The Darnley Hotel, near Ilfracombe Harbour, offers a warm welcome with continental breakfast and a cozy coffee shop. Relax in the garden or unwind at the bar after dinner at the on-site restaurant. With free WiFi and tour assistance available, previous guests have praised its overall condition.
The Admiral Collingwood (Wetherspoon) - 13 min walk
George & Dragon - 15 min walk
Dolly's Cafe - 12 min walk
Tandoori Nights - 11 min walk
The Ilfracombe Fryer - 12 min walk
About this property
The Darnley Hotel
At The Darnley Hotel, you'll be just a 5-minute drive from North Devon Coast and Ilfracombe Harbour. You can unwind with a drink at the bar/lounge, and the coffee shop/cafe is the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat. Also, Exmoor National Park and Woolacombe Beach are within a short drive. Fellow travelers say good things about the overall property condition.
At a glance
DONE
Hotel size
6 rooms
Arranged over 4 floors
DONE
Arriving/Leaving
Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out time is 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out available
DONE
Special check-in instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
DONE
Required at check-in
Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
Government-issued photo ID may be required
Minimum check-in age is 18
DONE
Pets
Pets not allowed
WIFI
Internet
Free WiFi in public areas
LOCAL_PARKING
Parking
Free onsite self parking
Wheelchair-accessible parking on site
Electric vehicle charging point on site
DONE
Other information
Smoke-free property
Property amenities
Food and drink
Free continental breakfast
Restaurant
Bar/lounge
Coffee shop
Room service
What to do
Beach nearby
Hiking/biking trails nearby
Sailing nearby
Windsurfing nearby
Services
Tour/ticket assistance
Facilities
Built in 1921
Garden
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
Wheelchair-accessible parking
Room amenities
Be entertained
DVD player
Television
Home comfort
Heating
Coffee/tea maker
Iron/ironing board (on request)
Sleep well
Free crib/infant bed
Bed sheets provided
What to enjoy
Individually furnished
Freshen up
Partially open bathroom
Shower only
Free toiletries
Hair dryer
Towels
More
Daily housekeeping
Special features
Dining
Onsite venue - This restaurant specializes in local cuisine and serves dinner only. Reservations are required.
Fees & policies
Policies
Guests can rest easy knowing there's a fire extinguisher on site.
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash.
Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard, American Express
National rating
This establishment has received its official star rating from VisitEngland, the National Tourist Board for England.
Also known as
Darnley Hotel
Darnley Hotel Ilfracombe
Darnley Ilfracombe
The Darnley Hotel Ilfracombe Devon
The Darnley Hotel Hotel
The Darnley Hotel Ilfracombe
The Darnley Hotel Hotel Ilfracombe
Frequently asked questions
Does The Darnley Hotel offer free cancellation for a full refund?
Yes, The Darnley Hotel does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.
Are pets allowed at The Darnley Hotel?
Sorry, pets aren't allowed.
Is parking offered on site at The Darnley Hotel?
Yes, there's free self parking. Electric vehicle charging is available.
What are the check-in and check-out times at The Darnley Hotel?
Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 PM. Check-out time is 10:00 AM. Contactless check-in and check-out are available.
What is there to do at The Darnley Hotel and nearby?
Have fun with nearby activities like hiking, sailing, and windsurfing. The Darnley Hotel also has a garden.
Are there restaurants at or near The Darnley Hotel?
Yes, there's an onsite restaurant that offers local cuisine.
What's the area around The Darnley Hotel like?
The Darnley Hotel is a short 7-minute walk from North Devon Coast and 16 minutes' walk from Ilfracombe Harbour.
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Reviews
Reviews
6.6
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
8.0
Cleanliness
8.6
Location
7.0
Staff & service
6.6
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Aug 13, 2024
Lovely hotel run by a really friendly couple.
Stephen
Stephen, 1-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Sep 10, 2024
Owner is so lovely and very helpful, almost like a personal tour guide for us with plenty of suggestions for things for us to see and do. Very friendly!! Breakfast was beautiful! Room was clean, walking distance to beaches shops and restaurants. I’d stay again if visiting ilfracombe again.
Chelsea
Chelsea, 4-night trip
Verified
6/10 Good
Jul 9, 2025
Reasonable stay in an old house with character
The hotel was easy to find but through a narrow gateway, in a larger car it might have been difficult.The room was clean, and money had been spent, but the finish was poor. Outside needed a tidy up.The bar did not open as scheduled, seemed a bit disorganised. Breakfast small but otherwise alright. Acceptable for the price.
Verified traveler
2-night trip
Verified
6/10 Good
Jul 23, 2016
3 hot days
The proprietor was very good working to put the customer first. Nothing was too much trouble.
