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Bow Guest House

3.0 star property
Travelers find riverside relaxation and exploration opportunities at this welcoming guest house, with convenient luggage storage making day trips hassle-free

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Photo gallery for Bow Guest House

View from property - Bow Guest House (Reading)
Free toiletries, hair dryer, towels, shampoo - Bow Guest House (Reading)
Twin Room, Ensuite | Iron/ironing board, free WiFi - Bow Guest House (Reading)
Breakfast area - Bow Guest House (Reading)
Property entrance - Bow Guest House (Reading)
Bow Guest House offers a tranquil spot near the Thames River where guests can relax with complimentary in-room WiFi. The staff provides tour assistance for discovering nearby attractions, and the practical luggage storage service makes exploring the area more convenient.

Reviews

7.6 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Housekeeping

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 7 of 7 rooms

View all photos for Single Ensuite

Single Ensuite | Iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Single Ensuite

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(2 reviews)
  • 12 sq m
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Twin Room, Ensuite

Twin Room, Ensuite | Iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Twin Room, Ensuite

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)
  • 14 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Standard Single Room

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Single Room

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(7 reviews)
  • 10 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Ensuite Family Room Lower Ground Floor

Iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Ensuite Family Room Lower Ground Floor

  • 16 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Family Room with Dedicated Bathroom Lower Ground Floor

Family Room with Dedicated Bathroom Lower Ground Floor | Iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Family Room with Dedicated Bathroom Lower Ground Floor

  • 16 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Standard Double Room, 1 Double Bed, Shared Bathroom

Standard Double Room, 1 Double Bed, Shared Bathroom | Iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Double Room, 1 Double Bed, Shared Bathroom

  • 16 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

Economy Double Room

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

About the neighborhood

Reading is home to Bow Guest House. River Thames and Chiltern Hills reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include South Street Arts Centre and Rivermead Leisure Complex. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Madejski Stadium or Henley Cricket Club. Visit our Reading travel guide
View more Guest Houses in Reading
Map
25 Russell Street, Reading, England, RG1 7XD

What's nearby

  • Oracle
    Oracle
    12 min walk - 0.7 miles
  • Reading Museum and Town Hall
    Reading Museum and Town Hall
    15 min walk - 0.8 miles
  • Thames Path
    Thames Path
    16 min walk - 0.9 miles
  • Broad Street Mall
    6 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • Hexagon
    7 min walk - 0.4 miles

Getting around

  • Reading West Station
    8 min walk
  • Heathrow Airport (LHR)
    48 min drive

Restaurants

  • The Nag's Head
    1 min walk
  • The Rising Sun
    9 min walk
  • Burger King
    9 min walk
  • Creams Cafe Reading
    6 min walk
  • The Face Bar
    5 min walk

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free self parking on site

Conveniences

  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance

More

  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bathroom

  • Bathtub or shower
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Shampoo
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 24-inch flat-screen TV with digital channels

Food and drink

  • Toaster

More

  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Portable fan

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 7 AM - 9:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 9:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Renovations and closures

The property will be renovating from June 16 2026 to June 17 2026 (completion date subject to change). The following areas are affected:
  • Select guestrooms
During renovations, the guesthouse will make every effort to minimize noise and disturbance.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher

Frequently asked questions

Is Bow Guest House pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Bow Guest House?

Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at Bow Guest House?

Check-out is at 11 AM.

Where is Bow Guest House located?

Situated in Reading, this guesthouse is within 1 mi (2 km) of Broad Street Mall and River Thames. Reading Civic Centre and Hexagon are also within 10 minutes. Reading West Station is 8 minutes by foot and Reading Station is 14 minutes.

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Bow Guest House Reviews

7.6

Good

7.8

Cleanliness

7.8

Location

8.6

Staff & service

7.2

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 28 out of 80 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 25 out of 80 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 16 out of 80 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 80 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 7 out of 80 reviews

Reviews

Verified

4/10 Poor

Rob

Liked: Staff & service
There was no Hot water to the Basin Tap The toilet did not flush very well even after 3 x flushes The TV kept loosing signal The shower (Electric) kept going from Hot to Cold The LL milk left for tea & coffee was off The linin was very crisp and clean The Bed very comfortable The Breakfast was very nice The reception were very nice and helpful Its an old tired building
Stayed 1 night in May 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Milad

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Good location and friendly staff
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Debbie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Close to city centre. Friendly staff.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

JOSEPH

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Clean, comfy bed, nice people who run it, handy location, reasonably priced compared to the big hotel's around the corner and a warm welcome. I recommend this place for a short or overnight stay.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Good stay

Comfortable stay. Suited me just right.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Abima

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Their service is top notch. I would highly recommend them to anyone visiting Reading, UK.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Patricia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice little pub near by. Very pleasant, helpful folks. Did everything to make my stay outstanding.! Was willing to go over and above to make my stay the best. Thank you, and will come back as you showed outstanding hospitality!!!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Adequate guesthouse in Reading. Would stay again.

