The Saracens Head Inn

Ordered food at food counter, then waited a fair while to be served round corner ordering drinks at bar as they said couldn't order both at same time. Manager took my order but the coffee I ordered seemed to slip his mind even though he was still standing there looking at phone and screens. He was on his phone worrying about staff WhatsApp group. Lots of staff around but few actually watching for when someone came up to bar to order, and some seemed inexperienced. My food order went out to my table while I was still waiting at bar. At least otjere was one young staff member who daved the day with a can do attitude and got my forgotten about coffee. Soup was good when it came out second time.

I stayed here with my girlfriends for birthday celebrations and we had such a lovely time. We ate dinner on the Friday and Saturday in the restaurant and the food was delicious especially the burgers. Breakfast was delicious, I had scrambled egg and smoked salmon both days. The rooms were lovely. I think my only criticism was how hot my room was. We had to sleep with the patio doors open 😬 The staff were lovely and very accomodating. Perfect location 👌

Brilliant 3 night stay at the Saracens head whilst visiting Oldfield Forge in Knife making experience. From when we arrived the staff were really friendly making us feel at home and relaxed after our 2 hrs drive and giving us a map of the area for local walks. We stayed in the newly appointed superior rooms at the front of the pub over looking the river - contemporary style with lovely pine floors and furniture and modern perfect bathroom with a bath/shower - perfect for quick shower in the morning and a soak after a walk up hills in the rain in the evening. Pub had great selection of beer - and my first Butty Bach - which i am now in love with. On top of this the breakfast was top notch with great selection - but this continued into the evening with us dinning 2 days in a row since the food was such high quality, and great selection - the braised Venison was to die for. Hats off to the chef - this was some of the best pub dinning i have had for months. However, this may of all been for nothing as it does in some pubs due to the service and attitude - but this was far from it - running through all the staff we met and greeted us were happy engaged staff willing to help you in whatever you needed and share a bit of banter and laugh. Not sure who was the manager but obviously great leadship. Great stay, great service, excellent quality food and accommodation and above all lovely people. Thanks.

Went for Sunday roast with wife and son Had table near wood burner very cosy. Food was very nice I had the beef and the wife veggie and my son garlic bread. Very nice meal with healthy portions and nice veggie options for my wife. Staff were very attentive and nothing was too much trouble. Will definitely return in the new year!

Decent hotel with a nice breakfast with remodelled rooms. We had the twin room. It was all that was available. Ensuite is nice and room was comfortable enough. It didn't have a temperature control for the heating, so it may end up being uncomfortable if you can't get it dialled in. They have a decent pub and we enjoyed a nice meal for £100 for two, including a service charge we added. This seemed very fair to us. Staff were nice and helpful. Parking sucks if you don't realise or weren't told that the spaces with cones are for guests. Just move the cone and park, making sure they get your registration.

Perfect experience from start to finish. Easy to book, lovely room (although the heating temperature control had a mind of it's own!), great food (really good value - very tasty & plenty of it) and the staff couldn't have been more welcoming or friendly. Incredible location ... would definitely go back (hopefully in the summer to enjoy sitting by the river for dinner!)

We spent one night here and what a fabulous place it is. We were due to spend 3 night here but due to circumstances had to leave. We had an evening meal here which was delicious and breakfast was cooked exactly to my request. All the staff that we came into contact with were amazing- they were all pleasant, friendly and extremely helpful - the owners should be really proud of them all. We have no hesitation in recommending this place and hopefully we will be able to return in the future.

Great location to spend a few days. Very busy in high season, but the staff was amazing and looked after us. Generous freshly cooked breakfast. Our room looked over the river. Noisy because of the many day-trip tourists but all quiet around 21.30 h. The river and its surroundings are beautiful. Many nice places to visit. Or just walk around the neighbourhood. It was our second time visiting Symonds Yat. We might go there again.