The wifi reception was almost non existent though perhaps that's a good thing when on holiday!
Lovely secluded garden path leading down into town.
John
Verified
2/10 Poor
Jun 29, 2023
bathroom toilet not screwed to the floor when you sat on it the toilet tilted, broken tiles on the floor ,tiles replaced with white sealant the rest of the floor had beige sealant. The blinds were broken and let in the light ,right through the night , spoke to owner was told it gets light early in the morning. dog in dining room owner petted dog and continued serving, requested well done toast was told cannot serve you well done toast as against health and hygiene ? Very miserable couple once try to say any thing is wrong, just reminds me of faulty towers , I can safely say it has been the worst hotel we have stayed in
Wendy
Wendy, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Sep 29, 2021
Great stay
Very friendly and attentive owners, lovely breakfast and nice room.
Alan
Alan, 3-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Jul 25, 2021
Comfortable stay
Sadley no one was there when i arrived. I return laster still no one there. But soon someone came to check me in. The room was on top floor. Was told best views but trees obscured the view. The room was very comfortable. The breakfast service was very slow. But enjoyably. There was a separate private bathroom not so good when a few visits needed. Was able to leave my car after check out so i could enjoy coastal walk.
Stephen
Stephen, 2-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Oct 20, 2019
Bags of character comfy and friendly hosts
Ian Paul
Ian Paul, 1-night trip
Verified
10/10 Exceptional
Nov 14, 2018
Autumn break
Clean. Great shower and breakfast. Nothing too much trouble for owners.
Stuart
Stuart, 2-night trip
Verified
2/10 Poor
Sep 1, 2018
Awful and argumentative
I’m writing this review in the hope others can avoid the experience we had.
The room initially looked ok. The decor was very dated but not necessarily concerning. However, the bed was very uncomfortable - the mattress was so old and tired that it drooped ever which way. Perhaps, if just one person stayed they could droop into the middle of the mattress and get some sleep but if there are two of you, sleep becomes very difficult. The shower shifts rapidly and unpredictably between scolding and freezing. You can lessen this somewhat if you turn it to the eco setting.
Whilst the room was not conducive to sleep, this pales into comparison with the attitude and treatment by the staff. We politely asked when the wifi login details did not appear to work. We were immediately told off that they were old login details (they didn’t seem to think it was a good idea to update the guest folder in the room?!) and more so when we said that the wifi did not work at all in our room, even with the new login details. This began a very long and deeply uncomfortable process with both the man and woman staff (perhaps owners). They criticised us, blamed us, patronised us and did their best to make us feel as uncomfortable as possible. To name the highlights - entering & lingering in our bedroom when we were two females in our PJs and a barely veiled threat of him having been ‘MOD internal security’ in the past.
Breakfast: only 8:30-9:30am ad greasy & gross.
Verified traveler
2-night trip
Verified
6/10 Good
Jul 21, 2018
Nice hotel, slow breakfast
Nice big hotel and we got our room upgraded at no extra cost. Room was comfortable and enormous. Easy access down to the town and harbour area.
Seagulls were noisy!
Breakfasts were terribly slow. We were out walking each day and like to make an early start. On our final day when we had a long drive home we ordered beans on toast as we thought it would be quick and it still took 35 minutes to arrive. As the earliest they start breakfast is at 8.30am we ended up leaving a fair but later than we would have liked.
Alan
Alan, 4-night trip
Verified
2/10 Poor
Aug 7, 2017
Early breakfast request
Not very good service for breakfast it states in there information pack breakfast 8 till 9.30 but were told its 8.30 till 9.30 If you want earlier let know I did and was told come down at 8.15 which we did as we were going to Lundy for the day had to leave at 8.55 breakfast arrived at 8.45
Tim
Tim, 2-night trip
Verified
8/10 Very good
Jul 3, 2017
Dated but comfortable and good location
When we arrived room was cold and no lights on in hotel made it feel slightly unwelcoming. We had breakfast no radio first morning so little atmosphere better next day with other guests. Used path down to high St you need to be careful where you walk and no lights when you come back in dark so next night walked up road. All said very comfortable stay and very helpful owners. Hotel very dated but spotless. I didn't have full breakfast but had small portion of what I wanted poached egg and bacon on toast. egg was lovely and runny. Coffee needs to be hotter and fresh as had bits in. Would have been nice to have fresh tomatoes and brown toast and top up of toast. I needed extra blanket which was there in room thankfully but would've been nice to have a little heat from radiator but they were turned off. We put lights on in hallways as very dark. Bathroom door handle needs attention as doesn't stay closed. Will stay again and ask for the above if not offered next time though. Its close to everything and owners are very friendly and helpful.