The Avon Gorge Hotel

I came here on Sunday for a birthday party afternoon tea in the Bridge Café. Traditional Afternoon Tea is £15.95 per person. What Came was three sandwiches, a pot of tea, scone with jam and cream and a further four bitesize mini cakes. The cucumber sandwich was particularly memorable… it contained one slice of the thinest cut cucumber that I have ever seen. The service was almost non-​existent. After the food arrived it was as though they had gone home.
People don’t really come here for the food though. This hotel is about the view from the window. The reason that the Avon Gorge Hotel thrives is because it has spectacular views of the magnificent Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Fantastic location and a lovely room overlooking the bridge. I only stayed for the night before heading off to work, but it was pleasant nonetheless. The breakfast was lovely.

A great hotel with a stunning view of the Gorge. I was lucky to get a room overlooking the bridge which was an extra.
Rooms are large but a little outdated but, then again, the whole building is old. Loved the worldly charm of this hotel.

Long-​established hotels are a bit like pockets of history, and the Avon Gorge drips with its late C19th origins — a vestige of nineteenth-​century wealth. Rather than Edwardian, I’d say it has a Georgian feel, which makes sense considering it abuts the swanky Clifton terrace houses from that era. It is grand, classical and very nicely furnished. Of course, the inside struggles to compare with the outside; the vast panorama over rolling fields, the gorge and the famous Brunel bridge make for superlatively dramatic viewing. The rooms themselves are comfortable and spacious. The area is quasi-​Notting Hill, the staff are brimming with professionalism and the eatery is modern, gastro and very helpful at meeting dietary needs. I’d say a computer terminal would be a good edition to the hotel lobby. While everyone and his uncle seems to have an iphone, and free wifi is all well and good, sometimes iphones break down. And it is not unimaginable that guests might wish to check emails. Furthermore, some of the kettles and TVs in the rooms looked like historical relics — some modernisation in this context might be fitting. Pricey, of course, worth it, why yes. Anyone looking to treat themselves to a bit of pricey finery in a historically rich, ornate place with knock-​out views will be well served by the Avon Gorge. Just one final thought — more parking space!

This review is based purely on location and the view. Breathtaking. Stunning view of the gorge and the suspension bridge. The hotel itself looks lovely and the pub is very upscale for a pub. Sitting outside enjoying a couple ciders though with that view is perfect. Can’t wait to come back for summertime and try to menu as well as the cocktails outside!

Must go for at least one drink when you’re in Bristol. The best bit is the back patio area with the suspension bridge in full view. Good selection of drinks, nice staff, casual atomosphere.

Comfortable hotel with great view next to Clifton Suspension Bridge. Single room was a little bit small, breakfast was fine, stunning terrace !

This hotel is located in one of the best spots in Bristol — it overlooks the Avon Gorge and the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and it a great hotspot for tourists and visitors alike!
As well as offering prime location accommodation for visitors to Bristol, it also has a great glass-​fronted restaurant which allows you to enjoy a drink or some food whilst looking out onto the beautiful scenic views. However, one thing I would say about the restaurant is that the food is slightly pricy — and although it is nice, it is perhaps not of the high standard you would expect when paying fairly high prices!
Prices for hotel rooms are actually fairly reasonable considering its location, and this is perhaps due to the fact it is classed as three star — you can expect to pay around £90 for a single suite a night, and prices go up during peak months in the summer period.
The hotel rooms could do with a re-​vamp in terms of decoration, as they are slightly outdated — the restaurant fits in with a modern theme, but this isn’t reflected throughout the hotel. However the rooms are clean and comfortable, and with such a stunning view out of the window this makes up for it! Overall it’s a good little hotel in a great location — and would probably be a great place to stay for a tourist who doesn’t want to spend too much time in the confines of the hotel during their stay.

This hotel near Bristol’s famous Suspension Bridge has both good and bad points — and I know this because I used to work there. On the plus side, the staff are all very friendly and accommodating, and it’s good to see such a rich variety of nationalities working in every area of the hotel. Also, the food served in the Bridge Café (a terrible name considering that it’s actually quite a swanky restaurant) is excellent, although a little on the pricey side. The White Lion Bar is a mixed bag, though, as it is appallingly overrun in the summer, with the tiny bar struggling to serve the sheer volume of people all wanting to drink out on the massive terrace area that overlooks the aforementioned Suspension Bridge — however, you can see why, as the views are truly stunning. On the hotel front, I’ll warn you now that there is simply not enough parking available behind the hotel if most of the rooms are full and a wedding reception happens to be taking place there (as they frequently do on Saturdays from late Spring to early Autumn). Therefore, it’s best to get the bus to Clifton Village and walk the couple of minutes down the road to the hotel itself or get a taxi. My major complaint, however, is that the rooms really aren’t worth the frankly steep prices of this place — and whatever you do, don’t be fooled by the so-​called ‘suites’, as they’re either tiny or have things like broken spa baths, etc, yet still cost up to £200 per night. So, all in all, I’d honestly say this place is worth a visit, but not a stay.

