The Black Bull Inn
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Summary of reviewsThe Black Bull Inn comes highly recommended for its blend of charming rural ambiance, excellent location and warm hospitality. Situated in a quiet, picturesque village with beautiful gardens and walking trails, the inn’s proximity to landmarks like Stansted Airport and nearby towns makes it an ideal spot for both travelers and event attendees.
The breakfast offerings receive high praise; the complimentary continental breakfast is noted for its freshness and variety, while the locally-sourced full English breakfast is celebrated for its heartiness and quality. Despite limited breakfast hours, the overall dining experience is frequently described as superb. Dinner options are equally impressive, featuring generous portions of traditional pub fare such as homemade pies and roast dinners, all served in a welcoming atmosphere.
Rooms are deemed basic but comfortable and consistently clean with adjustable heating and comfortable beds. Although some guests find the rooms rather small and lacking in storage, the essential amenities and tea and coffee facilities add to their functionality. The peaceful location ensures a quiet stay despite being on a main road.
Cleanliness gets mixed reviews; while many guests commend the spotless rooms and facilities, others point out areas needing improvement like bathrooms. The overall perception is that, for the price, the accommodation meets expectations.
The inn's staff is frequently lauded for their friendliness, helpfulness and exceptional service. Owners Nicola and Tony are particularly noted for their generosity and effort to ensure guest satisfaction, contributing significantly to the welcoming atmosphere.
Parking facilities are abundant and free, adding convenience for guests traveling by car, while the beds generally offer a comfortable night’s sleep despite some occasional issues with mattress quality.
The Black Bull Inn also shines in accessibility, providing wide doorways, ground-floor rooms with walk-in wet rooms and handrails for seniors. The accessible car park and facilities ensure a comfortable stay for guests with mobility challenges.
While some areas, particularly room amenities and cleanliness, could see improvement to align with its five-star ambitions, the inn nonetheless provides a delightful stay marked by excellent food, welcoming service and a serene setting.
Categories
The breakfast offerings receive high praise; the complimentary continental breakfast is noted for its freshness and variety, while the locally-sourced full English breakfast is celebrated for its heartiness and quality. Despite limited breakfast hours, the overall dining experience is frequently described as superb. Dinner options are equally impressive, featuring generous portions of traditional pub fare such as homemade pies and roast dinners, all served in a welcoming atmosphere.
Rooms are deemed basic but comfortable and consistently clean with adjustable heating and comfortable beds. Although some guests find the rooms rather small and lacking in storage, the essential amenities and tea and coffee facilities add to their functionality. The peaceful location ensures a quiet stay despite being on a main road.
Cleanliness gets mixed reviews; while many guests commend the spotless rooms and facilities, others point out areas needing improvement like bathrooms. The overall perception is that, for the price, the accommodation meets expectations.
The inn's staff is frequently lauded for their friendliness, helpfulness and exceptional service. Owners Nicola and Tony are particularly noted for their generosity and effort to ensure guest satisfaction, contributing significantly to the welcoming atmosphere.
Parking facilities are abundant and free, adding convenience for guests traveling by car, while the beds generally offer a comfortable night’s sleep despite some occasional issues with mattress quality.
The Black Bull Inn also shines in accessibility, providing wide doorways, ground-floor rooms with walk-in wet rooms and handrails for seniors. The accessible car park and facilities ensure a comfortable stay for guests with mobility challenges.
While some areas, particularly room amenities and cleanliness, could see improvement to align with its five-star ambitions, the inn nonetheless provides a delightful stay marked by excellent food, welcoming service and a serene setting.
Luxury Hotel
Rated as a 5-star property, this inn is popular with guests seeking a luxury hotel experience in Essex.
Hotel with Parking
This hotel features free private parking with a large car park located on-site. Guests can easily find a spot for their vehicle directly at the hotel.
Small Hotel
Located in Fyfield, this inn offers a traditional and cozy experience. Known for its friendly atmosphere and comfortable accommodations, making it a great choice for a relaxing escape.
5-Star Hotel
This inn provides a luxurious experience with well-appointed rooms and attentive service. Its charm and high standards make it a standout option for a high-end stay.
Hotel with Free Wi-Fi
Accessible Hotel
Guest Reviews
The Black Bull Inn boasts a prime location that makes it a convenient choice for various needs, particularly for those attending local weddings or events in the surrounding area. Situated in a picturesque, quiet village, the inn offers a serene setting, complete with beautiful gardens, fields and walking trails. Its proximity to key landmarks such as Stansted Airport and nearby towns like Chelmsford adds to its accessibility, making it an ideal stop for travelers.
Guests frequently commend the inn for its lovely rural ambiance, which is especially delightful on sunny days. The attached pub is also highlighted as a significant advantage, serving good food and enhancing the overall experience.
Moreover, the inn consistently receives praise for its friendly staff and clean, hassle-free accommodations. Whether one is in the area for a wedding, stopping overnight or simply exploring the Essex countryside, The Black Bull Inn’s excellent location and warm hospitality make it a commendable choice.
