We recently spent two nights at the 4 star Legacy Rose & Crown Hotel in Salisbury as a guest of Silver Travel Advisor. We (my husband and I) arrived on a Friday afternoon by train. We took a taxi from the station which was a journey of about 10 minutes.
The hotel – a 13th century coaching inn – is situated at Harnham, just over the Harnham Bridge and next to the fast flowing River Avon. Little is known of the early history of the main timber framed building which is typical of many buildings in Salisbury. The day of our arrival was a cold and grey March day, but I would imagine that on a summer or spring day the views from the hotel across the river and over the meadowland would be absolutely stunning. In fact we said that it would be an amazing place for a summer wedding or any special event.
We were greeted by a friendly receptionist who directed us to our room which was in an annexe outside the main part of the hotel. We would actually have preferred to stay in the body of the hotel which goes back to the 13th century. I read on the internet that the hotel is haunted and hoped that we might see a ghost, but there was little likelihood of that in our modern room! However, it was comfortable and warm with tea and coffee making facilities, although the bathroom was rather small (more about the bathroom later.)
The inside of the main part of the hotel was richly carpeted, tastefully furnished to complement its history, and had a mediaeval atmosphere with lots of oak beams and historic features. The dining room was located in a modern extension, giving amazing views over the River Avon with the cathedral in the distance. We knew that the centre of town was close to the cathedral, so used that as a guide when walking into town. The town centre is about 12 minutes walk from the hotel.
We ate in the restaurant on our first evening and were delighted with the choice of dishes. I eat very little meat and was very pleased to see an extensive vegetarian selection, and my husband very much enjoyed his steak which was cooked just as he likes it. There was a good wine list and dessert menu and we were more than happy with everything.
Breakfast consisted of a cold or hot buffet. I chose mushrooms on toast and they were delicious. There was a good choice of fruit, yogurts, croissants, toast and jams and cereals etc. One thing that was not so pleasing was the coffee, but the tea was hot and a better choice to start the day.
The terrace area was delightful, and again, we said that we wished that the weather had been better so that we could have sat with a drink and watched the ducks carried along by the swift flow of the river – a most entertaining sight.
The second night in the hotel was very busy and the restaurant was fully booked, so we asked if we could have a snack in the bar area, which we had to ourselves.
All in all, we very much enjoyed our stay at the Rose & Crown.
The Legacy Rose & Crown Hotel
Harnham Road
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP2 8JQ
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