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The Alexandra Hotel, Derby
Derby
DE1 2QE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Alexandra Hotel
Back again for a couple of beers before wandering off to The Brunswick. Both beers in excellent condition as usual. Castle Rock have suddenly stopped the "One Over The Eight" promotion. I had a full card from our last visit that would have given me a free pint. It's now worthless, bummer! Not the pubs fault though. Still a favourite of mine.
18/07/2014
We've called in here several times since my last review, in fact this is our first port of call every time we visit Derby. Another couple of pints this time, both in excellent condition as was Ms CAMRA's Harvest Pale. There's always a good atmosphere in here and plenty of banter. It's a very good pub.
14/04/2011
Called in again the other Friday. Had a pint of Black Country Brewery Thomas Guest Puddles and a Clarkes Classic Blonde. The other half had two halves of Harvest Gold, all excellent. The pub is under new management, the landlord used to be the chef at the Brunswick. Everything is back to normal, probably better than it's been for a while really.
13/07/2010
Great little pub owned by Castle Rock (Tynemill), which means that if you buy a Castle Rock beer you get a free pint when you've collected 8 stickers. Has a couple of their beers on plus 5/6 guests, it's always a great pint in here. Has a real fire in one room which was very welcome on Friday evening when it was pretty chilly. The other room has always been quiet or even empty whenever I've been in, but it's a decent room as well. Has 3 (I think) letting rooms upstairs. No music, conversation only, which can be very entertaining given the characters they get in here. I tried a Castle Rock Black Gold, Fyne Highlander & Ossett Yorkshire Blonde, all in great nick. Our Derby pub crawl almost always starts here and long may it continue to do so.
On 13th July 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Alexandra Hotel
Despite having stayed here overnight previously, I have never managed to do this place justice and this time was no exception since it was very much another flying visit. However, I have - at various times - had a pint in the separate public and lounge bars (full of railway memorabilia) and the rear patio beer garden. Although describing itself as a freehouse, it does have a connection with Castle Rock and several of its beers can usually be found on the eight(?) handpumps, together with a good selection from interesting smaller breweries e.g. the Rudgate No 7 Summer Fruits (£2.80 less 20p Camra discount) on this occasion.
On 6th September 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Alexandra Hotel
This and the Brunswick were the only two pubs in Derby I had visited before apart from a Marston's pub near Friar Gate where I used to occasionally come to work many years ago.
On my visit one of the bars was closed for a private function so it probably appeared a lot busier than it actually was. The bank of eight pumps had four Castle Rock beers priced at £2.70 to £2.90 and four guests, one of which I was surprised to see was Five Points Railway Porter which like me had come all the way from East London. The other three were Notebook Arctic Tern, Green Jack Orange Wheat and Burton Bridge Hooray Henley. I went for the Hooray Henley (£3.20) and immediately wished I had chosen something else as it was quite undistinguished especially compared to so many beers tried earlier in the day.
I feel obliged to give it a 9 based on earlier visits but with one bar closed it would only have been 8. If you've got a train to catch missing out on here and the Brunswick is not a sensible option.
On 21st July 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Alexandra Hotel
Update – November 2013
Went in the other bar this time – this has brewery memorabilia and posters from the likes of Marstons, Hook Norton, Adnams etc. An old price list advertises Burton brewed bitter at 7d per pint.
An interesting addition from last time is the cab from a diesel locomotive which was saved from the scrap yard by pub staff and which now sits proudly on display in one corner of the pub car park
A good range of beers were on – Castle Rock beers ( obviously ) plus other local micros, such as Shipstones. Interestingly, and not something I’ve come across before, is that the pub advertises that it accepts Wetherspoons vouchers ( is this a Tynemill policy, or an individual pub initiative, I wonder ?). The pub is a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular.
This is a fine old school pub and well worth visiting
ORIGINAL REVIEW - APRIL 2009
Friendly, traditional 2 bar pub close to the station - you can see the pub from when you're sitting on the train.
It's a Tynemill pub, although it's much less noticeably badged as such than the New Barrack Tavern in Sheffield where I went recently.
As well as the Castle Rock beers, there were also beers on from Millstone and Oldershaw and Titanic on my recent visit.
I made the mistake of trying a half of Saltaire's Raspberry Blonde, a drink that might best be described as a "beer for drinkers who don't like beer" if you see where I'm coming from. Thankfully the Castle Rock beers were much more to my taste.
The pub is decorated in traditional style and the railway photographs will please the trainspotters amongst us ( not that I come in that category, I hasten to add ) .
You should try and do this one if at all possible - particularly if you're travelling by train, given the close proximity of the station
On 18th December 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mark Davey left this review about The Alexandra Hotel
All my years of working and drinking in Derby and this was the first time that I managed to visit the Alexandra. Typical Castle Rock pub with the usual Rock beers and a few that were new to me, it was nice to get some stamps on my 1 over the 8 card ready for my free christms :O). As a rail enthusiast in my childhood, it was good to see some of the relics bolted to the walls of the bar. Lots of old deisel stuff, including name plates, numbers and old station signs. will certainly call again when in derby if the place is open, which has always been it's failing in the past, or maybe just my bad timing.
On 19th April 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 292 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Alexandra Hotel
The Alex is a Castle Rock pub that is a friendly pub with a good choice of beers. Close to the Railway Station and the other great Derby pub the Brunswick. 2 rooms and a warm welcome. They give CAMRA discount and have cobs for sale on the bar. Enjoyed a couple of their guest beers from Hop Back and Amber breweries.
On 17th February 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Alexandra Hotel
Very easy to find and not to be missed. Sort of pub where you're made welcome and serves some crackin beers. This is the birthplace of Derby Camra 3rd July 1974. I really enjoyed the Phoenix Brewery Monkey Town Mild. Also on Castle Rock Harvest Pale, Preservation, Elsie Mo, Oakham Bishop's Farewell, Newby Wyke The Deep and Blue Monkey BG Sips. Will call again.
On 8th January 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Dennis Corcoran left this review about The Alexandra Hotel
Just spent a few days in Derby and tried out the Alexandra after reading reviews in newspapers etc. Great place, good range of beers and a welcoming atmosphere from the Landlord and landlady, Raif and Anna. They introduced us to the Derby "Cobs" a meal in a bun, great value. Of the five pubs along that road, all great venues, the Alexandra was the best. Will visit again when,If, we are in Derby again
On 16th September 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roy Collins left this review about The Alexandra Hotel
Eight different ales on when i visited. Nice cosy atmosphere in a shabby sort of way.
On 31st July 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 124 recommendations about 121 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about The Alexandra Hotel
Our first itme in here for some years but certainly a real improvment to the last visit and and possibly even better than it was in its heyday some years ago. On our visit there were 9 ales available with an umber from castle Rock but with one guest ale being from as far away as Dorset. The ales we had were in top notch condition. certainly well worth the visit especially as its so close to both the Brunswick and Derby rsil station.
On 3rd June 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]