Watersmeet Hotel Rocks Restaurant

We got married here last year and have just returned for a first year anniversary lunch. Everytime we've been here it's always been a pleasant experience, it's a stunning location and building and the staff do it justice with good service with a smile and professionalism which is great, also the food and drinks are fantastic. Would recommend to anyone wanting something a bit special.

+1

We came for a celebratory afternoon tea and the staff went above and beyond to ensure we had an enjoyable day. The views from our location were also amazing and made it all the worthwhile as well. Would definitely consider staying a night or two based on our experience today.

This is an incredible hotel and we had an almost perfect stay. The terrace room next to the restaurant was very special with stunning sea views, very clean and comfortable. The breakfast and evening meals were delicious and the staff were kind, friendly and accommodating and really made the experience very special and went above and beyond our expectations. When they heard from us that the meal on our first evening had been disrupted by something which was no fault of the actual team themselves whatsoever they were extremely kind and very responsive to our feedback. It was clear everyone works very very hard, seem to take pride in their work and I hope they know how lovely they are! We had a few really nice chats and it didn't feel too forced or like it was a massive chore. The waiting staff, reception staff and everyone we talked to were polite, genuine and caring. The outdoor seaview pool was one of the highlights of the experience and we were really surprised how peaceful and quiet it is despite being just round the corner from Woolacombe. There are beautiful walks right on the doorstep and even in the middle of the summer holidays we found a secluded cove to relax in. The indoor spa facility was also tranquil and we had an awesome afternoon tea on the terrace too. Massive compliments to the chef for all the food we were lucky enough to eat during our stay. Thank you also for offering me other options as a vegetarian that was much appreciated. The atmosphere in the hotel was informal and relaxed despite it being luxurious and well appointed. Also I have to say as a parent of young children having some child free time I really appreciated that the families who were guests at the same time as us as they were particularly considerate and sweet. They seemed to also be having a lovely relaxed and peaceful holiday.enjoying everything the hotel and surrounding area have to offer. Thank you very much to the whole team who work in the day to day running of the hotel for making us feel so welcome. You're doing a fantastic job and I hope you have a good rest of the season.

Fabulous views. Service was attentive but low season so not many on the restaurant. Indoor Pool small but clean and spa was good.

We went for dinner and it was incredible. Brilliant views, brilliant food and brilliant customer service. We had a glorious evening and are already looking forward to going back.

+4

We have just returned from a wonderful 3 night stay . Amazing views from our room, extremely comfy bed, fantastic food & a beautiful hotel. It is pricey but you get what you pay for. But by far the best thing about this hotel is the staff. Each and every member of staff is attentive, professional but also friendly and approachable. We will return as soon as possible.

We had dinner at The Rocks - the staff were brilliant, food was superb and the view was amazing. 100% recommend

We got married here a few weeks ago. The hotel is beautiful in a peaceful setting with stunning views. The staff were brilliant and helped provide a very memorable and relaxed weekend. The food is top quality also both for humans and the extra special food you made for the dogs of honour! The exclusive wedding weekend provides excellent value compared to other establishments and I highly recommend you have this stunning location. They helped recommend key people (photography, flowers etc) and organised everything so well that it will went like clockwork on the day/weekend. You made the whole experience stress free whilst planning a destination wedding from 200 miles away! Thanks once again to Helen, Ania and the team for a special day.

We stayed here for a long weekend after my birthday trip to Europe was cancelled as flying from Heathrow. The hotel was fabulous. The room views were spectacular. Staff were really welcoming and attentive. Food was delicious. We used the indoor pool each day which was a lovely bonus. We would recommend the hotel to anyone.