Guests at The Black Bull Inn have consistently praised the breakfast offerings, highlighting both the continental and cooked options. A complimentary continental breakfast is included in the room rate and is often described as fresh with a good variety of quality items, including a particularly noteworthy fruit platter. For a modest additional fee, guests can enjoy an exceptional, locally-sourced full English breakfast that is both hearty and delicious, often served promptly and at a good value.
Despite some mentions of limited breakfast hours and the continental option being described as somewhat basic, the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. The cooked breakfasts, in particular, are frequently celebrated as a highlight of the stay with many reviews noting them as very tasty and of excellent quality. Guests appreciated the friendly and helpful staff, the lovely setting of the pub and the convenience of ample on-site parking. The overall dining experience, from breakfast through to evening meals, is often described as superb, making The Black Bull Inn a commendable choice for a satisfying visit.
The Black Bull Inn enjoys high praise from guests who have dined there with the food frequently described as very good to exceptional. The establishment offers a good variety of dishes ranging from traditional pub fare to a fabulous Sunday roast. DINERs appreciate the generous portions provided with many noting the meals are sufficiently large and excellent value for money.
Guests particularly rave about the evening meals, consistently describing them as amazing, delicious and superb. Popular dishes include the freshly prepared seafood starters, delicious homemade pies and possibly some of the best ham guests have tasted in dishes like ham, egg and chips. The pub also serves up gorgeous roast dinners and a wide selection of other hearty main courses.
The Black Bull Inn's friendly and helpful staff contribute to the overall positive dining experience and the atmosphere in the pub is frequently mentioned as being lovely and conducive to enjoying a meal. While the pub's closing time for food and drink may be a minor inconvenience for some, the satisfaction with the exceptional quality, great taste and value of the food leave a lasting impression on many of its patrons.
In summary, the Black Bull Inn is highly recommended for its fantastic and varied dining options, generous portions and the welcoming atmosphere, making it an excellent choice for dinner during your stay.
The accommodations at the Black Bull Inn are described as basic yet comfortable with an emphasis on cleanliness. While many found the rooms to be small and sometimes lacking in amenities such as hair dryers and wardrobes, they were generally considered sufficient for short stays. Some rooms feature compact layouts with small windows, resulting in a rather cozy or even claustrophobic feel for some guests.
The inn also offers rooms in a separate annex, which some guests found to be tiny and sparse, likening them to a student dorm in appearance. Despite this, the rooms were consistently noted for being clean and functional, providing the essentials needed for a stay.
Heating in the rooms is adjustable, which has been appreciated and the beds are described as soft and comfortable. Additionally, a modern, clean look was noted in some rooms, contrasting with others that seemed a bit dated or tired.
The inn's location on a main road did not seem to detract from the quietness of the rooms, ensuring a relatively peaceful stay. Guests also enjoyed the inclusion of tea and coffee facilities in their rooms and the quality of the breakfast received high praise. Overall, while the rooms at the Black Bull Inn may not exceed expectations in luxury or size, they are dependable for their cleanliness and comfort, providing a satisfactory stay for short visits.
At The Black Bull Inn, the beds receive mixed reviews from guests. The prevailing sentiment leans towards comfort with numerous guests praising the beds for being comfortable and the rooms generally providing a good level of coziness. A significant number of guests describe the beds as soft and comfortable, which adds to a restful night's sleep. However, there are frequent mentions of discomfort with several guests pointing out issues such as small and squeaky beds, hard mattresses and thin pillows that feel like flat pancakes. Some reviewers have also noted issues like badly stained mattress protectors and lumpy mattresses. Overall, while many guests find the beds at The Black Bull Inn to be comfortable and adequate for the price, there are notable instances where the comfort level does not meet expectations.
The Black Bull Inn offers a mixed bag of experiences when it comes to cleanliness. On the positive side, several reviewers noted clean and functional rooms, praised the cleanliness of the facilities and mentioned spotless rooms and very clean accommodations. Guests appreciated the good quality cotton bed linens, clean towels and a warm welcome in a clean room. For the price paid, the accommodation met expectations for many.
However, there were also significant areas for improvement. Some guests reported issues such as black mould, limescale, thick dust on the toilet waste pipe and overall grime on the pipework. There were accounts of large spiders in big cobwebs, dusty windowsills and a grim ensuite. Despite positive mentions of cleanliness, certain areas did not consistently meet guests' expectations and several comments pointed out that bathrooms, in particular, could benefit from a more thorough cleaning.
Overall, while the inn has received praise for clean rooms and facilities, it appears there is room for improvement to ensure a more uniformly clean experience across all aspects of the accommodation.
The Black Bull Inn has garnered notable praise for its exceptional staff, highlighted consistently by guests for their friendliness, helpfulness and welcoming nature. Many guests emphasized the warm and inviting atmosphere created by the staff, who often remember returning guests. The owners, Nicola and Tony, were repeatedly mentioned for their friendliness, generosity and assistance, going the extra mile to ensure guest satisfaction, such as aiding with taxi bookings. Reviewers remarked on the excellent service and the attentiveness of the staff, even in challenging situations. The staff also contributed to the high-quality experience in the pub and restaurant with the service described as speedy, cheerful and exceptionally good. The overall consensus indicates a consistently positive experience with the staff, making The Black Bull Inn a highly recommended destination for its outstanding service and welcoming environment.
