Harden's survey result
Summary
“The George in Stamford is a lovely old hotel” – in fact it’s questionable if there is any grander coaching inn anywhere in the realm to rival it – and “dining is offered in a range of areas including the garden room, out in a large courtyard and a formal dining room”. The price shown is for the latter, ‘The Oak Room’ – an extremely fine if old-fashioned chamber that’s “ideal for business”. The cuisine here is not cutting edge, with pricing that would not seem out-of-place in a top hotel in Mayfair, but you are paying for the overall experience, including a biblical wine list assembled by former sommelier Lawrence Hoskins, who passed away last year. Top Tip – the £60 per head prix fixe menu here, with the option of both carved beef and puddings from their respective, gleaming vintage trolleys, is probably the best bet if you are budget-conscious.
Summary
This enormous, plush, ivy-clad coaching inn has played host to luminaries including Charles I and Sir Walter Scott and sits on the Great Northern Road as it enters this stunning Georgian town. “Afternoon tea is a speciality – truly an English tradition that should not just be for tourists, but for everyone!”, while the august oak-panelled dining room offers old-fashioned traditional delights such as rib of beef carved from the trolley, backed by a selection from their biblical wine list. It is noted that “prices have continued to creep up”, but this venue has long been a ‘hang the expense’ kind of treat.
Summary
“This great institution carries on, as historic and handsome as ever” – a supremely grand old coaching inn on the Great North Road as it passes through this delightful Georgian town that in days gone by has hosted the great and the good including Charles I and Sir Walter Scott. It’s “a place to be cherished”, and any meal in the “fantastic old-school restaurant”, with its wonderful oak panelling, heavyweight wine list and carving trolley, is a superb “treat”. It is a “very expensive” occasion, though, and “the food can be a bit ‘beige’” (“would be good value at half the price”).
Summary
“The food has always been fine but that's not the main attraction” of this “just gorgeous” and “picture-perfect” oak-panelled restaurant, attached to a famous and historic coaching inn, which boasts a courtyard dining area “that’s very nice on a sunny day”. This being so, the ultra-traditional and pricey fare (“£52 for Dover sole?”) suits the surroundings, and the carvery trolley is justly loved (“in particular the carved beef will take your breath away”). “If you decide to stay over, the hotel is an old-fashioned, courteous masterclass with comfortable rooms and all that you need.”
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The George Hotel?
71 St Martins, Stamford, PE9 2LB
Restaurant details
The George Hotel Restaurant Diner Reviews
"The Oak Room at the George is a restaurant in the grand tradition. Oak panelled room in an ancient coaching inn/luxury hotel. The food includes a roast beef trolley and a desserts trolley as well as offerings such as Crepe Suzette. The food is excellent and the prices accordingly. However the experience is very good, especially as the service is so very good."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £40.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.80 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
71 St Martins, Stamford, PE9 2LB
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
Opening hours
| Monday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Friday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑10:30 pm |
Best British, Traditional restaurants nearby
British, Traditional restaurant in Ely
British, Traditional restaurant in Cambridge
British, Modern restaurant in Cambridge
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Cambridge
British, Modern restaurant in Cambridge