Wonderful pub deep in the Wye Valley, Herefordshire. The Saracens Head Inn is situated right on the bank of the River Wye and is both a bed and breakfast and a pub/restaurant. We had reserved a table for five on the day and when we arrived we were taken to the nicest possible table, with a window overlooking the river and with ample space. The pub has both indoor and outdoor seating and a nice bar. The staff were all very friendly and the same bar staff simultaneously run the famous "Symonds Yat Hand Ferry" just outside the restaurant. It's a pretty interesting thing to see, as people come to the bar requesting to get to the other side of the river and a barman will literally come out from behind the bar, head off outside and take them (hand pulling a rope) over to the other side of the river! The beer selection here is pretty extensive with lots of local beers such as Wye Valley Brewery and Ledbury. My brother in law and I sampled 5 or 6 different ones over lunch and were impressed. The food here was also excellent with a nice variety of different items to chose from, from traditional English pub fare to Indian dishes. I went with the Haddock and Chips which was fried to a golden crisp and nothing short of delicious. The rest of my family had similarly good food and everyone was left satisfied! Overall the Saracens Head was fabulous and this is a magnificent and picturesque place to visit in general if you're ever in the Wye Valley/ Symonds Yat/ Herefordshire area, with lots of hiking, river cruises and just admiring of nature to do in the area; can't wait to return!

Excellent, excellent & excellent once more. We were seated in the bar area as we were sporting some particularly muddy boots which were not appropriate for the restaurant. A large and varied menu sets the taste buds a-tingling in anticipation. We ordered a fish platter to share and goats cheese beignets followed by a bowl of mussels, pie of the day (beef in ale with mushrooms) and fish & chips twice (one kids size). The food was fantastic but beware the large portions if you suffer with a small stomach! Luckily none of us did and all the food was enjoyed immensely along with pints of Wye Valley pale ale, an interesting brew called Butty Bach and Symonds cider. The landlord was a very pleasant chap who kindly gave us a lift back to collect our car as we couldn't stomach the walk back up to Christchurch. Pay them a visit, enjoy their beer and food and write an honest review as they seem to have suffered from one or two of those 'anti-Trip' advisor fiends! Well done Saracens Head and thanks!

After a two-hour drive, this is definitely the first pub you'll want to find. Tucked away down a single-track road, next to the tranquil river Wye, get yourself some of their special platters or try the cheese board for an amazing treat. The interior is rustic and the log burner is divine to sit next to. Make sure you aren't driving, or use some of the on-site accommodation, and try everything behind the bar that you can.

This could and should be a really good pub. A 16th century inn nestled in a beautiful valley with 5 decent ales on tap - what's not to like? It's just a bit weird really. The management are bizarre. When we arrived they closed the bar for 20 minutes to clean the floor, and the staff just stood around and didn't say anything, not at all interested in chatting to the customers. They've cramped the bar area with seating and a stupid phone box right in the way, and the toilets look like they came out of a hotel - really weird marble sinks, totally out of place. On the plus side, Old Peculiar, and Wye Valley Hereford Pale Ale on draft does make up for most sins, but if we weren't a captive audience, we wouldn't have stayed here.

Ok, ignore the Qype users. This pub is an absolute gem,. We were camping next door and stopped in for some snacks and beers. First up the ale selection was wide with at least 5 hand pulls ranging from obvious choices like Wye valley and the ubiquitous doom bar to some Welsh ones I'd not heard of. I did receive one cloudy pint but they changed it without any fuss. The location is a winner, at the bottom of a tree lined valley, right on the river. Good luck checking in because there is no mobile signal down there and although they do have several wifi hubs, I didn't manage to log on. By my count there are about 75 outdoor seats, if the sun is shining it's difficult to imagine a more serene place to drink. The dinner menu is expensive, think £16 for a main course but they have sandwiches on the lunch menu for a lot less. Despite the high price point all the food looks amazing, the only thing I tried was a fish platter sharer board and It was phenomenal. I imagine if you reserved a table in the restaurant and stayed for dinner you wouldn't be disappointed. The bar was well staffed and they were all friendly and will pull you across the river on a mini ferry if you need to get to symonds yat west. Essentially, I love it here, if you still need convincing, they stock scampi fries.

