The Ancient Unicorn

Guesthouse in Barnard Castle with free breakfast and a coffee shop

Choose dates to view prices

Where to?

Dates

November 2025

2

December 2025

Classic Double Room, Ensuite | 1 bedroom

Classic Twin Room, Ensuite | Private kitchen

The Ancient Unicorn offers a warm atmosphere that makes guests feel at home. Travelers appreciate practical touches like free WiFi in common areas and straightforward parking. The smoke-free setting creates a clean, comfortable environment for a restful experience.

Wonderful

Popular amenities

Bar
Pet friendly
Parking included
Free WiFi

Room options

Check availability for these dates

Tonight

Nov 2 - Nov 3

Tomorrow

Nov 3 - Nov 4

All rooms

1 bed

2 beds

Showing 9 of 9 rooms

Classic Twin Room, Ensuite

Wonderful

Highlights

Heating

Refrigerator

Separate bedroom

Premium bedding

Microwave

Stovetop

Coffee/tea maker

Oven

1 bedroom
Sleeps 2
2 Twin Beds

Deluxe Double Room, Ensuite

Highlights

Heating

Separate bedroom

Premium bedding

Hair dryer

Private bathroom

Coffee/tea maker

Electric kettle

Digital channels

1 bedroom
Sleeps 2
1 Double Bed

Basic Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Highlights

Heating

Separate bedroom

Premium bedding

Coffee/tea maker

Electric kettle

1 bedroom
Sleeps 2
1 Double Bed

Basic Twin Room, Shared Bathroom

Highlights

Heating

Separate bedroom

Premium bedding

Coffee/tea maker

Electric kettle

Digital channels

1 bedroom
Sleeps 2
2 Twin Beds

Comfort Double Room, Ensuite

Excellent

Highlights

Heating

Separate bedroom

Premium bedding

Hair dryer

Private bathroom

Coffee/tea maker

Electric kettle

Pet friendly

1 bedroom
Sleeps 2
1 Double Bed

Classic Double Room, Ensuite

Very good

Highlights

Heating

Separate bedroom

Premium bedding

Hair dryer

Private bathroom

Coffee/tea maker

Electric kettle

Pet friendly

1 bedroom
Sleeps 2
1 Double Bed

Family Triple Room, Ensuite

Highlights

Heating

Separate bedroom

Premium bedding

Hair dryer

Private bathroom

Coffee/tea maker

Electric kettle

Digital channels

1 bedroom
Sleeps 3
1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed

Comfort Cottage, Ensuite, Courtyard View (Charles Dickens Cottage)

Exceptional

Highlights

Separate dining area

Heating

Kitchen

Refrigerator

Separate bedroom

Blackout drapes/curtains

Hair dryer

Private bathroom

1 bedroom
Sleeps 4
1 Double Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed

Basic Triple Room, Shared Bathroom, Courtyard View (Mini Unicorn)

Highlights

Heating

Blackout drapes/curtains

Separate bedroom

Premium bedding

Digital channels

Pet friendly

194 sq ft
1 bedroom
Sleeps 3
1 Twin Bed and 1 Double Bed

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About the neighborhood

The St, Bowes,, The Street, Barnard Castle, England, DL12 9HL

What's nearby

Barnard Castle - 6 min drive - 4.8 miles
Bowes Museum - 7 min drive - 5.4 miles
Raby Castle - 19 min drive - 13.2 miles
Yorkshire Dales National Park - 21 min drive - 19.7 miles
High Force - 31 min drive - 18.0 miles

Getting around

Kirkby Stephen Station - 21 min drive
Durham (MME-Teesside Intl.) - 42 min drive

Restaurants

‪The Cricketers Arms - ‬7 min drive
‪Cross Lanes Organic Restaurant - ‬4 min drive
‪The Rose & Crown - ‬12 min drive
‪Costa Coffee - ‬7 min drive
‪Three Horse Shoes - ‬7 min drive

About this property

The Ancient Unicorn

Property highlights

You can look forward to free breakfast, a free daily manager's reception, and a coffee shop/cafe at The Ancient Unicorn. Free WiFi in public areas is available to all guests, along with a garden and a bar.

