The Old Black Lion Inn

Let’s start with the fact that this place is not in Hereford, it’s in Hay on Wye …
The décor is chincy but it has a very welcoming feel about it. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The rooms are to a certain taste but they are very reasonable for the price.
We didn’t have dinner there but what we Da see coming out looked great. Breakfast the following morning was top notch! Cooke to order, a small but varied menu. Everything you would expect of a quality restaurant.
Will definitely come back for another walking/​foodie weekend!

We stayed here for one night while exploring Wales, and quite enjoyed it. But, a less-​than-​great night’s sleep takes away from the overall experience, brining the rating down a couple notches.
We arrived around noon, not able to check in yet as our room was not ready. No big deal, after a brief chat and a map provided by the inn, we hit the town. Obviously, it also gives great access to the many bookstores Hay-​on-​Wye has to offer, given its location in the town center.
We returned around 5:30 to check in, and were promptly assisted. We also made dinner reservations for the evening. The room was a decent size, offered quick and free wifi, and a decent sized bathroom. However, the room lacks in one of the most important elements: the bed. I found the bed to be in need of replacement. It was firm, but not deliberately so, just firm from age. The pillows were flat, also probably due to age. Sleep quality is important, and the sole failure of our stay.
Still, everything else was excellent. The staff was incredibly helpful, friendly, and evidently hard-​working. The bar had a selection of two local ales from the Wye Valley Brewery, one carrying the name of the hotel and easily the better of the two. The food menu changes regularly and is locally sourced. I had brisket and my wife had pork belly. Both were excellent with the pork belly just slightly better.
Breakfast the following morning was cooked-​to-​order with a few selections. The full English (if it can still be called that in Wales) was tasty. The bacon and sausage were excellent. Just what we needed to fuel up for a day on the trails in Brecon Beacons National Park.
Top tip: The hotel also offers packed lunches! We chose this and were happy to have a packed lunch for us during and after our hike up and down Pen y Fan.
Overall, it was a positive experience, and we would go back.