The Watermill
Pub · Mole Valley ·

The Watermill

Pub · Mole Valley ·

Seasonal British dishes, cocktails, wine, beer, and great views

The Watermill by null
The Watermill by i-escape.com
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null
The Watermill by null

Information

Reigate Rd, Dorking RH4 1NN, United Kingdom Get directions

£20–40

Reserve a table
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Information

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Reigate Rd, Dorking RH4 1NN, United Kingdom Get directions

+44 1306 883248
thewatermill-dorking.co.uk
@the_watermill_dorking

£20–40 · Menu

Reserve a table

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Last updated

Oct 26, 2025

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The Watermill, Between Bergerac and Sarlat, Dordogne, France - Explore & Book

"Hidden away in a wooded valley above the Dordogne, within the estate of a formidable historic Chateau, there can be few such dreamily bucolic settings as this. Arriving by way of the narrowest of lanes to see the low gabled roofs of a former walnut press and a nearby tobacco barn feels like a Proustian rediscovery of Temps Perdu. Drawing on the combined sensibilities of the Commarque family, who have welcomed guests to their hilltop chateau for many years, the two buildings have been refashioned into rustic, country escapes. There's an inspirational six-bedroom hideaway with a heated pool (The Watermill) and a simpler, off-grid, more remote one-bedroom retreat (Tobacco Barn). Each is set 10 minutes' walk from the main chateau, and 10 minutes' walk from one another. Inside, you'll find a clean-cut decorative mix of antiques with chunky rough-hewn wooden furniture, chalky-grey screed floors, bright kilims, masses of cut flowers and views out to the valley that create a mood that is both understated and uplifting. If you're in search of calme et comfort and prefer self-catering to catered-for, this is about as good as it gets. Highs These are no ordinary gites: they're unique homes created with oodles of warmth and character The biggest luxury is the setting: as peaceful, private and pastoral as you could hope to find The Watermill has all you need for self-catering in style: a big kitchen, lovely outdoor dining areas and the produce of the Perigord And its high-ceilinged sitting room provides a diaphanous focus for life at the mill house You're at the heart of one the most beautiful regions of France Lows Bear in mind that The Watermill is minimal and sparse in style - some guests feel too much so, given the prices And that the Tobacco Barn is an off-grid getaway - no TV, heating, drinkable water or hot water in the kitchen, and no private pool (but The Watermill has all of the above) A car is a necessity given the relative isolation Minimum stays (3-7 nights) apply in peak months, but these can be flexible depending on availability" - Guy Hunter Watts

https://www.i-escape.com/the-watermill
i-escape.com
The Watermill

Hussam G.

Google
The Watermill Pub in Reigate is a lovely spot with a relaxed atmosphere and some truly stunning views — especially if you manage to grab a table outside. Just a heads up: outdoor seating is in high demand on weekends, so booking in advance is a must! There’s plenty of seating both indoors and out, and ample parking on-site, which makes it really convenient for families or larger groups. The vibe is calm and welcoming, making it a great place for both couples and families. We had the steak and Caesar salad — the food was average, but satisfying. What really stood out was the kids’ menu. Our little one is a notoriously picky eater, but she absolutely loved her meal, which is always a win in our books. It’s worth noting that the kitchen does get quite busy on weekends, so food can take a while. That said, the staff were friendly and clearly doing their best to keep up with the rush — we appreciated their effort and positive attitude. Overall, The Watermill is a great place to unwind, especially if you're after good views, a family-friendly setting, and a chilled afternoon in the countryside. We’ll definitely be back!

Jacob

Google
The view was outstanding. Unfortunately the service and food left a lot to be desired. We were left waiting to be seated for about 10 minutes despite letting bar staff and management know - we were given a “will be with you in a second”; it was not in fact a second. The burger was mediocre at best and the fries were heavily salted and undercooked to the point where I left them mostly untouched. The service was incredibly slow but I can’t blame the waiters since there looked to be only 2 of them covering several tables. I won’t be returning back for food any time soon but can see how it could be nice to have a drink at one of the outdoor tables.

Steven G.

Google
The Watermill was happy to accommodate 4 plus 2 dogs for lunch, booked at 1000 Saturday for 1430. Lovely staff, served by Elaine who was most welcoming and efficient. The food took 30 mins arrive. Our fish pies were pretty average really, I'd say half potatoe. Happy to return as a nice pub with outdoor seating and a view!

