Name: Exford Hostel
Address: Exe Mead, Exford TA24 7PU, UK, Minehead, Minehead, Minehead, TA24 7PU, United Kingdom
Rating: 7

Smoke-free property

Heating

Garden

All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)

Outdoor furniture

General

Non-smoking rooms

Family room

Rooms

Laundry

Services and amenities

Common kitchen

Vending machine

Packed Lunches

Meals

German

English

French

Polish

Languages Spoken

Picnic area

Recreation

Parking

Family/Kid Friendly

Kids

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Location

At the hostel

Exford Memorial Hall

Parish Church of St. Mary Magdalene

Cardiff Airport

Exeter International Airport

Exford Hostel

Minehead

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

private-bathroom

shared-bathroom

10-beds

11-beds

12-beds

13-beds

14-beds

15-beds

16-beds

17-beds

18-beds

19-beds

2-beds

20-beds

21-beds

22-beds

23-beds

24-beds

25-beds

26-beds

27-beds

28-beds

29-beds

3-beds

30-beds

31-beds

32-beds

33-beds

34-beds

35-beds

36-beds

37-beds

38-beds

39-beds

4-beds

40-beds

5-beds

6-beds

7-beds

8-beds

9-beds

king-bed

queen-bed

limited-time

lounge

treatment

no-window

bay-view

bosphorus-view

canal-view

city-view

courtyard-view

garden-view

golf-view

harbour-view

inland-view

lake-view

land-view

mountain-view

ocean-front

ocean-view

oceanside

panoramic-view

park-view

partial-ocean-view

partial-sea-view

partial-view

pool-view

river-view

sea-front

sea-view

street-view

sunrise-view

sunset-view

water-view

with-view

annex

basement

main-building

1-bedroom

2-bedrooms

3-bedrooms

4-bedrooms

5-bedrooms

6-bedrooms

not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

breakfast-for-1

breakfast-for-2

pets-allowed

wi-fi

kitchen

A group of two families we stayed for a week. It's a great location from which to do local walks and also to explore the North Devon beaches. The building offers en-suites and a well equipped kitchen. You can get your laundry done at the hotel across the road which is run by a really lovely couple. They also offer a great breakfast.

Good location for exploring Exmoor National Park and Devon

I stayed twice in the hostel in November and December, exploring Exmoor and the coast-path.  Ok, I was the only resident staying (although some of the workers from the hotel opposite do sleep here also), so the place was empty and uncrowded.  In this context it was everything a wet hiker needed.  Places to dry your kit.  Good functioning self-catering kitchen.  Warm.  Good showers.  

Set in the heart of Exmoor, there is plenty to do starting at the front door.  It is possible to make it to the coast and back in a day's walk (and I did) but that's a good stretch.  For the coast-path, you are probably better off driving there.

Two mid-winter trips to Exmoor

I regularly stay in YHA accommodation but this YHA was cold and felt neglected by the White Horse. When we asked for the heating to be turned one evening (the sitting room was very cold) the very nice chef from the White Horse came and tried but without complete success. The previous night another resident also tried and alerted the White Horse to the problem. Rooms are good, but lack shelves and a waste paper bins. Beds are comfortable. Kitchen is clean and very well equipped.. The sitting-room is comfortable - but cold. TV needs explanation information; myself and another resident spent considerable time trying to get a news channel. The warden, who will be in-situ after our visit, was helpful whenever we had the good fortune to make contact with her. A dedicated warden will be of benefit to this hostel as it certainly lacked a wardens presence. The cleaners kept the hostel clean. The countryside around is wonderful walking country but lack of public transport means the taxi information needs updating for those who arrive without vehicles.  A wonderful setting with a beautiful garden and a very good café just behind the WH Inn.
I hope a warden is able to devote time to the hostel and not be compromised by duties at the White Horse.