OUR WEDDING WAS INCREDIBLE! (SEPT 2024) Rich and I could not fault Ania, Mark and The Team from the word Go. Ania was there from the very beginning; from the little meets to the conscientious details. Ania has a warmness which shines through in every aspect of her work and multi-roles at the hotel! Mark was an absolute delight for our 'wine tasting and menu choosing' - a menu delicately chosen and created by John their talented Rosette chef - The sticky toffee was out of this world! Please try out John's a la carte menu and taste their BBQ summers! The Team will give you their full attention no matter what you are doing or what you ask for, with a smile at the bar and will take you to information you need. Its wonderful seeing the windows being shined to ensure you get the spectacular view out to Comesgate beach, Hartland and stunning Lundy Island in the distance. The lounge and restaurant areas are spacious, tidy and looks out to the beautiful decking or unrestricted sea view, which is very inviting! The balcony ground floor bedroom site just felt like home - plush Queen sized bed, with pillows that knock you out to sleep within seconds. Start your morning with a welcoming tea station, coffee machine and gorgeous biscuits. A fridge with some mini treats ;) The decking feels like you're on a cruise ship... why would you want to go anywhere else! Breakfast (0800 - 1000hrs) was spot on - A Buffet spread of cereals, pastries, fruits, yoghurts and continental meats awaits - be sure to get their early for the freshest. The salmon on poached eggs and hollandaise sauce was filling and perfect! What a view to finish off our magical day! My family and friends will return there after discovery this 'hidden gem' - there's a private beach (steep steps) to walk off your breakfast and go for a surf (secret spot) and swim. When the Tide is Out, the golden sands are just incredible! Thank you Ania, Mark, John, Stephanie and the Team for creating life-time memories for us :-* Mr & Mrs Puttick

Superb Afternoon Tea, with excellent & yummy Gluten Free options for meeeee. The hotel is gorgeous with a spectacular view across the sea. Emily & Pedro did an amazing job of looking after us even though the hotel is short staffed like so many others at the moment. Another great deposit into our Memory Bank. Thank you Watersmeet !

Great location.Amazing staff. Great rooms, not much more you could want. The food is amazing and a nice calm atmosphere throughout the building. Amazingly built and kept after.

Outstanding stay. Rooms are fabulous. Food delicious and staff very friendly. Top rating. Sunset was incredible.

Food is amazing and the views are fantastic. Perfectly situated and the staff contribute to the friendly and light atmosphere. Perfect place to go for Sunday Lunch.

Most excellent full afternoon tea at the Watersmeet today, full sun and an incoming tide were a bonus. Super fresh bread for the sandwiches, lovely fillings of smoked salmon, carved ham and egg. Beautiful individual pastries and cakes, fresh scones with clotted cream and jam. Great service and surroundings.

Reserved a table for a meal in the Rocks Restaurant. Judging from the Google reviews it was a good choice. On arrival, was very impressed. Staff were very welcoming and professional in their service. The meal was excellent and the food was cooked and presented to a very high standard. The views overlooking the sea were fantastic, looking across to Lundy Island. The meal was for my wife and I for our wedding anniversary. Thank you Watersmeet for making a special evening very special.

What can I say, stunning location, amazing attentive staff, outstanding food, particularly fish cake, and the eggs royal, yes pricey but you get what you pay for, well worth the money, hope to stay again soon. Best hotel I've stayed in in the UK.

Fabulous hotel. Perfectly located right by the sea and a lovely beach. Woolacombe beach is just around the corner. Great costal path walks on your doorstep. Most staff friendly and helpful.

After two failed attempts to get here for Christmas we have finally made it and it is well worth the wait. The location is perfect, perched high above the sea, you can see why it's so well thought of by 🏄‍♀️ surfers. Whilst cosy in our beautifully appointed room you can hear only the waves crashing on the rocks. As for the food , of the choice of two, the fine dining restaurant is a must. Our brief stay does not allow us time to sample all the excellent wine list, something for our next visit perhaps!

