The Ancient Unicorn is located in Barnard Castle. Bowes Museum and Swaledale Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include Eggleston Hall and Millgate House Garden. Walworth Castle Birds of Prey and National Railway Museum at Shildon are also worth visiting. Take an opportunity to explore the area for outdoor excitement like hiking/biking trails.
The Ancient Unicorn provides everything that you need. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas.
Other perks at this guest house include:
Free self-parking
Breakfast (surcharge) and smoke-free property
Languages
English
Property amenities
Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transport
Free self parking on site
Food and drink
Breakfast available for a fee
Guest services
Weekly housekeeping
Accessibility
No lift
More
Smoke-free property
Policies
Check-in
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Check-out
Contactless check-out
Special check-in instructions
Guests will receive lockbox information
Access methods
Lockbox
Pets
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Payment types at the property
Important information
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
This property is professionally cleaned
We should mention
This property does not have any lifts
This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including stag and hen 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
How much is parking at The Ancient Unicorn?
Self-parking is free at this property.
The Ancient Unicorn Reviews
Reviews
8.8
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
We loved the quaintness of the hotel - it was beautiful too.
The area is perfect for walking/rambling and was very quiet.
The staff we encountered were lovely, kind, helpful and polite. And we particularly loved Gus, the resident doggie.
Checking in was easy when we realised it was a staff-free experience and had to use codes and lock boxes to get the keys - simple and effective.
Booked the Deluxe double as a stop over, and had a lovely night's sleep.
Andrew
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
4/10 Poor
Nicola
29 Aug 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.
Nicola
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
4/10 Poor
clive
Travelled with family
14 Aug 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!
A very convenient overnight stop on our drive north to Scotland. Lovely old building in the heart of the village. We arrived late but had been provided with codes that gave us access to our 3-person room, which was very comfortable and fine for an overnight stay but might be a bit small if you were staying longer. Very comfortable beds but rather a lot of noise from the adjacent room. Very good value for money - we would certainly consider returning to use the Ancient Unicorn as a base for exploring the local area.