Stayed here at the Merlin last weekend with my partner and our two boys. Although this is not the ritz it is a small family run hotel with the owners going out of there way to accommodate our needs. The building is beautiful and the boys loved how it looked like a castle! Granted it is need of some tlc... More

It's not the Savoy, I grant you and yes it has been cold, but our family room was great, loads of hot water and an extra heater made our stay very pleasant. It was clean and the breakfast was beautifully cooked with real attention to the Children's breakfasts. I would go back in a jiffy as Mike and his wife... More

We stay in Ilfracombe at least three times a year and have stayed in some lovely places. Since the arrival of our daughter B and B’s are difficult, so we normally rent an apartment. Due to the demand at Easter weekend we unable to find an apartment but after some research we found the website of Merlin Court which offers... More

Arrived to go to a wedding at the nearby Tunnels Beaches and was immediately underwhelmed with the lack of kerb appeal. Having seen some nice shots on Tripadvisor (clever photography) and some good 'homely' type reviews; we thought we might be getting some 'shabby-chic' here, which would have been great as it's a character property. Checked in, got shown to... More

Stayed at Merlin Court Hotel for a couple of nights with my family in a interconnecting room both with ensuite. One had twin beds and the other a double with a view over Ilfracombe and the sea The hosts are amazing, Mike guided me to the hotel by mobile and gave us and the children a very warm welcome. Mike... More

I stayed here for a week in October 2012. Overall, the hotel is good for the money you will pay for your stay and the staff are very friendly and always happy to help/get you anything you need - especially a nice a hot chocolate! The room was very spacious and always kept spotless. The only small complaint about the... More

Yes, every review you read on this hotel has an aspect of truth.The dirty windows, the odd bit of dust, a few stains in the bathroom, the wearing carpets, the crumbly unpainted doorstep, the unmatching furniture . Many just an oversight, maybe a lack of attention to detail, possibly a few basics ignored BUT putting all that aside, what though... More

This was a last minute booking and only read the reviews after having booked. The owners are lovely, very informative and helpful. They are modernising so not all of it looks new. The main areas are really lovely and the kid's room was popular with my nephew, my son was chuffed to have wi-fi! We had a lot of choice... More

We stayed in the family room shown in the photos... Never again... it was smelly and musty, The kids were not happy whatsover, under the beds were dusty and dirty, there was a plastic fork underneath one bed which had gathered so much dust that it had clearly been there a long time!! The bathroom was very dated and full... More