The Priory Hotel

The hotel and grounds are very well kept and for a historic building well maintained. The grounds with the river at the bottom are really beautiful. Dinner and Breakfast were superb and had a good variety of options. The kippers for breakfast were exceptional. There are a number of lounges around the hotel to relax. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We will return, but we will avoid the Arne Room. Not only is it in the roof space and so there is a steep fight of stairs and a cramped room at the end. However, the main problem was the repeated buzzing every 5-10 minutes that was possibly the mini-fridge or heating. Had we been staying longer than one night we would have complained.

An exceptional hotel in stunning grounds. The staff are very friendly, the rooms tastefully furnished and the hotel offers guests a perfect stay. They even provided a paddle board! We only had breakfast each morning which was well presented and served in their beautiful dining room overlooking the gardens and river. Other guests said that both lunch and dinner were exceptional. Well done to both management and staff who together have created a very special hotel.

We stayed here for 3 nights, only had dinner on the first night. It is a very good hotel, with attentive staff and a nice atmosphere - beautiful gardens and restaurant is one of the nicest I've ever been in - in essence a conservatory looking out over the river. Breakfasts were delicious and freshly cooked - my husband had a great kipper! Our experience of dinner was OK, but the prix fixe was not conducive to choosing what you really wanted. You have to pay for 3 courses whether you want them or not, and then extra items from the specials menu on top of that. I had some indifferent arancini for my main course. But really what loses the extra star is that we'd booked our table for 6pm, we were waiting in a lounge for 45 minutes before our order was taken. This felt like their agenda, not ours, ie "you will eat when we decide". If they are not ready to take your order at 6.15 or so, they shouldn't let you book a table for 6pm. Another issue was that we had to keep the window closed in our room because of the noise of machines in the kitchen below. It is also worth noting for anyone with mobility issues that a lot of the rooms are up a lot of steep, narrow stairs and this maybe should be mentioned on their website.

We came here for dinner (with a booking but not as residents of the hotel). What a lovely setting - the grounds on the banks of the river Frome are beautiful for a stroll before dinner. The setting from the restaurant is stunning, the food delicious and the service both personal and efficient. Many thanks to Celine and Cristian for hosting such a delightful experience!

The hotel is lovely and the grounds really beautiful. Breakfast was delicious with a good variety of foods. The upstairs lounge was quiet and a very pleasant place to relax for a couple of hours (the room wasn't relaxing, see below). The staff were very helpful. I also love the Molton Brown toiletries! However, if you stay there, make sure you don't have the Arne Room. It says it's 23m but that's the floor space including the sloping walls. I'm not even 1.60m, but I bumped my head several times, and there are steps in the room and into the bathroom. It's not a room for tall people! Also, the hot water tank kept me awake throughout the night - it starts up every 8-10 minutes and then shudders to a halt. When I mentioned this at reception, I was told that no one had ever mentioned this before. I would stay here again for the ambiance, but only if I got to see the room before I tried to sleep there.

The Priory Hotel stands in beautiful gardens on the river bank in Wareham. The historical hotel is a wonderful place close to the Wonderful Dorset coast. But that is not the main reason for visiting this lovely hotel. The food and the staff are just wonderful. Talk to Christian about his wines,he just loves to help you choose the one that's right for you to enjoy with your meal. In the dining room you will be looked after by Indre and the team whilst you enjoy the Chefs great meals. The Priory is just a wonderful place to relax. It is one our favourite places.

We had a fantastic evening at the Priory. Service start to finish was lovely and the staff were all brilliant. Food was delicious as always. Christian made our evening essentially memorable. Our favourite place for special occasions! We look forward to returning.

5 star service and quality from start to finish. The food was sensational and in a beautiful setting. The ambiance of this establishment is first class both in the lounge and the restaurant. My new favourite eatery and although expensive it was worth every penny.

We recently spent two lovely nights at the hotel celebrating our wedding anniversary and had a fabulous time. The hotel and gardens are absolutely immaculate and the setting is just idyllic. It was enhanced by the wonderful weather we had whilst there and drinks on the patio as well as relaxing in the deck chairs in the garden overlooking the River Frome were most enjoyed. We had excellent meals in the beautifully appointed restaurant and a special mention to Christian, Paul and Elle who made the experience extra special. Also a shout out to the wonderful lady pianist who kindly played and sang our favourite Val Morrison song one evening. Happy memories, we have recommended to many and will definitely return.