The parking situation at The Black Bull Inn is highly praised by guests. They consistently mention the benefits of free parking available at the hotel. Visitors appreciate the ample parking space, emphasizing the generous and plentiful on-site parking options. The facilities are described as good with many noting the convenience and ease of finding a spot. Overall, the parking at The Black Bull Inn meets and often exceeds guests' expectations, providing a hassle-free experience for those traveling by car.
The Black Bull Inn boasts an exceptional overall experience, as reflected in numerous guest reviews. Patrons consistently highlight the outstanding breakfast and excellent food and drinks available at the establishment. Service is noted as wonderful and of an excellent standard all around. While the inn is described as comfortable and conveniently located, some guests feel that, given its five-star rating and associated costs, there could be room for improvement in meeting the high expectations set online. However, the inn's exceptional service and dining options leave a lasting positive impression on many visitors.
The Black Bull Inn stands out as a highly accessible destination for guests with disabilities. The hotel features wide doorways that accommodate wheelchairs and handrails to assist seniors. Notably, all rooms are located on the ground floor in an annex separate from the main building, enhancing ease of access. Additionally, the presence of walk-in wet rooms ensures a comfortable experience for guests with mobility challenges. Conveniently situated near a subway, the hotel offers simple navigation to and from its premises. The car park and all other facilities, including reasonably priced food options, are also easily accessible. The outdoor spaces are particularly well-regarded, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the stay.
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Location
Guests frequently commend the inn for its lovely rural ambiance, which is especially delightful on sunny days. The attached pub is also highlighted as a significant advantage, serving good food and enhancing the overall experience.
Moreover, the inn consistently receives praise for its friendly staff and clean, hassle-free accommodations. Whether one is in the area for a wedding, stopping overnight or simply exploring the Essex countryside, The Black Bull Inn’s excellent location and warm hospitality make it a commendable choice.
Breakfast
Despite some mentions of limited breakfast hours and the continental option being described as somewhat basic, the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. The cooked breakfasts, in particular, are frequently celebrated as a highlight of the stay with many reviews noting them as very tasty and of excellent quality. Guests appreciated the friendly and helpful staff, the lovely setting of the pub and the convenience of ample on-site parking. The overall dining experience, from breakfast through to evening meals, is often described as superb, making The Black Bull Inn a commendable choice for a satisfying visit.
Dinner
Guests particularly rave about the evening meals, consistently describing them as amazing, delicious and superb. Popular dishes include the freshly prepared seafood starters, delicious homemade pies and possibly some of the best ham guests have tasted in dishes like ham, egg and chips. The pub also serves up gorgeous roast dinners and a wide selection of other hearty main courses.
The Black Bull Inn's friendly and helpful staff contribute to the overall positive dining experience and the atmosphere in the pub is frequently mentioned as being lovely and conducive to enjoying a meal. While the pub's closing time for food and drink may be a minor inconvenience for some, the satisfaction with the exceptional quality, great taste and value of the food leave a lasting impression on many of its patrons.
In summary, the Black Bull Inn is highly recommended for its fantastic and varied dining options, generous portions and the welcoming atmosphere, making it an excellent choice for dinner during your stay.
Rooms
The inn also offers rooms in a separate annex, which some guests found to be tiny and sparse, likening them to a student dorm in appearance. Despite this, the rooms were consistently noted for being clean and functional, providing the essentials needed for a stay.
Heating in the rooms is adjustable, which has been appreciated and the beds are described as soft and comfortable. Additionally, a modern, clean look was noted in some rooms, contrasting with others that seemed a bit dated or tired.
The inn's location on a main road did not seem to detract from the quietness of the rooms, ensuring a relatively peaceful stay. Guests also enjoyed the inclusion of tea and coffee facilities in their rooms and the quality of the breakfast received high praise. Overall, while the rooms at the Black Bull Inn may not exceed expectations in luxury or size, they are dependable for their cleanliness and comfort, providing a satisfactory stay for short visits.
Beds
Cleanliness
However, there were also significant areas for improvement. Some guests reported issues such as black mould, limescale, thick dust on the toilet waste pipe and overall grime on the pipework. There were accounts of large spiders in big cobwebs, dusty windowsills and a grim ensuite. Despite positive mentions of cleanliness, certain areas did not consistently meet guests' expectations and several comments pointed out that bathrooms, in particular, could benefit from a more thorough cleaning.
Overall, while the inn has received praise for clean rooms and facilities, it appears there is room for improvement to ensure a more uniformly clean experience across all aspects of the accommodation.
Staff
Parking
5 Star
Accessible
No, The Black Bull Inn doesn't have any pool.
No, a spa isn't available at The Black Bull Inn.
No, The Black Bull Inn doesn't allow dogs.
Yes, parking facilities are available at The Black Bull Inn.
No, The Black Bull Inn doesn't have a gym.
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