Other perks at this guesthouse include:

Free self parking
Coffee/tea in the lobby, smoke-free premises, and outdoor furniture

Similar properties

Breakfast included
Pet friendly
Parking included
Free WiFi

$76 nightly

Nov 3 - Nov 4

Total with taxes and fees

Property amenities

Internet

Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

Free self parking on site

Food and drink

Free breakfast available
A bar/lounge
A coffee shop/cafe
Coffee and tea in common areas
Free daily manager's reception

Guest services

Housekeeping (weekly)

Outdoors

Garden
Outdoor furniture

Accessibility

No elevator

More

Smoking not allowed

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime

Contactless check-in available

Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Guests will receive lockbox information

Renovations and closures

The following facilities are closed on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday:

Bar/lounge
Dining venue(s)

Access methods

Lockbox

Pets

Pets allowed for an extra charge of GBP 10.00 per pet, per stay

Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees

Welcoming dogs only

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

Pet fee: GBP 10.00 per pet, per stay
Service animals are exempt from fees

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

This property accepts credit/debit cards

Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit, and outdoor lighting

This property is professionally cleaned

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties

Property is also known as

Ancient Unicorn Inn Barnard Castle

Ancient Unicorn Barnard Castle

Ancient Unicorn

Ancient Unicorn Barnard

Ancient Unicorn Inn

The Ancient Unicorn Guesthouse

The Ancient Unicorn Barnard Castle

The Ancient Unicorn Guesthouse Barnard Castle

Frequently asked questions

Is The Ancient Unicorn pet-friendly?

Yes, dogs are allowed at this property. There's a fee of GBP 10.00 per pet, per stay. Service animals are exempt from fees.

How much does it cost to stay at The Ancient Unicorn?

As of Nov 2, 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Ancient Unicorn on Nov 3, 2025 start from $86.97, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at The Ancient Unicorn?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at The Ancient Unicorn?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime.

What time is check-out at The Ancient Unicorn?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is The Ancient Unicorn located?

Situated in Barnard Castle, this guesthouse is 0.8 mi (1.3 km) from North Pennines and within 6 mi (10 km) of Barnard Castle and Bowes Museum. Eggleston Hall and Raby Castle are also within 12 mi (20 km).

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The Ancient Unicorn Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

8.0/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.2/10

Eco-friendliness

8/10 Good

David

Apr 28, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Relaxing stay in historic inn.

Nice stay in an historic inn, with clean room, good pub food and a hearty breakfast. Reasonable price too - what's not to like?

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

jennifer

Mar 1, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

It was in a quiet wee village but if you have a car you can go to town I upgraded to a cottage and it had a microwave and kettle also a hob was very clean and there’s parking the breakfast and food was lovely would go again

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jac

Jul 18, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

lovely little hideaway

I stayed with 2 female friends in a small but comfy courtyard room. We stayed for tea on the night and it was gorgeous, the staff were friendly and accommodating swapping the meal to suit our needs. Next morning breakfast was included so we all had a large full English, veg option available. We will definitely be back. Small issue re damp smell in bathroom but loved the place.

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Bill

Aug 7, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

We (couple adult daughter dog) stayed at the Ancient Unicorn to break the journey between East Anglia and Scotland. We arrived at the charming inn located in the centre of the lovely Pennine village of Bowes to be told that we had been upgraded to the Charles Dickens Cottage(!) because there was a problem with our booked room. The Cottage was immaculate and comfortable with a fantastic shower. Despite the fact that the staff were very busy because there was a folk group getting set up to play in the bar nothing was too much trouble for Karli and her staff to make us welcome. We had an excellent dinner of home-made food (made earlier in the day by Karli!) in the dog-friendly restaurant and then enjoyed a pint of real ale in the bar. And the cooked breakfast in the morning was fabulous. A perfect stay and so, so much better than a generic motorway hotel. The area is full of attractions in its own right (we had a quick look at the ruin of Bowes Castle just up the road) and we will be back!

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

4/10 Poor

clive

Aug 14, 2023

Disliked: Cleanliness

Unfortunately our stay was ruined by the repulsive smell contained within the property (Charles Dickens Cottage). When we arrived the smell of damp dogs was overwhelming. We were offered a tokenistic can of air freshener to spray around the property. This failed to eliminate the smell which remained all week. This was compounded by a number of soft furnishings containing dog hair. The property is defined as pet friendly on their website but be warned (certainly within the Charles Dickens Cottage) that if you have sensitive smell you would be advised to book a different cottage!