Walking Holiday

This is a great little YH. Has everything you need, kitchen's lovely, nice garden, comfy sofas, plus friendly pub over the road. Good for walks onto the moors. Public transport links arent fantastic, although there is a patchy bus service, but highly recommend Minehead's only 100% electric taxi if you want a day trip to the beach (without the emissions).

Perfect for walking

Just stayed for a few nights at the hostel and it's a great place to stay. It is an affiliated hostel (owned by the White Horse over the road) but it's no different to any other hostel we've been to. The rooms are quite small but has everything you need and there are a good number of showers/toilets along the corridors. The self-catering is very spacious and the Lounge is fairly big with a couple of board games (Blockbusters and Dingbats) to enjoy and a TV as well. They don't do meals/breakfasts but they do them over at the White Horse. I don't really 'get' all the negative reviews, if you're used to youth hostels (except the ones that have been done up in the last 5 or so years) this is standard and actually a bit nicer.

Brill Hostel!

Such a shame.... I stay in YHA's all the time and this is the dirtiest yet! When we took sheets off on leaving there were cake wrappers under the mattress, sweets wrappers and about an inch of dust down back of bed. The insides of the cupboards in the kitchen needed a deep clean. So they can all be easy to fix. The showers and toilets need a refurb, tgey can't do much about that. Lovely hotel quality duverts. The gentleman on reception was lovely, very helpful and cooks a great breakfast. Hostel location is excellent with free parking. So with a good clean it could be a 4/5. I would go back, I was just surprised as most YHA's are normally outstanding spotless even in old buildings. 

Needs a deep clean....

We enjoyed our stay at the hostel which is a nice building in a lovely area.  The hotel which runs the hostel provided good food and a substantial breakfast.   All the hostels I have stayed in over 40 years have been clean but unfortunately:-
Kitchen   - There were two bowls of extremely mouldy food covered in cling film in the fridge on Friday which were put out by the sink and remained there all weekend.
The toilets were not cleaned all weekend, there was no toilet paper in one on Friday evening. When I asked at breakfast on Saturday I was told that it did not matter as there was paper in the others.  On Sunday morning all the loos had run out I reported this at reception but half an hour later my friend came to say there still wasn't any.  When it was replaced it  was not put into the holder properly as too much was put in and it fell onto the floor. 
I had a bottom bunk and there was dirt and rubbish in the gap between it and the wall.
I am sorry to have to write this as I do not want this review to put others off hosteling which is a lovely way to travel as a change from faceless hotels.

Hygiene at hostel

The Exmoor setting and Exford village are very picturesque.  The receptionist at the next door White Horse Inn was friendly and helpful. Parking is close by. The grounds and layout of the kitchen & dining room are generous.  

However...

The ground floor of the youth hostel has yet to be renovated.  Musty, stale smell and broken toilet seats are what I found.  Air fresheners in the shower stalls, toilets and bedrooms which in my opinion run rather counter to the outdoors, natural expectations of the YHA. I have chemical sensitivities and did manage to stay one night in an other-wise empty hostel by opening every window in the dorm. However, I would recommend you stay away until the refurbishments have been completed.

Not healthy

Walked from Minehead to Exford over Dunkery, and stayed in the YHA.  Fine hostel accommodation, with well-equipped and spacious kitchen.  Helpful and friendly check-in at White Horse Inn, where I had a fine dinner and breakfast the next day.  Then perfect walk to Lynmouth via Doone Valley and Watersmeet.

excellent walking stop

Stayed here for a weekend with a friend. We shared a bunk room, and despite bunks looking small, they were surprisingly very comfortable. 
Everything you would expect from somewhere where you’re not paying for luxury - great range of people for day activities meant it was always quiet at night. 
Kitchen well equipped. 
Beautiful gardens set in lovely Exford.
Very easy check in, fantastic breakfast over the road in the local inn with amazing service. 
Lounge well equipped and sofa so comfortable to kick back and read for a bit after a day out. 
I loved my long weekend here.

Exford Hostel

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