Cee K.

Google
I would highly recommend The Watermill. Be sure to be seated outside on the veranda, overlooking the rolling hills of Surrey. The atmosphere was chilled. The food was amazing. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. I will be returning very soon.

Kevin Y

Google
Had a wonderful Friday lunch at The Watermill. Front of House was very welcoming and showed us to a lovely table overlooking Box Hill on the terrace. Warm and personal service from Paula throughout the meal. The Fish and Chips were splendid, particularly the accompanying tartare sauce and curry ketchup. The wood fired vegetables was delicious and filling. Sticky toffee pudding was perfectly balanced. The terrace was full with parties of friends, couples, families all having a very relaxed and happy time.

Iulia S

Google
Delicious food!!! I had the prawn linguine, which was full of flavour, perfectly seasoned, and cooked just right with a generous portion of prawns and fresh herbs. For dessert, the crumble with custard was the perfect comforting finish!! Ut was warm, rich, and beautifully presented.

Gemma G.

Google
This was already my favourite pub but we had a particularly lovely visit yesterday. Not only was the food and drink sensational (the Thermidor lobster crumpet, small plate in particular!) and view as stunning as always but I particularly enjoyed my conversation with Paula about positive manifestation. (SPEC!) I needed that conversation yesterday! Paula, not only really looked after us, but clearly she’s a super special person too! She brings an even greater energy to an already great pub.

Emma H.

Google
Nice venue, food was very average. No one needs that amount of micro herbs on anything, let alone the delicate meat of lobster. The muffin wasn't cooked through either. Monk fish scampi was drowned in some chilli jelly, surely that should come in a separate pot 🤷🏼‍♀️ My caesar salad had at least 2 entire heads of romaine lettuce. Totally unnecessary waste of food, no one is gonna eat that much lettuce. Sea Bream was nice. Service was very good. Has a reasonably priced, decent wine list. Would go back again for drinks and to sit in the garden, but not to eat

Zai K.

Yelp
OK Visited the Watermill yesterday with my wife, daughter and dog Nice looking place after the facelift. We are local so popped in for a drink. Arrived and found a nice table in the corner, purchased our drinks and were sitting there for some ten minuets when a young chap in a suit (a junior manager I think) called 'James' came up to my wife and asked "have you booked this table?". My wife said no, but there was no reserved sign on the table. "You,ll have to move" said James, "this tables reserved". I had just returned from the loo to hear my wife request he at least was pleasant and apologised for the inconvenience before moving us to a smaller uncomfortable high-table, he didn't, saying it was company policy not to use reserved signs. Look, I don't have a problem being moved tables, although there was no reserved sign on the table. But I do think one should expect some basic politeness from the junior manager even if he was younger than our kids. To The Watermill management: 1. Maybe consider using 'reserved' signs on tables. 2. Have a 'wait to be seated' sign at the door and a member of staff to seat you. 3. Please make sure your junior managers, 'James' in this case, are properly trained and have basic courtesy and a personality. I was looking for a venue to host our office Christmas party of +30 people here but have now booked an alternative location.
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Margaret D.

Yelp
it is impossible to talk to a real person on the phone. i have tried 4 times to book and have never managed it !
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Owen M.

Yelp
An evening catch up was required and thought somewhere new was needed. Looking around Dorking seemed a good place to go to but the high street didn't really have anything that took our fancy so just a little bit further ok was this nice public house There were plenty of staff working (it was a training night) and all were friendly and ready to answer questions that were thrown at them The nice touch for me was someone coming around and asking if we wanted food as the kitchen would be closing soon - very good customer service
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Yee Gan O.

Yelp
In our quest to find THE replacement for our now discontinued salsa class at Bourne Hall on Friday evenings, my salsa friend Hilary suggested a Wednesday evening class in Dorking this week. Knowing I'm a keen Yelper, she mentioned the bonus of opening up a whole new range of restaurants to try out down Dorking way. We opened our Dorking account with a meal at Watermill Inn, a pub overlooking the picturesque rolling Surrey hills. Dionne, our waitress, told us that the restaurant had just launched a new menu 2 days previously. The food consist of a lot of pub classics on the main menu supplemented by specials on blackboards up around the pub. There are interesting options like boar on the menu and for those who are indecisive, most sections offered a sampler platter of several of the dishes in that section. We shared a pork and honey terrine to start, which was served with some nice bread that tasted house-made. Satisfying pork flavour which was really enhanced with the onion based chutney Hilary got the burger platter - one each of boar, spicy cajun and beef. All 3 burgers were distinctive in flavour and the chips were good too. My roast pork came on a mound of mash and braised red cabbage. The meat was lovely and moist and there was a good square of the crunchiest crackling! Only the thought of having to dance imminently stopped us having any dessert. A good start to potential salsa in Dorking!