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023

4/10 Poor

Matt

Jun 8, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Disliked: Staff & service

An unpleasant experience

The hotel is self service. I received a text with a code to open a key box. The latch and lock on the bedroom door were broken on the inside, meaning that I could unlock the door from the front but could not latch or lock it. I had to push the sofa against the door overnight for security as I had a lot of expensive camera equipment in the room. There was no internet available despite being promised and sent a WiFi password. The walls were paper thin and I was woken up by drunken guests at 1am followed by another wake up at 3am due to a man loudly vomiting.

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

4/10 Poor

Nicola

Aug 29, 2023

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Not great

No WiFi available in our room even though it is stated on the website. You had to go down to the door of the bar in the pub to pick up the WiFi. I contacted the number given and they sent the WiFi password a couple of hours later after they obviously didn't read my message properly. I measured back but heard nothing else. The hairdryer in the room turned on, got hot without blowing air and then shut down, I left a note saying this may be a fire hazard.

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Sep 8, 2025

Liked: Amenities

Very friendly establishment. Great service and good dinner menu and breakfast. The cottage could of done with a deep clean as there was loads of spiders and cobwebs. Would definitely stay there again but maybe in the pub next time

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Timothy

Sep 7, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

.

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

8/10 Good

Carolyne

Jul 28, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Lovely overnight stay, comfortable accommodation and facilities. Food lovely breast and evening meal. Great parking for motorcycles

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Alison

Jul 20, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Room was lovely with a very comfy bed. Please add a reading light as the main light was very 'soft'. However the food was NOT good. I'm pretty sure our evening meal choices of scampi+chips and sausage+mash were both microwaved ready meals, not freshly prepared. The scampi+mushy peas were hard/overdone but the chips soggy & limp. The sausage+mash meal fared better but the sausages were really poor quality meat and not tasty. Overall, we would happily sleep there another night if we're in the area but it's not somewhere we want to eat again.

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Louisa

Jul 11, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities

A little basic but comfy, very quiet, delicious breakfast and friendly and accommodating staff.

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Julian

Jun 15, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

Two night stay in the small village of Bowes. Double room was comfortable with en suite. Tasty English breakfast included. We used the pub for our evening meal on both nights - there is no other option nearby for dinner without a short drive. Bar food was cooked really well. The bar itself was functional but lacking a bit of character.

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

George

May 8, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

didn't like the price differential between booking direct with the hotel to booking with you.

Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

paula

Apr 4, 2025

Wonderful trip away

Such a lovely stay property was lovely very clean inviting and cosy and great for our dogs too. The staff were so lovely friendly helpful and made us feel very welcome. I am coeliac and they were fantastic with the food for me would highly recommend loved it

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Sue

Apr 3, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Quality accommodation/ disappointing dinner.

Charming olde world inn. Beautiful room and nice original features. Very friendly staff. Superb breakfast (even did me porridge as can't manage a full english). Lovely views from our second floor room which was very spacious. Evening meal disappointed. Steak was too well-done - no pink in the middle/ sticky toffee pudding was very dry.

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Hayley

Mar 13, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Excellent staff and well positioned for a stop over.

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Deirdre

Mar 9, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Overnight Stay in Room 5 The Ancient Unicorn

We only were there for 1 night but it was a very comfy and enjoyable one. We had dinner there and it was very good also breakfast next morning was cooked as you ordered and a very good choice of cold items we had room 5 and it was a beautiful room with tea and coffee making facilities

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Markus

Feb 25, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Fantastic place

We had a fabulous stay in the Ancient Unicorn. We were a family of 4 and also had our dog with us. We stayed in the Charles Dickens Cottage and it was outstanding. When we arrived, the cottage was warm and welcoming. The kitchen was well-equipped. The breakfast was delicious and the staff were super friendly. The location is great for exploring the area. We look forward to coming back in the future.

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lilly

Jan 26, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great Stay !

Lovely rooms , comfy bed & comfy pillows , great shower. Service & hospitality was fantastic ! Would highly reccomend.

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ruth

Jan 5, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Lovely and GF breakfast

Lovely stay with lovely hosts. If you’re gluten free, the landlord is coeliac so you get a fabulous breakfast!

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tracy

Dec 7, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Lovely stay Very cosy

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Lorna

Oct 21, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Lovely historical property and good value for money. Quiet location, great stop off for travelling on the A66, with Barnard Castle just a short drive. Easy check into cosy courtyard cottage. Nicely decorated and furnished, though the bed would benefit from a better quality mattress. Friendly staff and good breakfast. Evening pub menu satisfactory but not exceptional.

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024