I stayed here for one night on a business trip and like other reviewers definitely felt I was the youngest person there by twenty years - and I'm in my 60s! Everything was clean but to me seemed very dated. There was no safe in the room - these days one doesn't expect to have to hand 'valuables' in at the desk. Also the bed had a blanket rather than a duvet - rather quaint. Not really a problem but did make you feel that they hadn't really moved into the 21st century. And there were other little meannesses like lining the curtains with blackout material - good, but not having curtains that crossed over in the middle so the light still came in - not so good!
Breakfast buffet was basic but with a good choice of cooked items. I passed on eating in the main restaurant in the evening as £25 for two courses was too expensive. However a £3 charge for room service seemed quite reasonable and the roast was good.
Also on the plus side, the bed was comfortable, the bathroom quite new with good quality products and all the staff very friendly and helpful. Just rather too like a set for Miss Marples for me!

We stayed here for one night in May. The hotel in very clean and decorated well but in a fussy style.Be aware the average age of guests maybe 70+ especially when there is a coach tour staying like the night we were here.
Our only gripe was we asked for a double room but ended up with singles made up as singles then pushed together. I am sure they would have changed it but we didnt bother for one night

We stayed 2 nights as part of a car tour of the SW with a group of around 20. This has to be the best of the 4 hotels we used - far better than the 5 star Bath Spa.

Service is friendly yet professional, rooms very comfortable, food excellent and with generous portions at the imaginative 5 course dinner (different each night). We were seated for dinner at two large tables - and the waiters even managed to remove, all at once and with a flourish, the 10 silver domes from the main meals at our table - for which they received a round of applause each night! Drinks reasonably priced, and a good choice of sensibly priced bottles of wine.

We would definitely like to return in future. This has to be the best hotel in Barnstaple (we have stayed at the sister hotel, The Barnstaple, but the Imperial wins the prize).

This was our second visit to The Imperial in 20 months. My husband has had 6.5 weeks radiotheraphy treatment and The Imperial was the first place we thought of to have a relaxing break to get over it. It worked!!!! Rooms, staff and everything were up to the high standard you would expect from this lovely hotel. We left the car at home and travelled down by train (so easy) and went everywhere by bus.... great because you see so much more than from the car. Some people say that when you go back to a hotel you can be disappointed...this was not the case here and no doubt in the future we will return to The Imperial