Bull Inn
Pub with rooms in Olney, Bedfordshire
From £90 per night
Curator's notes:
- Refurbished 17th-century coaching inn
- Overlooks Market Place in pretty Olney
- Eclectic pub menu served all day
- Quirky, well-designed rooms
Rooms from:
13 doubles: £90
Good to know
All major credit cards accepted
Disabled access
Alfresco & private dining
Parking available
Olney
The pretty Georgian market town on the banks of the River Great Ouse offers a host of independent shops to explore, as well as the Cowper & Newton Museum, which celebrates the lives of two influential poets who lived in the town during the 18th century, one writing the hymn Amazing Grace.
Events & celebrations
The Green Room is the perfect space (seats 24) to celebrate special occasions while The Snug (seats 15) can be booked for a family lunch or dinner.
Rooms
Each of the 13 beautifully refurbished rooms have their own unique style. All but one of the rooms are located above the inn and the constraints of the 17th-century building has resulted in some interesting layouts, especially in the smaller rooms, where bathrooms are incorporated into the room.
Expect to find under-lit roll-top baths, walk-in showers (& baths) and contemporary sinks sunk into antique tables and washstands in these imaginatively designed rooms. In addition, rooms are very comfortably kitted out with rugs on wooden floors, quality linen, down and colourful woollen blankets on sleigh or four-foster beds with 1,000-sprung mattresses, plus antique furnishings, Nespresso machines and decent TVs.
The boutique rooms are named after cattle breeds or places associated with cattle and split into four types - Very Good, Really Good, Top-Notch and Accessible. Top-Notch rooms (The Pastures & The Dairy) are big rooms with seating areas, roll-top baths in the room and a separate shower. The Stables is the Accessible room, with two separate beds for a family and a huge bathroom that's fully equipped for disabled guests.
Restaurant & bar
Served throughout the rambling and informal bar rooms and the airy, atrium-style dining area, replete with open-to-view kitchen, the eclectic seasonal menu (plus innovative weekend specials) trawls the globe for inspiration and champions comfort dishes, all freshly prepared using locally sourced ingredients.
In true gastropub fashion, nibble on artisan breads with balsamic and olive oil, start with the likes of bubble-and-squeak with poached egg and hollandaise, before tucking into sausage and mash with caramelised onion gravy, crab and prawn linguine with chilli and rocket, or a classic Dexter burger with tomato jam and Asian slaw. Leave room for warm chocolate and pecan brownie. Wake up to an imaginative breakfast - interesting vegetarian options.
At the bar, expect a decent range of craft beers, including Charles Wells Triple Hop IPA brewed just down the road, a raft of spirits, notably an interesting array of boutique gins and vodkas.
Gallery
