Melkridge Hotels

"Really lovely. This was exactly what we were looking for as we traveled from London to Edinburgh by car. We wanted a quiet, homey feeling stay in a real country inn. String of Horses was exactly that. Dinner, the rooms, breakfast, the staff were all excellent! Cheers!"

"Overall, this stay was disappointing, especially given the price of over £200 per night. The facilities didn’t match expectations. There’s a pool table in the games room, but it isn’t free to use, which feels unreasonable at this price point. There’s also no cash machine on site, and the nearest one is about a 20-minute drive away in Hexham. Despite this, reception and bar staff were unwilling to provide change or offer cashback, which made things unnecessarily inconvenient and disappointing. The rooms are in need of a refurbishment. There were visible scuffs on the furniture, the décor felt dated (particularly the wooden furnishings and artex ceiling), and small details like non-soft-close toilet seats and a broken lamp all added up. These are the kinds of things you would expect to be addressed in a 4-star hotel. There were also issues with the bar. We were told it would be open until late, but on a Saturday night it closed at 9pm. A couple were even asked to leave before they could finish watching the football, which didn’t feel very accommodating. Sleep was difficult due to a flag positioned outside the room window, which flapped loudly in the wind throughout the night. Finally, although the booking stated “pay at the property,” the payment was taken the day before arrival, which wasn’t what we expected. The breakfast was great and so was the room size but overall the experience didn’t justify the cost, and there are several areas that need improvement."

"Breakfast felt rushed (all items brought to the table at the same time). Staff were pleasant. Furniture and decor in the room looking a little tired. Beautiful surrounding area. Castle and grounds are lovely, quiet and relaxing."

"Top floor room (32) was lovely. Clean and comfortable. Excellent lift. The staff were absolutely A class. They couldn't do enough for us from the very moment we checked in. Breakfast was very tasty & cooked fresh to order. Highly recommend the full english & the eggs benedict. The hotel itself is well placed in town with an excellent view of the park & abbey. If we're back in Hexham, we would most definitely go back. Thank you to all the staff. "

"Lovely staff, nothing too much trouble. The place is a real gem, it was our second stay. The building is so beautiful, very cosy."

"The free breakfast was absolutely wonderful. Great menu and large portions."

"A beautiful place to stay. Very comfortable, clean and fresh. The breakfast menu is excellent and the staff are lovely too! "

"I didn't use the pool "

"I had a breakdiwn on route to the hotel Tom was understanding and helped me despite arriving at almost 1am. He was welcoming and made every effort for me, I really appreciated his assistance in a stressful situation."