Beautiful, small country hotel occupying an ancient Priory, set in superb gardens by the River Frome, yet within easy walking distance of the attractive town of Wareham. The gardens alone are worth travelling to visit. The hotel itself is full of character and is beautifully furnished throughout. It also has modern amenities, in particular in the form of a very nice restaurant overlooking the gardens and river. The room we occupied was very comfortable and had a modern ensuite shower room with an excellent walk-in shower. The hotel staff were, without exception, friendly and efficient.

The evening meal was delicious and of very high quality, though we would have preferred somewhat greater flexibility (only set-price menu available).

The setting, the gardens and the overall ambiance of the hotel. The decor was beautiful with a variety of lounges and seating areas. We enjoyed a lovely evening meal from the set menu in a well appointed, airy dining room with lovely views of the garden and River Frome. The staff were very friendly and accommodating.

The bedroom was much smaller than expected as was the shower room with a tiny sink and hardly any room to turn around with the door shut. There were no toiletries available at check in which we had to request. The room was stifling and only just about helped by a portable fan that was available in the room. In fairness, the weather was very warm but the ventilation and cooling lacked efficiency. It was noisy early in the morning when kitchen staff were preparing breakfast. The wine was expensive but delicious!

Lovely hotel. Quirky, full of character - uneven flagstones, leaded windows, rich furnishings. But the rooms are furnished with mod cons (fridge, coffee maker) and the beds are so comfortable! The Priory is worth visiting for the garden alone - it is magnificent. Four and a half acres and every metre beautifully landscaped and maintained.

Teeny bathroom, no bath (just shower) and no mixer tap! But everything was spotless and functioned and that's the price you pay for the experience of staying in a historic, renovated building. There are more spacious rooms (and probably, bathrooms). We booked late so options were limited.

I thoroughly enjoyed the stay. I liked the ambience of the Hotel, linked to past history. The staff were helpful and pleasant. My bedroom was comfortable and attractive. There is a feeling of quiet relaxed feeling in the Hotel.

As an elderly, slightly disabled person I found the access to the building difficult. Although my bedroom was on the ground floor I found it a nuisance to have to move from one building to another in pouring rain. Although umbrellas were plentiful it is difficult to manage one whilst using walking aids.

Breakfast was excellent, especially enjoyed being waited on rather than buffet. Position of hotel and the gardens were a real delight although not well signposted as so from the hotel. Food was good.

Our room was on the small side and the bathroom was poor, really too small to be properly used, it was little more than a cupboard. The shower was incomprehensible with no instructions for use. No way of washing hair without getting in the shower.

I can’t fault this visit. The room was stunning with really pretty views. The bed was very comfortable with lots of pillows and cushions to choose from. It was just the right temperature. Immaculately clean and very quiet. Without a doubt one of the best places I’ve ever stayed and I’m very discerning. Oh and breakfast was divine and the staff were extremely helpful and friendly. Just heavenly.

It was perfect

Idyllic riverside location and the new restaurant since our last stay is a real additional asset with lots of light and space overlooking the beautiful gardens. The food (breakfasts and evening meal) were excellent. The staff were friendly, effective and efficient.

Bed too soft for our liking, but bed was clearly of a good quality. The shower in the bath was difficult for our elderly parents to get into i.e. to climb over the side of the bath. The kitchen extractor fan is just outside our room (room 2) bathroom window so a bit noisy. It came on about 0700 and went off about 2300 so did not disrupt sleep and I cannot see any alternative given that it comes from the excellent new restaurant addition we loved! Consider the limited parking on a Sunday afternoon as people are there for Sunday lunch and Afternoon Teas so as we arrived prior to our check in there were no spaces and we had to park in the public car park for a few hours prior to spaces opening up in the hotel car park.

Location was great, close to everything. The Hotel grounds were stunning and a lot bigger than i was expecting. The restaurant food was good quality evening meal & breakfast were good and the staff were very friendly and helpful. Our room although small was clean and the shower was modern and powerful. loved the bathroom mirror which had a digital clock on it which was clever. Electric gated car park so felt really secure.

Surprised that there were no baked beans with the cooked breakfast which i expected as standard. Could also have a better range of pastries available.

Its a very nice hotel on the river in a small town with lawns running down to the river with boats on. Has great patio area to have a few drinks on before moving the the timber frame restaurant for dinner. I liked the food, my wife didn't but the menu was limited and very expensive. However, it has secure parking in a secluded on property car park. It was ideal for the Poole ferry. Gave it a 9 for the location and vistas.

Very expensive and the guests were on the far side of retirement. A 60 year old would be the youngest person here, but was told the guest are younger in the day time. I do suspect our vodka was on the very weak side. There was no aircon but did have a fan in the room.

The Priory is an exceptional hotel. The service is excellent and the whole hotel is scrupulously clean and tidy. The grounds are lovely and the gardens interesting. Its position backing onto the River Frome adds to its charm. It is a great location for exploring and borders the Arne Nature Reserve. Bournemouth and Poole are in the vicinity and so are many of the lovely Dorset towns and villages. Breakfast was excellent. There is full menu available for the evening.

There weren’t obvious faults.