What a wonderful place! We found this pub close to where we are staying, and popped in for a bit of lunch. I ordered a pork and stuffing baguette and my partner had the cheese board, both were absolutely amazing! They do a wide selection of delicious food for lunch, and they serve local ales and ciders, which we sampled! We sat in the bar, as we just wanted a casual lunch, but it's not that big. We managed to get a table close to the wonderful log burner, so we were lovely and toasty. The service was really good, quick and efficient, would definitely come here again, even if just for the view of the beautiful River Wye right outside the window!

This place is a treasure. A real gem that still shines bright despite being surrounded by all the wonderful gems that are in the magnificent Herefordshire. Food: If you are here, the food is a must. It has never let me down, it has always been utterly incredible in taste, appearance and smell. It truly deserves credit for its fantastic, locally sourced, fresh produce and the very talented chef that creates these magical dishes. Service: The staff are just wonderful. Friendly, helpful, knowledgeable. Especially this lovely little Scottish lady, who went totally out of her way to get me a table for dinner. She was so friendly and funny and her knowledge of the menu was incredible. Bar: Two words - Local. Beers. And an extra adjective - amazing. Rooms: Some of the rooms were a little dated, but honestly would you care with a heart wrenching, awe inspiring, breath taking view of the River Wye? I certainly didn't, but it would be my only gripe with the place, the showers need updating as the hot water was occasionally on and off.... I loved the rustic feel of the rooms though, the low beams and ceilings, the old style windows. It's a magical place that makes you feel close to the history and nature of the little village. Overall, it's a stunning place, a treat to go there. The little hand pulled boat from one side of the river to the other is another of my favourite features. So gorgeous and truly stuck in the past, in the best way possible.

Seems like a great friendly pub with an impressive menu. I had the wild mushroom and saffron lasagne served as is for £12.95 and while very nice, i was a little annoyed to find that it had been microwaved, with a pint of cider costing nearly £4.00 !!! So in summary nice, but sadly not great value at all.

Great pub, and great restaurant. We had dinner there on a Friday night, and didn't have to wait long for a table in the bar (which was right by the log fire and so nice and warm). Some friends of ours were stuck in traffic, but they gladly said "we'll keep serving food" so that they were able to arrive after they'd officially shut the kitchen and still order. The main I had (duck) wasn't spectacular, but the puddings were amazing! Pear and Tangerine flavoured sorbets were delicious and I would strongly recommend.

Nice pub in a great location, large selection of ales, we didn't eat here but the meals being served looked delicious.

Great atmosphere and lots to see and do here. The pub even operates the river ferry that takes visitors between Symonds Yat east and west. They stop serving lunch at 3:30 PM I believe and don't start serving food again until 6:30 PM - so get there in a timely manner if you'd like some food with your beverage. The service here was great, in general people are just nicer around this area. It gets quite busy, so you might have to wait a bit for service. There are many great places to eat or drink right along Symonds Yat, so if Saracens Head is packed then don't feel let down trying one of the other establishments!

this is a lovely pub and having stayed in its accommodation a few times i can tell you that too is really nice. the rooms can be a little quirky as some of the floors slope a little as do the walls, but its old so what else can you expect. the beds are comfy and the bedding and rooms very clean. breakfast is substantial and the evening meals here are really delicious and there is usually a few vegetarian alternatives. the beer is super and im not even a beer drinker but they sell one called wye valley which i really recommend. take your drink and sit outside and watch the river flow on a summers evening & i promise you, its just one step from heaven!

A pub very dependent on tourist trade and due to it's stunning location - it us often very busy throughout the summer - food just ok - as a local there is no strong pull to visit - real ale is good apparently - not my tipple - no great lager to be found.

Positively delightful! The salmon special I had here tonight is by far the very best salmon I have ever had prepared at a restaurant. It was cooked to perfection and full of flavor. I ate every single bite of the meal without regret and wishing for more. I have eaten in many restaurants in this region of the UK and none was better than this one. I cannot wait for a reason to return.

This is great pub, good food a little expensive though, great place to go for a good days walk its right on the edge of the Forest of Dean, or if you so desire you can keep on going all the way to the historic town of Monmouth by following the old rail track and passing the swing bridge over the river Wye along the way, but make sure you take your walking boots with you, as its about a ten mile round trip.

Best part of this place is definitely the location but the dining room is also great and the bar too. I love coming back here when I am visiting my family in the area