As we saunter down Dorchester’s handsome high street, a sign on a wall reads ‘Hyde Park Corner: 120 miles’, a sweet reminder of the town’s strategic position on an old main route into London. In the late 19th Century, stagecoaches would pass through here, transporting passengers from the South West to the capital. To break the journey, some travellers would check themselves into The King's Arms, a prestigious coaching inn with a handsome Georgian façade and a reputation for attracting the elite. Queen Victoria and Edward VII both stayed here in the mid-1800s; Audrey Hepburn brought the attention of Hollywood; The Rolling Stones made it cool. And, of course, local icon Thomas Hardy was a regular guest, often using the reading room to write his novels. Consequently, The King's Arms features in some of Hardy’s greatest works.
Sadly, the hotel fell into disrepair in the late 20th Century, so we were thrilled when we heard that local hotel group Stay Original Co (the masterminds behind The Swan Wedmore and a string of other boutique hotels) announced they were bringing it back to life. Old rooms and bow windows have been carefully restored, oversized retro lampshades hang from high ceilings, and characterful Art Deco styling hints at the hotel’s former glamour. Of course, the owners have weaved in their trademark touches: a fine-dining restaurant headed up by an ex-River Cottage chef, a buzzy bar that’s great for cocktails and late-night whiskies, and quirky bedrooms with luxurious additions like clawfoot bathtubs, Bramley toiletries and antique trunks. This is proper urban sophistication, and we revelled in it!
Highs
- The hotel’s illustrious history is fascinating, having served as a key coaching inn for the rich and famous
- Rooms are creative and full of character, with bold colour schemes, retro wallpaper, velvet upholstery and lots of antiques
- The food at the restaurant is top notch – we couldn’t fault it
- Staff are brilliant: attentive, helpful and very friendly
- Dorchester is a smart town, famous for its Thomas Hardy connections. There are fascinating museums, Roman ruins and pretty pleasure gardens, plus the Jurassic Coast beaches are nearby
Lows
- Due to their location on the high street, light sleepers might be disturbed by traffic noise in the front bedrooms, but the windows are double glazed and we slept soundly
- The food at the restaurant isn’t the cheapest, but it’s well and truly worth the price tag
- The restaurant terrace is adjacent to the car park, but high walls obscure it from view
Best time to go
Dorchester is popular all year. If you're hoping for sunshine and swimming on the Jurassic Coast you'll want to come in the summer, though this time of year also brings heavy crowds. Those seeking a romantic break will be happier in spring or autumn; both bring pretty scenery. Of course, great food and festive aperitifs make for a great winter stay as well.
Dorchester Market takes place every Wednesday. The Dorset County Show usually takes place in the town on the first weekend of September.
Dorchester Market takes place every Wednesday. The Dorset County Show usually takes place in the town on the first weekend of September.
Our top tips
The hotel restaurant is open to the public and is a very popular local hangout. Make sure you book in advance if you want to eat here.
Being so close to the Jurassic Coast, the seafood in this area is seriously good. Look out for haddock casserole or mackerel baked in cider on restaurant menus.
Being so close to the Jurassic Coast, the seafood in this area is seriously good. Look out for haddock casserole or mackerel baked in cider on restaurant menus.
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 6 independent reviews from i-escape guests
A stylish hotel in the heart of the town with very good service. There was a problem with our room fridge on arrival and we were upgraded to a larger room immediately. The room was really comfortable and had a gorgeous, luxurious bathroom. The downside was that the bedroom windows looked directly onto the adjacent building and there was no view. Meals are not cheap but we had a deal that included breakfast and a discount on dinner. We enjoyed some excellent food at both breakfast and dinner. Our only criticism would be that the Sunday evening menu is limited to roast dinners and very few a la carte dishes. Overall a great stay and we would definitely return.
Staff were really friendly, hotel has a cosy vibe to it and had a great weekend there. Would definitely recommend!
Excellent Sunday lunch, best gravy I've ever had in a restaurant, but all meals we had were extremely nice, good central location with lots of local attractions close by, choice of sitting inside or a nice outside covered area for a drink. Very happy with our choice.
The hotel was very lovely, but the food was an absolute revelation. Delicious and beautifully presented, I was expecting good food from the write up, but this was exceptional. Our rooms were comfortable and spacious. Our daughters' room on the first floor was comfortable, a little plainer than ours, but had a/c, ours on the second was sumptuous but had no a/c, however we were able to open the window next to the bed for a small breeze. Beds were extremely comfortable and everything was sparkling clean. The staff were super accommodating and were able to give us access to our rooms a couple of hours earlier than the usual check in, as we had requested in advance. There was a sweet package of goodies for our dog. Its not cheap, but if you are planning to stay in the vicinity of Dorchester I would highly recommend the Kings Arms, as it is surely the town's jewel in its crown.
I stayed for three nights with two children (ages 9 and 12) and our dog, Spud. We had a family room on the 1st floor and the decor, friendliness, food, service were all 10/10. We had no complaints and the hotel staff would do anything to help us if needed. Dorchester has some lovely antique shops and is a close drive to the coast where we visited Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove and Lyme Regis. All in all, a top trip!
Beautiful historic hotel and bar, in a great location for lots of activities in the Dorset area. Food and drink were fantastic, worth booking the Half board deal as it's by far the best place in the area for dinner and there's is plenty of variety for a good few days. Staff were helpful and friendly.
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape
Less Feedback