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The Ancient Unicorn

2.0 star property

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Photo gallery for The Ancient Unicorn

Lounge
1 bedroom
Bar (on property)
Private kitchen
Bar (on property)

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Pet-friendly
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
The current price is S$182
includes taxes & fees
30 Jun - 1 Jul

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 9 of 9 rooms

View all photos for Deluxe Double Room, Ensuite

1 bedroom

Deluxe Double Room, Ensuite

Highlights

Heating
Separate bedroom
Premium bedding
Private bathroom
Hairdryer
Electric kettle
Coffee/tea maker
Digital channels
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Classic Twin Room, Ensuite

1 bedroom

Classic Twin Room, Ensuite

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Heating
Fridge
Separate bedroom
Premium bedding
Microwave
Oven
Coffee/tea maker
Electric kettle
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Single Beds

View all photos for Basic Triple Room, Shared Bathroom, Courtyard View (Mini Unicorn)

1 bedroom

Basic Triple Room, Shared Bathroom, Courtyard View (Mini Unicorn)

Highlights

Heating
Separate bedroom
Premium bedding
Blackout curtains
Digital channels
Pet friendly
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Single Bed and 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Family Triple Room, Ensuite

1 bedroom

Family Triple Room, Ensuite

Highlights

Heating
Separate bedroom
Premium bedding
Private bathroom
Hairdryer
Electric kettle
Coffee/tea maker
Digital channels
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Single Bed

View all photos for Comfort Cottage, Ensuite, Courtyard View (Charles Dickens Cottage)

Lounge

Comfort Cottage, Ensuite, Courtyard View (Charles Dickens Cottage)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Separate dining area
Heating
Kitchen
Fridge
Separate bedroom
Blackout curtains
Private bathroom
Hairdryer
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed

View all photos for Classic Double Room, Ensuite

1 bedroom

Classic Double Room, Ensuite

Highlights

Heating
Separate bedroom
Premium bedding
Private bathroom
Hairdryer
Electric kettle
Coffee/tea maker
Pet friendly
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Comfort Double Room, Ensuite

1 bedroom

Comfort Double Room, Ensuite

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Separate bedroom
Premium bedding
Private bathroom
Hairdryer
Electric kettle
Coffee/tea maker
Pet friendly
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Basic Twin Room, Shared Bathroom

1 bedroom

Basic Twin Room, Shared Bathroom

Highlights

Heating
Separate bedroom
Premium bedding
Electric kettle
Coffee/tea maker
Digital channels
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Single Beds

View all photos for Basic Double Room, Shared Bathroom

1 bedroom

Basic Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Highlights

Heating
Separate bedroom
Premium bedding
Electric kettle
Coffee/tea maker
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
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About the area

Map
The St, Bowes,, The Street, Barnard Castle, England, DL12 9HL

What's nearby

  • Barnard Castle - 6 min drive - 7.7 km
  • Bowes Museum - 7 min drive - 8.7 km
  • Egglestone Abbey - 9 min drive - 10.4 km
  • Raby Castle - 19 min drive - 21.2 km
  • Yorkshire Dales National Park - 21 min drive - 31.7 km

Getting around

  • Kirkby Stephen Station - 21 min drive
  • Durham (MME-Teesside Intl.) - 42 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Babul’s - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Coach & Horses - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Redwell Inn - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Golden Lion - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Costa Coffee - ‬7 min drive

About this property

The Ancient Unicorn

Property highlights
The Ancient Unicorn provides amenities, such as free breakfast and a bar. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas.
Other perks at this guest house include:
  • Free self-parking
  • Smoke-free property

Languages

English

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Free breakfast available
  • A bar/lounge

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (weekly)

Accessibility

  • No lift

More

  • Smoke-free property

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out

Special check-in instructions

Guests will receive lockbox information

Access methods

Lockbox

Pets

Pets are allowed for an extra charge of GBP 10.00 per pet, per stay
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Payment types at the property

Important information

Optional extras

  • Pet fee: GBP 10.00 per pet, per stay
  • Service animals are exempt from fees

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit/debit cards
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit and outdoor lighting
This property is professionally cleaned

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including stag and hen parties

Property is also known as

Ancient Unicorn Inn Barnard Castle
Ancient Unicorn Barnard Castle
Ancient Unicorn
Ancient Unicorn Barnard
Ancient Unicorn Inn
The Ancient Unicorn Guesthouse
The Ancient Unicorn Barnard Castle
The Ancient Unicorn Guesthouse Barnard Castle

Frequently asked questions

Is The Ancient Unicorn pet-friendly?

