LucyMess
What a treat! Having found The Priory on booking.com, we stayed for 2 nights to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary and couldn't have asked for more special stay. On arriving into Caerleon on the Friday and after a quick explore of the local shops/bars before we could get into our room, we decided to have lunch in the very attractive and welcomingly quiet/cool hotel bar, away from the searing heat and ordered the sharing Charcuterie board. The bar staff explained that the kitchen was a bit busy (hardly surprising considering the weather!) but we were pleasantly surprised by how quickly our food arrived and the quality of what was served - it was absolutely delicious and exactly what we needed. Our room was stunning - clean, airy (which considering how hot it was, was a huge relief!), beautifully decorated with a stunning roll-top bath and the bed was incredibly comfortable. We booked a table for supper in the restaurant on the Friday and had a wonderful table in the corner. After an expertly made espresso martini in the bar and then having the menu concept explained by our seriously lovely waitress, we chose half a dozen oysters which were enormous and beautifully fresh, followed by the rack of lamb (utterly delicious) and the sea bass baked in rock salt...possibly one of the best sea bass dishes I've ever eaten - perfectly cooked and expertly filleted at our table. The accompanying chips and smoked potatoes we ordered were also delicious, as was the mixed salad. We were very kindly given a glass of bubbles each to celebrate our anniversary, and were advised on wine pairings to have with our meal - both the red and white were perfect and we were grateful for the recommendations. Pudding was incredible - a panna cotta and the Basque cheesecake, and we finished the evening off with a cocktail in the gardens. Perfect! The breakfasts were just as excellent - a fantastic choice available and while we unimaginatively had the same thing both days (full breakfast and the veggie option to share between us) the other options looked delicious too and the coffee was great! Without exception, the staff were wonderful - we felt incredibly well looked after but without it being 'too much' - nothing seemed too much trouble, and everyone was so kind, smiley and friendly. The team clearly work very hard to keep everyone happy and we were very impressed by how unflappable everyone seemed to be. It was the perfect setting for our romantic getaway and am very grateful to everyone at The Priory for their part in making it a very special weekend. Thank you! We're already looking forward to returning!
boarder_12
Lovely ‘can’t fail’ location with charming garden area. The interior has undergone a generic makeover leaving it cold and charmless. Some indifferent ‘cool’ staff makes the customer experience below par and the nod towards a trendy tapas offer is poor.
Just an amazing place. Great staff who really couldn't have been more helpful. Food was out of this world and my only regret was not being able to stay there longer. Highly recommended ?????
When I found out the shower gel was low for my bath at 8:30pm, I tried to ring the reception, but no one answered. I rang again at 9pm and still no answer. I went downstairs and found no one at the reception table. I went to the bar and waited for 10 minutes to speak to someone. The bar staff too me to speak to the manager at the restaurant. I explained to him what I needed and was promised that he would send it to my room. After over an hour, I went down again after most of the restaurant customers were gone. The manager told me that he could only find the refill pouch and would come to refill it for me. Another half an hour passed, I was handed facial gel and shampoo. Are they the same to the shower gel?
We had the best stay here. The food was absolutely incredible, especially the homemade sourdough. The room was very very comfy, with some really nice little complimentary teas. For our dogs we were left with baskets, dog towels, and a doggy gift pack . It really was a wonderful stay. The little Bodega on site is so like an Aladdin's cave!!Food & drinks: The food was incredible
Great hotel. Dog friendly rooms. The restaurant was lovely. I have given 5 stars despite a mix-up with breakfast where our order wasn't processed, and when it did arrive, one of the orders was wrong. Unfortunately, this took the gloss off a lovely stay.
