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Beer of the Week (w/e 15th June 2025) with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
City Gate Hotel, Exeter
Exeter
EX4 3RB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Real Ale Ray left this review about City Gate Hotel
A hansome looking Georgian building built on the site of one of Exeter's city gates. We walked across town in a storm, so were soaked through when we arrived here. Thankfully one of the young staff switched on the aircon over the fireplace where we were sitting with lovely warm air and we soon dried out.
Quite a few people having a bite to eat on our visit and the food did look impressive. I also managed to venture out into the large decked garden at the rear, which went back quite a way. Five handpumps serving Youngs Original, Hanlons Yellow Hammer and Stormstay, Otter Amber and Otter Ale.
On 25th October 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3684 recommendations about 3684 pubs]
Bucking Fastard left this review about City Gate Hotel
Young's pub with boutique rooms ,it's a large building with high ceilings but with an unfortunate modern refurb which has eliminated a lot of character.There are various sections with a long bar to the left,large armchairs in the window spaces,a side section with a very long bench in brown leather and lots of flock wallpaper and strange colours.Further back is another seating area,then a conservatory before doors to a large beer garden.Along a corridor to the open kitchen and loos is a private room which can be hired for functions.
The bar sported 5 handpumps but three were "back soon " (Otter Ale and Amber,Youngs London Special )leaving a choice of Hanlon's Stomstay and Yellow Hammer (decent,NBSS 3.5).You might want to include this on a real ale tour but the pub itself is rather souless and could be so much better .
On 19th August 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2971 recommendations about 2971 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about City Gate Hotel
Comfortable Young's pub and hotel, close by the iron bridge, with a variety of seating / dining areas (including some in the conservatory) and a courtyard garden for the better weather. Mix of upmarket but bland furniture and décor. Five cask ales on handpump: including the regular Ordinary and a Citra IPA (£5.25) as one of a pair from the local Hanlons brewery.
On 22nd January 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8733 recommendations about 8733 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about City Gate Hotel
Recently done-over by the Youngs refurb brigade and what results is a fairly dull and mimsy affair, from decor to music. The jumbo conservatory is of passing interest and is probably what keeps it in operating profit with the dining pashmina classes. An optimistic four cask on the bar, 2x Youngs and 2x Hanlons. My half of the latter's IPA was a lacklustre stale mess (NBSS 1.5). Don't bother.
On 5th July 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5589 recommendations about 5570 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about City Gate
Although this pub is indeed also a hotel as it’s name suggests, it doesn’t have the genteel ambience that this might lead you to expect, and was in fact filled with a noisy and fairly raucous crowd on a recent Friday evening visit.
It’s an open plan pub with a conservatory at the rear, and beyond this it looked as though there may have been an attractive courtyard garden, although we did not investigate this. The flooring is carpet and the paintwork predominantly khaki green, although there was also some maroon paint elsewhere. There was dark wood panelling behind the bar and a couple of black painted metal support pillars, and a few old black and white photographs dotted around the walls. An ornate black and gold fire-place was off to one side, but there was little else of any note. A separate room off to one side housed a large, single table and there is also apparently a cellar bar.
Food is offered, although we did not check the menu. A small sign advertised that pizzas were available to take away and we saw a number of burgers coming out. Staff seemed quite switched on and cleared tables promptly as soon as anyone had left.
Beers on tap were predominantly from Young’s, with their Special, Bitter, London Gold and Hummingbird and these were joined by Hanlon’s Yellowhammer. The solitary cider was Thatcher’s Gold.
On 4th August 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2070 recommendations about 1970 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about City Gate
This is an ok pub, a bit hotelish but that may be as expected
On 27th September 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1556 recommendations about 1533 pubs]