We dined at The Bistro for my partners birthday and had a really enjoyable evening. From friendly staff to the lovely food , we couldn't have asked for more and being able to dine on the terrace made it all the better. We certainly hope to return and a special shout out to Teresa- thank you

Watersmeet is a AA 4-Star Rated Hotel--With that in mind, I give it a 4.6 Our Stay: 3-nights in a Deluxe room with breakfast Price: Elevated price than the rest of the lodgings you will find in the area, but I believe fairly priced. You are paying for the AA 4-Star rating, but it hits the standard. Room: Was clean and spacious, beautiful bay window view (not every room has this) of both the sea and coastline. Sunset could be enjoyed from the dining area or room. The only downside of the room was no shower, just a bath. The bath however was oversized and spotless. Hotel Dining: We had breakfast, lunch, dinner, and tea at the hotel. Breakfast was fairly average but everything else was exceptional. Be sure to try the scones with clotted cream with your tea. Dinner was excellent and the dining atmosphere is fantastic. Location: You have easy access to a number of beaches, the village, and several walks/hikes in the area. There might only be one or two spots (including residentials) in all of Woolacombe that are better located than Watersmeet. Parking is provided on-site.

Amazing place. All bedrooms have fantastic sea views. Staff very attentive, knowledgeable and super smart. Wonderful food. Great terraces. Landscaped gardens.Some rooms have balconies with sun beds and patio sets. Free on site parking. Really good last minute find. Book through hotel themselves not through search engine site so as not to pay site commission. Deserve 4 star rating Thank you to everyone at Watersmeet for a wonderful few days.

Excellent food, location and Italian beer :)

The views are stunning, the rooms are very comfortable and spotless. I had dinner there too and the food was truly excellent. I found the staff were all incredibly polite and helpful. Will definitely be staying there again and will recommend to others, particularly as the beach just below is so close and it feels like it's own private beach. I wanted to stay another night.

We asked if we could have cream teas as non-residents. Yes was the answer . So after time spent on the nearby beach we were welcomed in and say on the lower terrace under a huge umbrella . The scones were warm and absolutely delicious. So much clotted cream and superb strawberry jam made it a very tasty treat We paid £15 each and realised later we could have shared one cream tea between two . We enjoyed our pots of tea: breakfast and lemon and ginger . We weren't hurried away so we sat chatting enjoying the spectacular views for a while. It was a highlight of our stay.

What a lovely stay we had here. The staff were so professional, helpful and informative. They also added a dash of humour which added a light touch to the meals - which were delicious. Our room had a seaview balcony and we left the door open to hear the sound of the sea during the night. We enjoyed a long walk on the beach but there are many other walks just as delightful. I would love to visit Watersmeet again.

Staff at the hotel are super attentive. Great views, mediocre menu. Unfortunately the music (yet again) did not fit the ambience in the restaurant and bar area.

For a fine dining experience it wasn’t quite what I expected. The view was spectacular, the food great and the service was punctual. They limit the number of covers so that all tables have a direct sea view, and there are three menus that rotate. Some of the menu options are a little bizarre but everything we had was nicely cooked.

We stay here 3-4 times a year and have done so for the past 8 years. We have just returned from our third stay this year alone. The hotel has undergone substantial refurbishment over the winter with new carpets, furnishings etc and is always spotlessly clean. Ania, Helen and Francesca are the friendly and efficient reception team who will do everything they can to make your stay enjoyable. The impeccable Teresa and Lûdek in the bar and restaurant continue to provide 5-star service. It is expensive, some items crazily so, but if the weather is good, you won't find a better location in the UK.

Although the hotel was nice and the staff attentive, our room which was more than adequate was certainly not worth £300 per night. There were two tepid bottles of water in the room, why no fridge? We had to have a family room, for two adults. We had requested twin bedded room. There was a large bed and a single one. When I pulled back the covers on the single bed, it was obvious the bottom sheet had not been changed from the previous occupant. In the bathroom,there was no dish for the soap, the sink could not be filled, the water just drained away; so had to wash under a running tap. The food was good. Could have more choice for vegetarian,although having been a lifelong vegetarian myself, This hotel is not alone in this respect. The situation overlooking the sea is spectacular. However, will probably look for a hotel in future offering better value than the Watersmeet.

