King John Inn, Tollard Royal, Wiltshire, UK - Explore & Book

"The King John Inn is a rural idyll with a past. Constructed in 1859, this ivy-clad red-brick coaching inn has stood as the focal point for the beautiful hamlet of Tollard Royal for centuries. Today, ramblers and their dogs still rub shoulders with villagers and local games-keepers at the bar (though now Guy Ritchie counts among them). And while the pub-restaurant is traditionally adorned with hunting prints and heritage tweeds, now you’ll also find local artwork, award-winning ales and a creative gastro-pub menu.Set in the magnificent Cranborne Chase countryside, there's fresh air aplenty, as well as charming market towns and historic country houses to discover nearby. After a day of rural pursuits - walking, hunting, cycling, fishing - we unwound over a candlelit supper of local venison and well-chosen wines; then stumbled lazily upstairs to one of the eight stylish, comfortable bedrooms and slept like royalty. Highs In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - guests can stroll straight from the village to rolling fieldsDeliciously fresh local produce on the menu: Wiltshire game, house oak-smoked salmon, Westcombe cheddar…Our bed was out-of-this-world comfyThe sunny tiered garden provides the perfect spot for a pre-dinner drinkFaultless service when we visited - nothing was too much trouble for the friendly team Lows Situated on a roadside. Cars pass infrequently, but when they do, you can hear themIn the coach house annexe, room 8 has a low ceiling and room 7 lacks privacy - but both are peaceful The restaurant can get busy at weekends, especially Sunday lunchtimes; vegetarian options are limitedIt won't suit those with a strong anti-hunting stanceNo shops in the village, but Shaftesbury town is a short drive away" - Charlotte Bonsey