Well presented rooms in an attractive building with lovely grounds. Staff are helpful and friendly. Some lovely touches were welcome drink and well stocked room tea tray.Issues that signal this is not a four star venue: the shampoo is for sale in the shop but they told me there was none in my room because it’s the same as the shower gel; I was offered the paper with breakfast at check in but it arrived two hours later when I no longer could read it; in-room entertainment has no on-demand services; my bathtub was dirty.The food is also an issue. At breakfast to my left a lady pointing out the fish in the vegan menu, to my right a lady being refused scrambled eggs (fried or poached only sorry) on toast at a 7am service with a grand total of 4 guests, even though a very polite waitress did go check with the kitchen. Just drop the Spanish aspirations and do what you know you can do well instead. Tasteless croqueta, such dried calamari, did not order the tomato bread as I was told it had been made that morning! At dinner my hake (nicely cooked in batter, plenty British, nothing Spanish about it) came without the listed pickled vegetables, which when I asked about came as mere (if yummy) pickled carrots. They insisted the baked basque cheesecake ought to be served hot (which is nonsense, it’s never set until it cools down, no one who knows the dish would ever serve it hot), and told me the Catalan panacotta was “Catalan” flavoured (as a Catalan myself, I feared for my life: would I be sent to the kitchen to flavour mysterious desserts?); so I didn’t order pudding for maybe the first time ever. Send your kitchen staff on a R&D trip to Spain if you really want to push this, or just drop it, you could make perfectly nice pub food and have happier customers and maybe a more chilled kitchen staff happy to scramble a couple of eggs.
We only spent one night at The Priory but it was special. We arrived around 5pm after driving a couple of hours and we were very happy the check in process was smooth and easy. We stayed in one of the cottage rooms adjacent to the main building. They were a nice combination of modern amenities and historical touches. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom was huge. We had charcuterie outside in the beer garden and enjoyed being outside. Breakfast the next day was also excellent. Served in the bar area and potions were a good size. The service from the entire staff was great. Highly recommended and we will be back.
The Priory is a lovely place to stay - beautiful setting, historical building with pretty gardens Many of the rooms are situated in the grounds rather than in the main hotel - and are well decorated On my booking form - I had requested a reservation in the restaurant for dinner and even though I followed this up with an email - the booking was never made which was annoying. They did find me a space but not the timing of my choice Dinner - is based on a Spanish Counter Service - you go up and you choose your fish or meat and it is cooked to order. Not cheap but great produce and well cooked. Did have to wait a tad too long for main course but this was immediately rectified by the waiter when I spoke to him Breakfast was shambolic. After booking for 9.15am - they were not ready for us and we had to wait in the bar area. Then they gave our table to someone else who came down after us. When we were allocated a table - it was grubby with crumbles everywhere and stain marks from the bottom of cups I liked the choice of food on the menu for breakfast - Spanish theme which was different and interesting However, We had to chase for someone to take our order Everyone in the resturant this morning was having problems with the food - wrong drinks and wrong food was constantly being taken to the wrong tables (including us) Museli and porridge arriving after the fried breakfast - is this a Spanish tradition? The staff seemed surprised that people wanted these dishes before their cooked food Food (especially toast) never arriving Confusion from the staff regarding what was gluten-free When it arrived - it was delicious I did raise this when I checked out - and the gentleman on reception said they were fully aware of these problems and training is in the pipeline when things become quieter This is an expensive place to stay - standards in the restaurant during breakfast really need to improve - and it cannot wait until things get quieter or they will lose customers
Stopped for a light bite of food and drinks. The venue has a great atmosphere and located on fantastic grounds. Would have given 5 stars but the tables were cluttered with past customers plates, glasses and rubbish. We asked a member of staff if it could be cleaned but was told they are really busy and they would see what they could do. The stuff was left there. We left and guess our stuff was left with the rest.
A lovely old building in the Roman Legion town of Caerleon which used to be a monastery. Our room was gorgeous especially with the roll top bath in the bedroom! Music was playing as we were shown into the room which was a nice touch. There was a separate shower room, unfortunately not all of it had been cleaned! We had booked an evening meal in response to their email which had not been done so we had to settle for a time slot a lot later. Unfortunately we had to wait an hour before our “starter”arrived and we’re still having our main at 10pm, BUT, the food was outstanding! This did not happen at breakfast which was a shambles plus a rude waitress, her manner and comment even mentioned by the couple on the next table!
First time staying here and whilst the room was beautiful, after the 1st night we began to see some flaws and errors with the hotel. Evening dinner to start, whilst the salt baked sea bass was fabulous, the 2 small scallops for a starter were a huge disappointment and completely overpriced for what we received. Service was very slow and had to keep asking for things for the table. Breakfast, whilst this has a Spanish theme and I’m sure in Spain it would be ok, why are you not celebrating the wonderful Welsh homegrown produce which is on your doorstep? Why are you not providing a full cooked breakfast with bacon and sausage, not a slice of Spanish belly pork! I asked for a cappuccino as the filter coffee was so strong, to be told I would have to pay extra as that was not included in the breakfast menu??? Whilst the couple on the next table complained at the bitterness of the filter coffee and were offered a cappuccino instead. They were also asked not to order as the kitchen was stacked out? Little things and attention to detail make a hotel welcoming, this didn’t and it was disappointing. The breakfast needs to be reviewed. It could be a great hotel, but at best it’s just an ok hotel.