B J B.

Yelp
This is extremely hit and miss. Have been here 4 times and had 1 superb plate, 2 average plates and 1 below average plate. They need to work on maintaining consistency
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Qype User (.

Yelp
The place is dirty and if you are lucky enough to sit out the back and enjoy the beautiful views of Boxhill, you will also enjoy the awful smell of old fat coming from the kitchen. The menu is all preprepared and out of a packet. Décor is very old fashioned with that fake dark wood that was used about 20 years ago. It's very dimmly lit and the tables have that horrible sticky feel.
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Loti B.

Yelp
On our way to London-Gatwick airport we took a rest at this site beside the road. The restaurant interior has dark furniture and poor light. Behind the building there is an outdoor garden with nice looks to Boxhill mtn. - we ordered ordinary pub food and tap beer which was ok but nothing more. Service was average but not too well prepared for not native speakers like us. One mile ahead eastwards there is another option at the right.
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Qype User (.

Yelp
Large Chef and Brewer pub on Reigate Road - about 3/4 mile from the town centre. Friendly and efficient service and good choice of drinks including Staropramen and two guest beers - currently Wells Bombardier and Bushys Castletown bitter. I made the mistake in choosing the latter of the two - one of the worst beers I have tasted since Worthington E. Described as 'a light, golden beer full of floral and citrus hints' - I thought it sounded quite appealing. However it had an awful acidy kick which made me wonder whether it hadn't been well kept. But as I haven't had any problems with any of their other bitters on I'll give the Watermill the benefit of the doubt and blame the beer. Although I usually go just to drink and socialise, many tables are taken by people eating food and it can get pretty busy sometimes, especially in the summer. This is one of the better pub chains and on the odd occasion when I have eaten the food has always been enjoyable and well presented.
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Qype User (.

Yelp
Good pub food here. Unfortunately they dont take bookings but I've been a few times and this wasnt a problem as long as you dont mind waiting at the bar for a few minutes. They have a large outside area with great views of Box Hill. Perfect for children in the garden.
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Dark B.

Yelp
This was very nice to stop by and have a nice lunch with the very quick to order and it was good to have a warm welcome to be seated. The view at the outside back seating area was good for the box hill view and just relaxed atmosphere , I would come here again to enjoy the great British summer outdoors.

Jade W.

Yelp
Very slow we waited 45 minutes for our meal after ordering. When our food arrived it was over cooked. We not not eat here again.

Qype User (.

Yelp
We rediscovered the Watermil when the Arkle Manor, just up the road, was being refurbished. At the time we were impressed with the menu choices, prices and service. Then after a year or so, it seems to have changed hands, menu choices became very limited, prices rocketed and staff became miserable. The food itself was good, but the rest of it meant we stopped going, plus the fact that our car door was 'dinked', but to be fair that could happen in any car park.

Mark R.

Yelp
Pricing is a little off having 2 meals the same on different menus at different prices so do your maths before ordering. Also the management really don't like complaints so be prepared for a very aggressive attitude if they get anything wrong and you need to complain. Lastly, my food was served rock hard after being cooked, left to cool and then microwaved. After a complaint, a near fight with the duty manager and a surly letter from the management group letting me know that "refresher training shall be taking place", for the kitchen staff, I won't be going back any time soon.

Qype User (.

Yelp
We visted the Watermill last night and it was brilliant. The pub was packed and we only just managed to get a parking space which in the middle of January tells you just how popular this pub has become again following its upgrade & re-launch in November 2010. The food was very good, excellent service with friendly staff who couldn't do enough for us. Very very impressed with how they have turned this pub around. We will be returning again very soon. My congratulations go to the chef, manager and all his staff.

Qype User (.

Yelp
quite a poor range of food service quite good but bit pricey for quality of food wouldn't really recomend it