Maids Head Hotel

About Maids Head Hotel

The Maids Head stands on Tombland in the cathedral quarter of Norwich and claims a continuous history of more than 800 years, which would make it among the oldest hotels in the country. Archaeology in the cellars points to a building on the site in Anglo-Saxon times, and the inn appears by name in the Paston letters in the fifteenth century. It remains independently owned and holds an AA four-star silver rating.

The interior mixes periods rather than pretending to a single one, with a Jacobean-style bar, a glazed courtyard and corridors that wander between wings. There are around 84 bedrooms across categories from compact classic doubles to feature rooms with four-posters and beamed ceilings. Rooms are traditionally furnished with modern bathrooms, air conditioning in most of the newer wing, and there is a lift, private car park and accessible accommodation, which is unusual for a building of this age.

Dining is in the WinePress restaurant, which serves Norfolk beef, coastal fish and a well-regarded breakfast, and there is afternoon tea in the lounge and a courtyard for warmer days. The bar is open to non-residents and gets a mix of hotel guests and locals. Meeting rooms and a function suite mean the hotel also handles weddings and business events through the week.

The location is the strongest argument for staying here. Norwich Cathedral is across the road, Elm Hill and the cobbled lanes are a minute away, and the castle, the market and the Norwich Lanes shopping streets are all within a ten-minute walk. The station is about fifteen minutes on foot. It suits city breaks, cathedral and museum visits, and travellers who want a car park in a centre where parking is otherwise difficult.