My wife booked this as a late booking and a total surprise to me.
We arrived at 1pm for a 2pm check-in,expecting to be told that we would have to wait for our room, but no, we were checked in and the room was available. Our room (26, Armstrong) was in the roof of the hotel facing Park St. The room was compact, very clean and sized as you might expect from a very old inn. It was very atmospheric with old beams and a window which fitted the period of the hotel.

We had lunch in the bar which was very pleasant ,but we had a problem finding a table since there was only 7 or 8 in the bar. We had wine which was good but over-priced. The food was excellent as it came from the same kitchen that services the hotel's 2 AA Rosette restaurant.

We ate dinner out because there are many restaurants to choose from in Woodstock.

Breakfast was very good with a self serve continental buffet followed by a table-service cooked breakfast.
We wil definitely stay in this hotel again.

I stayed here for two nights at the end of September and whilst the hotel has a lot of character the fire precautions were in need of attention. Being a fire and safety consultant I always check the fire safety of hotels that I stay in and this is what I found:
1. Fire doors not closing effectively
2. Doors to storerooms not kept locked
3. No emergency information on phones
4. External fire escapes not protected with fire resisting glazing
5. Incorrect hardware on fire doors
6. No fire/smoke seals on some fire doors
7. Incorrect fire instructions
8. Poor housekeeping

I wrote to the Managing Director enclosing copies of the pictures and received a reply from the Regional Director stating that the hotel's risk assessment was up to date and had been approved by the Fire Service - I have subsequetly sent my concerns to the Chief Fire Officer and asked him to comment.

One other area of concern was the cost of drinks - I was charged £7 for a 175ml glass of Red Wine - I called the Assistant Manager and asked him the price of this and he went and got the menu and indicated that the price was right. When I subsequently looked at the menu I found that this price is for a 250ml glass - I called the waiter and he said that it was because the bar was busy. I spoke to someone later in the evening and the bar had made the same mistake with them.

Looking for English "Olde World Charm" in the centre of a delightful village then the Bear at Woodstock should fit the bill. However, it does come at a price.

The hotel is very easy to find and there is plenty of parking. We were warmly greeted on arrival by a pleasant receptionist but there was no offer of help with luggage or someone to show us to our room. Maybe not such a great issue in many hotels but Macdonald Hotels, who own the Bear, are charging premium prices.

Our room was on the second floor (no lift) and was full of character. The bed was comfortable and housekeeping standards were good. The bathroom, though, was tiny.

We were at the front of the building but as Woodstock is a somewhat sleepy place we did not experience any disturbance. The views over the village roof tops were delightful.

We noticed a number of rooms were located away from the main hotel building - this could be inconvenient in adverse weather.

Overall the food in the restaurant justified the hotel's AA 2 rosette rating. Service was smooth and friendly. The overall tone of the menu is "Modern British". Presentation is very good and execution also is very good. We had booked on a Dinner, Bed & Breakfast rate so could choose from their "Classic Menu" (table d'hote) at no extra charge. Had we gone for something from the A La Carte then supplements would be charged. Breast of duck would have cost an additional £14 and Fillet of Beef an extra £18!

Coffee & chocolates after dinner are also an extra!

Wines start from around £17.50 a bottle.

We had pre-dinner drinks in the bar - shame on the first night the barman did not know how to make a pink gin.

One afternoon was quite warm so we quenched our thirst with a couple of small lagers in the courtyard. Again this highlighted Macdonald's approach to pricing - the halves of lager were reasonably priced (particularly as they were brought out to the table) but 80p for one dash of lime cordial!?

Here lies the rub - the hotel oozes character, the staff are friendly and helpful, the food is very good, the stay was relaxing and pleasant, the base DB&B price was top end but just about fair for the quality we received, BUT extras were not good value.

On the pricing front the company's approach is easily illustrated by the fact they charge £2 if you pay by credit card. Given the average size of bill, at the very least, this is very poor P.R. on Macdonald's part.

Those areas that come under the direct control of the hotel - quality of service etc. - can be recommended, but Macdonald Hotels need to review their charging policies for this recommendation to be unequivocable.

Excellent accommodation, up to the usual MacDonald standard which never fails to impress, lovely hotel, full of character, yet still with the modern touches we've come to expect. (Air con, fridges in rooms etc.) Great service. I would suggest booking on a B&B basis as there so many great places to eat within 2 minutes walking distance. Bar prices a little steep - £7 for a glass of red wine. Good selection at breakfast, though dinner possibly not to everyones taste! Ample parking and 5 minutes walk to Blenheim Palace.