I’ve never stayed in the hotel itself, but have sporadically frequented the bar (The White Lion). Somewhat surprisingly for somewhere as swanky as this, it’s something of a sports pub with Sky Sports and a big screen.
The real draw, however, is the huuuuuuuuuuge patio which offers stunning, unrivaled views over the Suspension Bridge. Particularly recommended on a sunny afternoon, it’s not the sort of place I would regularly frequent with a bunch of mates on the lash, more if I wanted to impress a visiting guest.
It can get very busy (meaning service can be slow) but it’s very big and offers lots of seating. The prices used to be a bit steep, though I understand that the food menu has recently changed and is now more affordable, removing the only fly from this particularly pleasant ointment.

Super swanky Avon Gorge Hotel is for the more moneyed amongst you. Probably the only hotel in Bristol with views of the suspension bridge the Avon Gorge considers itself a cut above the rest. It probably is as well; you get the feeling that everything is a little richer here.
They’ve used their location well, and you can get a perfect windowside spot without too much trouble. Go in the evening and enjoy the spectacle of the suspension bridge all lit up. Or try the morning when you can have a long meditative cup of coffee. Come early enough (or just book yourself in and come for breakfast) and it will be blissfully peaceful at this time.
The Avon Gorge Hotel is at the high end of high end and is an elegant location to take a drink or get a nights sleep.

We stayed here for my birthday and, as it happens, my engagment. We stayed in the Princess Suite and booked the weekend package which was two nights at a reduced rate plus discount in the restaurant.
The hotel is situated right next to the Clifton suspension bridge and the view is lovely from the bar terrace. The restaurant isn’t cheap but it is worth the price. If you are a foody, like I am, you will enjoy the seasonal, fresh food.
Onto the room, or Princess Suite, as it was called. The room had a room poster bed, television, tea & coffee making facilities and large, nice bathroom with a corner bath that appeared to have a bubble spa. The key word there is appeared as when you tried to get them to work, you got nothing in return. The same was true of the shower temperature control which was stuck at one level.
While we hadn’t planned on spending too much time in the hotel room, we did end up wanting to watch a little bit of tv one evening after returning from a restaurant. Sadly for us, the range of TV channels wasn’t as described as many of them were duplicate channels. This isn’t a major gripe because we don’t go to hotels to view tv but at the time I was a little irked.
The staff were friendly and the location is very nice. I felt the hotel needed a refurb as it feels rather dated, particularly in the room which didn’t seem to have been decorated since the 1970’s. Overall, it was nice but be aware that it might not be perfect.

I had my wedding reception here. A lovely old building, but the décor is getting a bit tired in places. Hotel rooms are nice, but could do with updating. The best thing about the hotel (and the pub next door which is part of the hotel) is the terraces which overlook the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Avon gorge. Amazing views and a real sun trap.
Well worth a visit for a drink and some lunch if the sun is shining.
I’d avoid the hotel as there are better in Bristol for less money, but for views, food and a beer theres not many better places to go.
And there is free wifi.

Bring visiting friends here to enjoy the fantastic view over the gorge– which is the raison d’etre of the Avon Gorge. However, don’t expect much else from the place– drinks are pricey and the bar food mediocre. The place does really come into it’s own in the summer however, when you can sip Pimms while admiring beautiful views of the bridge and air balloons taking off at Ashton Court– an archetypal Bristolian sight!

The terrace has the wow factorand a great view over the Avon Gorge and suspension bridge-​as far as the drinks were concerned however-​our survey said X. Draught Blackthorn cider was the only cider available and at £3.50 a pint –in Bristol-​come on!!! We didnt dally for as long as we would have liked.

great views for a lazy sunday afternoon. not much on the inside so only really worth it if you can get a spot outside on the terrace. Watch the steps going down from the bar area though — not great when you’ve had a few!

The Avon Gorge hotel overlooks the Clifton Suspension Bridge and has probably the best views in Bristol. It’s a lovely hotel to stay in but it is very expensive for a not very expensive looking place– you are paying for location. The drinks are very expensive as well– and that’s very expensive even for Clifton, which is probably the most expensive area in Bristol. Still worth a visit for maybe a drink of coke on a lovely sunny day.

Very posh place. Excellent view from their terrace.

There’s something about the Avon Gorge Hotel that tends to make those who go to the bar/​restaurant there behave in a way that they think rich people do. Why? I haven’t got a clue. It surely can’t be the plastic hedges, or the occasional tug of wind that makes just having a nice cup of tea a death defying experience. Perhaps it is the extortionate price of the drinks and the food there it must make us less ill at ease to pretend we have all the money in the world here. And why wouldn’t we be here? It is such a fabulous place to be dahling, and the view is to die for.
Pimms anyone?

The Avon Gorge probably has the best location for a hotel in Bristol — it looks upon the Clifton Suspension Bridge and down the gorge.
The hotel has a number of bars and restaurants open to the public. In the spring and summer the terrace becomes a magnet for folk that flock to take in the sun, the views, the company, the atmosphere and lets be honest a bit of showing off goes on. It is one of the places to be seen.
If you like well priced drinks with a local feel — then this is not the place for you. But if you like to feel part of the «IT» group then grab your shades (on top of your head), put on your stripped shirt, and get ready to smile and look fabulous darling… Don’t worry about not being in the «IT» group — because everybody else there is worrying about the same thing.