Restaurantji Recommends
We had Excellent service . We stayed in a Beautifully appointed room. The Outstanding food both breakfast and dinner was memorable. The staff were very well trained and friendly. I would wholeheartedly recommend this hotel. If I go to Wales again we will definitely stay there . We were visiting for a wedding and the hotel in Cardiff where the other guests stayed was extremely poor by comparison. We were very pleased that we had stayed at the Priory
Good god people love a moan don’t they?! The Priory is a fantastic establishment, run by people who care and are trying to move with the times. My whole family loves the variety of food and drinks on offer and has never had a bad experience here. The recent refurb is just gorgeous, bringing drinks in line with current trends, while keeping classics in the mix too. The Spanish influences are what set it apart, giving a nod to the owners heritage. I cannot BELIEVE people are leaving 1* reviews because it’s ‘not what they’re used to’. Good lord. It’s a gorgeous building, in a beautiful setting with a progressive menu and super luxurious rooms. What more can you ask for?
This was a long awaited family lunch to introduce family to a restaurant where we’d always had a great meal. I was so disappointed that I wrote with my comments itemised and was assured that my email would go to the front of house team. Despite chasing three times I’ve had no response. We will never go again and we living locally so would love to support what was once a great restaurant. I agree with one comment about the front of house manager who did seem rather self important - is he the owner? No excuse even then. The food was excellent in parts, good or average in others but the service lacklustre and in no way special. Why pay their prices if the meal isn’t a great experience. We’d better give The Angel in Abergavenny a try as we love eating out.
What a treat! Having found The Priory on booking.com, we stayed for 2 nights to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary and couldn't have asked for more special stay. On arriving into Caerleon on the Friday and after a quick explore of the local shops/bars before we could get into our room, we decided to have lunch in the very attractive and welcomingly quiet/cool hotel bar, away from the searing heat and ordered the sharing Charcuterie board. The bar staff explained that the kitchen was a bit busy (hardly surprising considering the weather!) but we were pleasantly surprised by how quickly our food arrived and the quality of what was served - it was absolutely delicious and exactly what we needed. Our room was stunning - clean, airy (which considering how hot it was, was a huge relief!), beautifully decorated with a stunning roll-top bath and the bed was incredibly comfortable. We booked a table for supper in the restaurant on the Friday and had a wonderful table in the corner. After an expertly made espresso martini in the bar and then having the menu concept explained by our seriously lovely waitress, we chose half a dozen oysters which were enormous and beautifully fresh, followed by the rack of lamb (utterly delicious) and the sea bass baked in rock salt...possibly one of the best sea bass dishes I've ever eaten - perfectly cooked and expertly filleted at our table. The accompanying chips and smoked potatoes we ordered were also delicious, as was the mixed salad. We were very kindly given a glass of bubbles each to celebrate our anniversary, and were advised on wine pairings to have with our meal - both the red and white were perfect and we were grateful for the recommendations. Pudding was incredible - a panna cotta and the Basque cheesecake, and we finished the evening off with a cocktail in the gardens. Perfect! The breakfasts were just as excellent - a fantastic choice available and while we unimaginatively had the same thing both days (full breakfast and the veggie option to share between us) the other options looked delicious too and the coffee was great! Without exception, the staff were wonderful - we felt incredibly well looked after but without it being 'too much' - nothing seemed too much trouble, and everyone was so kind, smiley and friendly. The team clearly work very hard to keep everyone happy and we were very impressed by how unflappable everyone seemed to be. It was the perfect setting for our romantic getaway and am very grateful to everyone at The Priory for their part in making it a very special weekend. Thank you! We're already looking forward to returning!
Lovely ‘can’t fail’ location with charming garden area. The interior has undergone a generic makeover leaving it cold and charmless. Some indifferent ‘cool’ staff makes the customer experience below par and the nod towards a trendy tapas offer is poor.