Cannot comment on the hotel as we just had afternoon tea. For the most part it was great, the actual afternoon tea was delicious and the service brilliant. We had pre-paid which was understandable but were incredibly shocked that a bottle of still water cost an extra £7 on top of the afternoon we had already paid for! It rather dampened the mood after a lovely afternoon.

The most expensive coffee in the whole of England - £5 a cup! Stopped for a morning coffee. A pot was £9.80 which we shared… the most expensive coffee in the country!

Amazing views, disappointing food, service let down by forgetting a starter. We chose this hotel because of the views and what looked like a pretty good menu. We were ultimately disappointed. Let’s not beat around the bush, the views over the rocks and out to sea are amazing. That didn’t offset a couple of really disappointing factors. For a start they have music constantly playing outside on the veranda which is both too loud and not exactly music to dine to. The second factor is the drinks menu. The wine was at city of London prices and only came on 175ml glasses or you have to shell out for a whole bottle. Not very conducive to a group of four who all have different tastes. Strange, most places, even in the City offer 250ml sized glasses. The food far from justified the cost, the fish (and chips) one of our party ordered was served with so much oil on the plate they had to mop it up by laying a serviette underneath it. The deserts were good but far from justified the £12 each cost.

Undoubtedly a superb location. Maybe we had an "off day", but the room we booked was not the room allocated to us. Restaurant was fully booked, again fine, but other hotels would inform you ahead of time. For the price we were expected to pay, this is not good value and we didn't end up staying there. Service we experienced was not good.

We stayed at this hotel just over a month ago. It was the second occasion…we had a lovely time last November so booked again on checking out. What a disappointment…the views are stunning and the room was lovely. We had three nights there, and rather beautiful weather. On one of the days I asked for an iced latte at the bar, (I was served by the Operations Manager) he had no idea what one was. I tried to explain by pointing to the coffee machine and stating that he had a machine therefore it shouldn’t be a problem. His words were “are you trying to be funny” I told him I absolutely wasn’t…he didn’t know what an aerocino machine was either. However he made me an iced coffee not a latte. I sat outside with my husband, and as he walked past he informed us that he had just ordered one. Breakfast on the second day was dreadful, I had scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. The egg still had large pieces in it and the salmon was mainly brown. On checking out the next day we bumped into him, and he said that they had staffing problems and he was a new chef. The original chef walked out taking the Sous Chef with him. He also said his 13 year old daughter was helping out a couple of hours a day. The manager (his wife) knew the scenarios that had occurred but offered no reduction at all. Considering it is an expensive hotel we were both surprised and disappointed. However, Chris, the restaurant manager is both courteous and hard working. They need to look after him. I also left my suede evening clutch bag in the hotel, but when I rang the hotel it was denied…probably because I complained. We hadn’t dined anywhere else.

Thank you for reply. First of all you are missing the point, I hope your policies do not state to be rude to customers. At one stage you staff said this conversation is over, who talks to their customers that way. You also say you were busy maybe that is the case, but the restaurant was very empty. Secondly no one actually told us where to sit even after some asked. They were also not polite either if there were this situation would have never happened. As I said we were absolutely fine if we got something wrong and sat in the wrong place to move but it was the way we were spoken to that was the problem. The reason we were given was that all the tables were reserved. All we asked your staff member to do was be polite and be welcoming and I can assure you she did neither. I also completely disagree that at any point any of us raised our voices. Even after saying that we felt unwelcome your staff continued to ask us to move rather than saying sorry if she came across that way and resetting the conversation. We only decided to you leave when you staff said that this conversation is over and just leave. I am very disappointed that not only were your staff member was unwelcoming but on top of this they said we raised our voices. I can assure you we did no such thing neither were we rude in any shape or form, all we kept asking was not be felt unwelcoming. We just wanted to have something to eat and drink. Appalling attitude! We decided to go in the restaurant as the location was great. Some of our family members who are disabled went in first and manage to get in and sit at a table. They asked where they could and were directed to the restaurant. We arrived later and as soon as we say down, this women came telling us you can't sit down here these are reserved, even though the restaurant was completely empty and no signs. We would have been happy to move but the way we were approaching was not very welcoming. All we would have expected was a sorry and we would have moved to wherever. In face what we got was this conversation is over and leave! A very disappointing attitude.