First and foremost it's a Guesthouse. Shared toilet and bathroom facilities (sink in the room). It serves a function. Dont expect luxury. I would stay there again. Staff are very friendly, and welcoming. Breakfast was good. Bed a little soft for my liking but fine.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

antoinette

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Stay at Bow Guest house reading.

My stay at the bow guest house was really good. From checking in made welcome with such a friendly greeting. I had a single room with shared bathroom. It was ok for 1 night stay. Clean and comfy. The breakfast was really good. There was ceriel with fresh orange. Full english with 2 toast, cooked to good standard. Again friendly lady who was serving and cleaning after each table cleared. 👍 You couldnt ask for more. The guest house is close to lots of eaterys and take aways. The bus stop is at the end of the next street. I ate at the Burger den on the corner of Waylen street reading. The best chicken fillet buger i have had . I would recoment this guest house for short stays.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025
Verified

6/10 Okay

Mei-wa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
TV did not work. The shower was not the easiest but could be figured out. Otherwise, the room was comfortable and clean. Furnishings are a bit outdated and could be refurbished but the bed was comfortable. The staff is very nice and the breakfast quite generous.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My second stay, and the service was just as excellent as the previous time. The staff there are so welcoming and helpful.
Stayed 1 night in May 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jocelyne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Yes..truly homely.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2026
Verified

6/10 Okay

Elizabeth Ebudola

Not as expected
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2026
Verified

8/10 Good

Charles

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very good value. Short walk from town centre
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Oscar

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Multicultural place.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Gabija

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
Terrible experience. We were greeted by a male receptionist (Sundeep was his name I believe). He asked for the name of the booking, then gave us the room keys. We went to the room and fell asleep at 10 pm. At around 10.40 pm the same receptionist came to our room and woke us up. He knocked and shouted that he does not see the reservation. My mother asked if this could wait till the morning. He said no. Half-asleep, I dressed up and showed the Expedia confirmation. He nodded and went away. However, I did not feel safe to do so - what kind of hotel/BnB does such things? Surely the receptionist could have checked everything before handing us the keys or at least wait till the morning, as this was during the legal non-disturbance time. I am not sure if he was drunk or simply careless, inconsiderate and violating the guest-host agreement. The walls were thin, we could hear what other guests were doing next door which did not help to fall asleep. Could not take proper shower due to outdated shower head and insufficient water flow. No hot water out of our bathroom tap. Insufficient amount of hand soup. Both my mother and I are vegans. The BnB advertises that they provide full English breakfast. Fine, we were not expecting big effort to cater for us, as it's a small BnB. We asked the lady who was serving breakfast to just omit the meat and eggs. But the scarce amount of other ingredients clearly stayed the same as in the usual meal. Ok but maybe not the most welcoming thing?
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Eija

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Nice place

Nice stay and a friendly host. We liked the place.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

8/10 Good

Gavin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Used Bow Guest House as a base for two nights while working near Reading. Host was friendly, Room was suitable and the wifi was invaluable!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

jayne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Was very well located near town centre, new ownership, only been there dew weeks will definitely go back to see how things are progressing
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Charles

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I felt very welcomed. Family run business. Lovely people awesome breakfast.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Helen

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Disgusting small rooms. Dirty nothing positive to say. We left I wouldn’t stay there.
Dirty shower
Dirty sink
Poor quality
This is how we found the shower
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Wendy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Friendly good food ,convenient place to both town and theatre in easy walking distance ,dining room needs a refresh, on busy road lots of traffic noise ,some of the area needs a good clean up
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
What a gem of a place. The welcome was warm, and despite the police sirens around Reading central, the room itself was very quiet. Although the room was described as having a large bed, in fact it had two singles, it was comfortable enough. The towels were exquisite, and the cooked breakfast equally so. Highly recommended for the price and warm hospitality.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024
Verified

8/10 Good

Alice

The hosts were very welcoming. Room was nice albeit on second floor Relatively close to city centre so could walk or get bus. Plenty of shops and a 0leasant street
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Benjamin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Friendly
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2022