Yes, dogs are allowed at this property. There's a fee of GBP 10.00 per pet, per stay. Service animals are exempt from fees.

How much does it cost to stay at The Ancient Unicorn?

As of 25 Jun, 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Ancient Unicorn on 30 Jun, 2025 start from S$181.8, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at The Ancient Unicorn?

Self-parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at The Ancient Unicorn?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime.

What time is check-out at The Ancient Unicorn?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is The Ancient Unicorn located?

Situated in Barnard Castle, this guesthouse is 0.8 mi (1.3 km) from North Pennines and within 6 miles (10 km) of Barnard Castle and Bowes Museum. Eggleston Hall and Raby Castle are also within 12 miles (20 km).

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The Ancient Unicorn Reviews

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 76 out of 126 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 37 out of 126 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 126 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 126 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 126 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Hayley

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Excellent staff and well positioned for a stop over.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Julian

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Two night stay in the small village of Bowes. Double room was comfortable with en suite. Tasty English breakfast included. We used the pub for our evening meal on both nights - there is no other option nearby for dinner without a short drive. Bar food was cooked really well. The bar itself was functional but lacking a bit of character.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tracy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely stay Very cosy
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

George

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
didn't like the price differential between booking direct with the hotel to booking with you.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Deirdre

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Overnight Stay in Room 5 The Ancient Unicorn

We only were there for 1 night but it was a very comfy and enjoyable one. We had dinner there and it was very good also breakfast next morning was cooked as you ordered and a very good choice of cold items we had room 5 and it was a beautiful room with tea and coffee making facilities
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Markus

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Fantastic place

We had a fabulous stay in the Ancient Unicorn. We were a family of 4 and also had our dog with us. We stayed in the Charles Dickens Cottage and it was outstanding. When we arrived, the cottage was warm and welcoming. The kitchen was well-equipped. The breakfast was delicious and the staff were super friendly. The location is great for exploring the area. We look forward to coming back in the future.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jean

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very friendly, helpful staff.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Angela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fabulous room . Helpful, friendly staff . Lovely food .
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

Lorna

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely historical property and good value for money. Quiet location, great stop off for travelling on the A66, with Barnard Castle just a short drive. Easy check into cosy courtyard cottage. Nicely decorated and furnished, though the bed would benefit from a better quality mattress. Friendly staff and good breakfast. Evening pub menu satisfactory but not exceptional.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Friendly, helpful staff. Modern, very clean en-suite room with comfortable bed. Evening meal and breakfast good. Great to meet Gus the dog!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Relaxing stay in historic inn.

Nice stay in an historic inn, with clean room, good pub food and a hearty breakfast. Reasonable price too - what's not to like?
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The pub/hotel has evolved from a traditional coaching inn which has being doing basically the same job for over 400 years. Our room was basic, but had character (window seats) and the main facilities were fine (good bed, plenty of heating and lots of hot water). There is parking in the old cobbled coaching yard and the town of Bowes is quiet, but conveniently close to the A66.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

jennifer

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
It was in a quiet wee village but if you have a car you can go to town I upgraded to a cottage and it had a microwave and kettle also a hob was very clean and there’s parking the breakfast and food was lovely would go again
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

suzanne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Happy visitors

We were delighted by this place, we had a very warm welcome and very well appointed, spotlessly clean rooms; which were very comfortable. The food was good and the atmosphere very relaxing. Cheerful friendly staff made it a good place to stopover on our travels.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Alastair

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Landlady was amazing. I arrived in a sorry state coming off the Pennine way. An hour later showered and fed I was on my way into BC in a taxi she organised. Room was clean and the whole place had been been repainted and felt looked after.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jac

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

lovely little hideaway

I stayed with 2 female friends in a small but comfy courtyard room. We stayed for tea on the night and it was gorgeous, the staff were friendly and accommodating swapping the meal to suit our needs. Next morning breakfast was included so we all had a large full English, veg option available. We will definitely be back. Small issue re damp smell in bathroom but loved the place.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brenda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved the quaintness of the hotel - it was beautiful too. The area is perfect for walking/rambling and was very quiet. The staff we encountered were lovely, kind, helpful and polite. And we particularly loved Gus, the resident doggie. Checking in was easy when we realised it was a staff-free experience and had to use codes and lock boxes to get the keys - simple and effective.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