Arrived excited to stay at a hotel I have admired since camping nearby as a child... Unfortunately they don't appear to have updated the rooms since I was a child. Had booked balcony room many months ago, no one informed us that we had been downgraded, so a 6 hour drive to a huge disappointment. No suggestions as to anything like money off for the small/old room - think old people's home with incredible views - so we left and can recommend the premier Inn at Barnstaple to spend a night whilst you try and make other plans. Thoroughly disappointed. Have waited 30+ years to be able to afford to stay here. Gutted. Great view though!

We unfortunately had to cancel a booking we had made to celebrate my birthday because my close relative was very unwell and we had to care for her. I appreciate that the T&Cs do not offer refunds with the type of booking we had but we asked if there was any possibility to rebook to another time, even if really out of peak times maybe when they definitely would not be busy. There was no flexibility at all and to be honest little humanity in how we were told it wasn’t possible. This is not something we can afford to pay for again in a hurry and we’re really disappointed with the approach taken.

Very disappointing stay at Watersmeet Hotel, Woolacombe. The room we were given looked nothing like the pictures shown on Booking.com. The listing even showed a balcony in the category we booked, but our room didn’t have one. When I asked the front desk, they said they don’t know why it shows that way online — completely unacceptable and misleading for guests. When we arrived, there was no one at the reception. Later, I found out they actually close the reception area in the evening, which is quite strange for a hotel charging around £300 a night. To add to that, the room was full of mosquitoes, and when I called for help, the staff said they didn’t have anything for it. Overall, extremely poor experience — misleading listing, unhelpful staff, and lack of basic service. Absolutely not worth the price.

Great location — but that’s about it. If you fancy spending a lot of money to feel like you’re staying in a care home prematurely, this is the place for you. The room was average at best — I’ve stayed in better budget hotels. Ours didn’t even have a window, which was very different to how it was advertised. Check-in was frustratingly late at 4pm, and none of the rooms were ready until then. The staff were odd and quite dismissive, creating an awkward atmosphere — apart from the lovely lady on reception on the morning of the 29th. She was the nicest part of the whole experience. The indoor pool is also very run down and absolutely freezing! Wouldn’t recommend.

From start to finish this hotel was a disappointment. As a surprise for my wife , i booked a sea view room, that apparently also had lovely beach views. Unfortunately, the sea view was blocked by one of the walls of the building, and unless you had a telescope, there was certainly NOT a beach view. This aside we did not want this to ruin our weekend. We sat down for an evening meal, only to be told that if my wife was a vegetarian, that they suggest we ring in advance each day to give the chef advance warning to prepare something, I had fish and chips ( which was actually really nice) my wife had a soggy mess of a vegetarian pie that they manage to rustle up from the kitchen, we went to sleep early. The following morning we went down to the lovely sea view restaurant, which does actually have a sea and beach view. We're told to grab a seat and it is table service, we proceeded to sit at a nice table by the window, looking forward to our breakfast and a day at the beach. This was rudely interrupted by a young female member of staff asking "is it just the two of you for breakfast?" To which we replied "yes" , she then replied very abruptly "this is a table for 3, you need to move now ! " with a restaurant full of stunned guests and eventually after the shock of this outrageous member of staff along with the Manager "Ania" attempting to defuse this outburst in front of guests by simply arguing even more we left and had a really nice breakfast at a cafe in Woolacombe. We spent the day in Woolacombe, only slept at the hotel and had another breakfast in Woolacombe the following morning after checking out and paying our full almost £1000 bill. I would certainly NOT recommend this hotel to anyone. It is completely out of touch, needs a serious review of its staff, menu and decor.