The Blog

It is with a very heavy heart we announce the immediate closure of The Maids Head Hotel, for what potentially is the first time in its 800 year history. We will initially remain closed until the end of April, but we will keep you updated as soon as we have some good news to share.

If you have a booking with us then we will be in contact, but you can also email [email protected] if you have any concerns, we are happy to defer your stay until you feel safe to travel again.  If you would like to book one of our sleep offers to look forward to, then we are offering flexible cancellation terms in order to give you peace of mind

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our fantastic team for their tireless efforts over these last few weeks, they are the best. We would also like to thank our valued guests and customers for their support and love, it has been overwhelming.

Rest assured we will come back with a bang and will have lots of new experiences and offers to share with you

Look after yourselves, stay safe and we hope to be welcoming you back again soon

With our very best wishes from all our great team at The Maids Head

As a responsible company we are working under Government guidelines for the well being of all guests and staff.

Following the announcement by the Government on Friday, 20th March, our WinePress Restaurant, Maids Head Bar and Lounges are currently closed for external customers. We are however, still accepting accommodation bookings. Residents will be offered a a “Knock and Drop” room service option where full English breakfast, dinner and refreshments will be available for delivery to all our Hotel bedrooms.

We have set up a strategic committee to regularly meet and discuss actions required from us to respond to the fast changing situation regarding Corona virus (Covid-19), with a daily update provided by a committee representative each morning.

We are taking extra measures above our usual high hygiene standards to sanitise both public and staff areas.

Here is a summary of our actions:

All guests are asked to complete a Declaration form on arrival to ask if they have travelled from an infected area, or have been in contact with someone from an infected area.

All public areas and toilets and staff working areas are sanitised every two hours.

Antibacterial hand gel  is available on the reception desk, in the restaurant, bar and all meeting and event rooms, along with staff working areas. Antibacterial hand gel can be supplied to individual guests on request.

Housekeeping is doing a daily deep clean of all bedrooms and guest areas, using disposable gloves.

Restaurant tables are sanitised after diners have left and guests are seated at tables at safe distances from fellow diners

NHS notices have been placed in all toilets and on the backs of toilet doors to instruct users to wash hands.

We have stopped handshakes and adopted social distancing

All staff are asked to complete a movement form if they have travelled outside of Norwich, or have entertained visitors from outside the area.

Clear instructions have been provided for staff about self isolation procedures.

The hotel has purchased an Ionising Spray Gun to sanitise hotel areas.

Please contact us if you have any questions about the extra measures that we have in place.

T. 01603 209955.

Throughout 2019, Break was the Maids Head’s local charity. During the year our staff and guests raised £1,184.06. We invited Danielle Gravestock from Break to receive the cheque and celebrate the fundraising success with our staff. Read more »

Following last autumn’s refurbishment of the Maids Head Hotel’s Wine Press Restaurant, Head Chef Marcin ‘Magic’ Pomierny, semi-finalist in the National Chef of the Year competition 2018 and 2019, has created a new A La Carte Menu to complement the contemporary look of the AA Two Rosette restaurant, featuring the finest of local seasonal produce.Read more »

The Maids Head Hotel  has purchased an elegant Edwardian style Frolic 31 electric launch and, following a winter refit, the boat will take to the River Wensum in Norwich, when it will be officially named The Murtle Fish.

The boat will be driven by a Maids Head skipper, assisted by a steward, and can take 12 passengers. The Murtle Fish will be available to hire from the spring for afternoon tea afloat, wedding photography and receptions, business away days, drinks receptions and guided river tours. Read more »

Sir John Fenn (Rob Knee from the Paston Heritage Society) unveiled, on its 547^th anniversary, a facsimile of the Paston Letter dated 22 November 1472, which gives the first mention of the Maids Head, the name of the inn that had taken over from the 13^th century Murtle Fish. The facsimile is located just outside the entrance of the Maids Head’s Wine Press Restaurant. Read more »

The Maids Head Hotel has revealed a new contemporary look for its AA 2 Rosette Wine Press Restaurant, which is located in the former courtyard of the 15th century inn that first took the name Maids Head.Read more »

Congratulations to Julia Rickman, winner of the FANN19 (Festival of Architecture in Norwich & Norfolk) open photography competition, for her stunning Norwich panorama photograph.Read more »

The Maids Head Hotel is the new permanent home for The Norwich Panorama, created by John Moray-Smith in the mid 1940s for Morgans Brewery.

The Norwich Society acquired the Panorama in 2016 to both save and restore the panel. The magnificent 2.5 metre by 1.5 metre panel is now on display next to the entrance to the Maids Head’s Wine Press Restaurant. Read more »

Last Tuesday (October 1), we began a project to improve the entrance to the hotel from the car park, and build a much-needed showroom for our two Bentleys. The work will take ten weeks and should be completed by the end of November. Read more »