S

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Ancient Unicorn

Lovely Hotel full of character. It was comfortable, clean and the service was excellent. It was was very clean and well maintained throughout. Food was very good too.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2022

8/10 Good

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A very convenient overnight stop on our drive north to Scotland. Lovely old building in the heart of the village. We arrived late but had been provided with codes that gave us access to our 3-person room, which was very comfortable and fine for an overnight stay but might be a bit small if you were staying longer. Very comfortable beds but rather a lot of noise from the adjacent room. Very good value for money - we would certainly consider returning to use the Ancient Unicorn as a base for exploring the local area.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bill

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We (couple adult daughter dog) stayed at the Ancient Unicorn to break the journey between East Anglia and Scotland. We arrived at the charming inn located in the centre of the lovely Pennine village of Bowes to be told that we had been upgraded to the Charles Dickens Cottage(!) because there was a problem with our booked room. The Cottage was immaculate and comfortable with a fantastic shower. Despite the fact that the staff were very busy because there was a folk group getting set up to play in the bar nothing was too much trouble for Karli and her staff to make us welcome. We had an excellent dinner of home-made food (made earlier in the day by Karli!) in the dog-friendly restaurant and then enjoyed a pint of real ale in the bar. And the cooked breakfast in the morning was fabulous. A perfect stay and so, so much better than a generic motorway hotel. The area is full of attractions in its own right (we had a quick look at the ruin of Bowes Castle just up the road) and we will be back!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

Hannah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Cosy means not much space. Shelf in bathroom and coat hooks would have been really useful. No evening meal to be had anywhere on a Sunday evening unless you drive somewhere . We were on foot and couldn't even get a pizza delivery. The howling baby in the next room was just unfortunate.
Stayed 1 night in May 2023

4/10 Poor

Matt

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service

An unpleasant experience

The hotel is self service. I received a text with a code to open a key box. The latch and lock on the bedroom door were broken on the inside, meaning that I could unlock the door from the front but could not latch or lock it. I had to push the sofa against the door overnight for security as I had a lot of expensive camera equipment in the room. There was no internet available despite being promised and sent a WiFi password. The walls were paper thin and I was woken up by drunken guests at 1am followed by another wake up at 3am due to a man loudly vomiting.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

4/10 Poor

clive

Disliked: Cleanliness
Unfortunately our stay was ruined by the repulsive smell contained within the property (Charles Dickens Cottage). When we arrived the smell of damp dogs was overwhelming. We were offered a tokenistic can of air freshener to spray around the property. This failed to eliminate the smell which remained all week. This was compounded by a number of soft furnishings containing dog hair. The property is defined as pet friendly on their website but be warned (certainly within the Charles Dickens Cottage) that if you have sensitive smell you would be advised to book a different cottage!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023

4/10 Poor

Nicola

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Not great

No WiFi available in our room even though it is stated on the website. You had to go down to the door of the bar in the pub to pick up the WiFi. I contacted the number given and they sent the WiFi password a couple of hours later after they obviously didn't read my message properly. I measured back but heard nothing else. The hairdryer in the room turned on, got hot without blowing air and then shut down, I left a note saying this may be a fire hazard.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service

Not happy with the check-in!!!

We travelled 4 hours to get here to find out that the code they had given us wasn't working. With two tired children, we kept trying the door and making phone calls where we just got told that they didn't have any booking by my name. They kept asking if we were at the right place!! After around 45 minutes or so, the lady at the pub downstairs, tells us as a matter of fact that it was door 15 and not door 1 that we were allotted!! The door number on the WhatsApp message sent to us was 1!!! She also shouted out our door passcode out loud in a pub full of customers!! And after one of our outings, we found our door open (none of our stuff was missing and no, it wasn't opened by the staff for cleaning as the neither the bins were emptied nor the dirty mugs taken away). No apologies at all for any of the things listed above!! And she behaved as if it was our fault for some reason! We made a formal complaint and got a compensation. Apart from the very disappointing check-in, we enjoyed the stay there. The apartment was in an old cottage style and very beautifully kept!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023