Durrant House Hotel

Durrant House Hotel

A traditional North Devon hotel in Northam, combining an evening in the Olive Tree Restaurant with a base for Bideford, Appledore and the coast.

At a glance

• Location: Northam / Bideford
• Main restaurant: Olive Tree Restaurant
• Bedrooms / accommodation units: 125
• Wellbeing: Spa on Site

Why we like it

Durrant House works best as an easygoing coastal break with dinner close at hand. Its appeal lies in familiar hotel hospitality, a choice of dining settings and the opportunity to spend the day out around the Torridge before returning for supper. It is a larger, traditional property, so choose it for that practical combination rather than expecting the intimacy of a tiny restaurant with rooms. The surrounding area gives a two-night stay a useful rhythm: one day around the harbour villages, another reserved for beach or estuary time, with the hotel taking care of the evening.

Eat

Olive Tree Restaurant

The Olive Tree is the hotel's main dining room, with a Victorian character, candlelit tables and a British menu shaped around familiar favourites. Dinner is advertised daily from 6pm to 8:30pm, which makes an early coastal walk followed by a settled evening at the table a sensible plan. This is the Olive Tree at Durrant House; restaurant awards associated with similarly named venues elsewhere do not describe the cooking here. Reserve the restaurant alongside your bedroom, especially when the meal is the reason for the visit.

Appledore Bar

The Appledore Bar offers a more casual alternative. Its published menu includes crab croquettes and baked Camembert, with larger dishes such as sea bass with caper and herb butter or lamb with a redcurrant and port sauce. Blackboard specials add another choice on the day. These are examples from the bar menu, rather than a promise of the Olive Tree's evening selection. The distinction is useful for a second night: a restaurant dinner can be followed by a less structured bar meal without repeating exactly the same evening.

Sleep

Room choice matters at a hotel with such a broad accommodation offer. The traditional style continues upstairs, while named suites provide particular features that ordinary rooms should not be assumed to share. The Appledore Suite and Penthouse are options to compare when the bedroom itself needs to feel like part of a celebration. A whirlpool bath or additional sitting space is a reason to reserve a specific category, rather than relying on a photograph from elsewhere in the hotel. For a family stay, discuss the actual sleeping arrangement before choosing the room, so dinner and bedtime both work comfortably.

Retreat

R&R Spa provides a treatment option, and the hotel also has an outdoor pool. Plan a treatment as its own appointment and establish seasonal pool availability before making swimming central to the trip. Away from the hotel, Northam is a useful base for Bideford and the neighbouring coastal villages. Appledore brings a harbour setting; Westward Ho! offers a different, beach-focused day. A short break need not cover the whole of North Devon: choosing one coastal outing and leaving time for dinner is likely to be more restful than moving continually between attractions.

What guests say

Google rating: 3.7/5 from 903 reviews, checked 6 October 2026. Friendly staff and the convenience of dining on site recur among the positives, with guests often enjoying the traditional hotel atmosphere. The feedback is noticeably more mixed around bedrooms, bathrooms, cleanliness and sleep. That balance is important: choose a particular room carefully and expect an established, traditional hotel rather than a uniformly refreshed boutique stay. It is best suited to guests who value a practical North Devon base and familiar hospitality.

The Gourmet Getaway

The indicative price panel combines accommodation and breakfast for two with dinner for two. Read the menu basis and eligible service days for the selected option, then confirm both reservations for your dates. Drinks, dish supplements and service are additional. Official hotel packages have their own inclusions and terms.

Worth knowing

• The hotel advertises free parking. Northam is the location to use when planning arrival; this is not a bedroom above a restaurant in central Bideford.
• Outdoor swimming and spa treatments have different practical arrangements; confirm the facilities you want before booking.
• Compare the selected room's bathroom and position carefully, particularly if quiet sleep or a special bath is important.

The Gourmet Getaways view

An accessible way to combine a North Devon outing with dinner on site. The traditional presentation and mixed room feedback make careful room selection worthwhile; the strongest fit is an uncomplicated coastal stay with familiar food and friendly service.