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Maids Head Hotel

East Anglia Norfolk Norwich

From £110 a night
84 Rooms & Suites
Boutique Hotel
Historic Hotel

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A cosy and comfortable place to stay in the heart of the fascinating historic city of Norwich

This ancient hotel claims to be the oldest in the country, dating back to the 1100s, and without question, it enjoys one of Norwich city centre's best positions – right by the cathedral on the edge of the city's most atmospheric quarter, and very handy indeed for its shops, restaurants and pubs. Norwich is not blessed with loads of hotels, with the result that those that are here often don't have to try too hard. The Maids Head is a real exception, having recently refurbished all of its 84 rooms, which has resulted in a bit of glam in both the bedrooms and public spaces. It really is a unique place to stay, and quite rightly won the 'Large Hotel' award in the 2022 East of England Tourism Awards.

There's no getting around the fact that the Maids Head occupies an ancient building which has been extended several times over the years, but that's part of its charm. There's a warren of corridors on different levels, made up of the original 12th-century, slightly sprawling coaching inn and a 1960s extension at the back of the main building. The guest rooms have been re-fashioned with flair and style and are very comfortable: as well as a good selection of well-proportioned and beautifully furnished double rooms, the hotel has four suites, eight junior suites, four feature rooms, and three dog-friendly executive rooms – all unique in design. All the guest rooms come with tea and coffee facilities, good wifi, Freeview flatscreen TVs and an in-room iPad, and have good-sized en-suite bathrooms with either separate showers or shower/baths combined – and all feature a different but stunning image of Norwich on the tiles. Feature rooms and suites tend to have both walk-in showers and separate rolltop baths, sometimes in the room itself.

Service in the hotel is excellent and nothing is too much trouble, and they make a point of going the extra mile for their guests – for example with two vintage Bentleys which offer complimentary spins around the city to guests as well as a selection of complimentary 'Bobbin Bikes' which guests can use to plan their own adventures. There's private parking, and they have an excellent two-AA-Rosette restaurant in the WinePress, nestled in the heart of the hotel, not to mention the oak-panelled Jacobean Bar that was a popular haunt for US servicemen during World War II. A cosy and comfortable place to stay in the heart of a fascinating historic city.

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Details

Suitable For

We have a trio of executive dog-friendly rooms (£20 per dog per stay) – they must be pre-booked in advance and are subject to availability. We allow a maximum of two dogs per room and provide a comfy bed and water bowl. Dogs aren't permitted in our public areas, but they can use the courtyard when the weather plays ball.

Open

Open all year.

Pricing

Double rooms from £110 a night (room-only), £138 with breakfast.

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Location

Contact Website 01603 209 955 Maids Head Hotel, 20 Tombland, Norwich, Norfolk NR3 1LB

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Getting There

Driving through the city centre, from Tombland, follow the road down the hill, turn right in front of the hotel and take the first left down cobbled Pigg Lane to the car park (postcode NR3 1RS).

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Reviews

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Rated ★★★★★ over 7 reviews

★★★★★

Fantastic breakfast and service

We had breakfast at the Maids Head Hotel on 17th August. The food was good, especially the salmon from the continental buffet 😋 The service was excellent. We were introduced to our table by a very friendly waitress who took our drinks order, she couldn’t do enough to please - thank you Molly/Milly (sorry didn’t quite catch your name). With the food and service we experienced today we will be back soon.

Aug 4, 2023 by WSW

★★★★★

A fabulous night's stay!

My husband and I recently stayed a night at the Maid Head Hotel in Norwich. We were drawn to the hotel when we past it and they had the burgundy Bentley parked outside. To say the service provided throughout our stay was impeccable would be an understatement. We were warmly greeted by the reception staff. We had an evening meal in the restaurant where we were greeted by Chris who was friendly, very professional and went above and beyond to provide a service that was second to none. The food was amazing, full of flavours and wonderfully presented, compliments to the chef! We also took advantage of the hotels complimentary Bentley tours. Matthew was our chauffeur, what a gentleman! Made us feel very welcome and comfortable on the tour. Matthew’s knowledge of local history around Norwich is remarkable, the tour was informative, interesting and not at all boring with Matthew adding some humour, making us laugh and offering a touch of class. The room we stayed in was clean and tidy and offered a space of relaxation and comfort. All the staff were friendly, professional and happy to help with a smile. We never normally leave reviews but we felt this hotel absolutely deserved a 10 out of 10 recognition and we will definitely be staying at the Maid Head Hotel in Norwich again soon!

Jul 29, 2023 by Kelly G

★★★★★

Wonderful stay

Had an amazing Sunday night at the Maids Head Hotel. The complimentary ride in the Bentley was magical, the reception staff were excellent, friendly and very helpful. Afternoon tea was delicious as was the breakfast. Thank you for making our 25th wedding anniversary so special.

Jul 25, 2023 by Darryl B

★★★★★

Great first stay. Thanks!

First visit I’ve had to the Maids Head Hotel and what a pleasure it was. Great parking and very friendly welcome. I stayed in the regency and the room was beautiful with an amazingly comfy bed and the shower in the bathroom topped it off! it’s a dream come true for a tired traveller. I don’t normally sleep well away from the family but this room was superb and slept well. Loads to do locally and ate out but the food here looked amazing and will definitely dine in next time. Great stay and look forward to returning soon. Highly recommend!

Jul 24, 2023 by Matt Davies

★★★★★

Outstanding

This is our second visit to this beautiful hotel, we love it. This time we even got a complimentary upgrade to a suite ‘Paston’, and what a beautiful suite. It was huge with the biggest, most comfiest bed I have ever slept in! I was also left a card and a bag of sweets after mentioning I was celebrating. The staff are all super friendly, everywhere is clean, the courtyard is a lovely space for enjoying a little glass of something, and the breakfast was delicious. Once again, a perfect stay. We will look forward to returning in the near future.

Jul 1, 2023 by Catherine G

★★★★★

Excellent!!

Excellent team, fabulous breakfast, customer service second to non, headed by the Operations Manager John, who never stopped working, both John and his team couldn't do enough for us. Would definitely recommend! Thank you.

Jun 25, 2023 by Laura C

★★★★★

Excellent

Excellent location. Fabulous room very clean and comfortable The Wine Press restaurant was brilliant the food was delicious and the waiting staff very knowledgeable, especially informative when we tried the Tasting menu!! Big thanks to Chris, Amelia, Jack, Taylor, Toby, George and the lovely girl with long hair (sorry didn't get your name). Also thanks to all the other staff especially the reception staff. The complimentary ride around the town in a 1955 Bentley was very memorable. Certainly a place we shall be returning to!!

May 15, 2023 by Norma Zealey