The Magnolia Mansfield

The male owner is a fantastic chef, and the food was incredible, if you can afford to eat there. That was one bright spot during a disappointing stay for my 50th birthday with my family. We stayed in the Burgundy room and seemed to be the only guests at the time. From outside, it looked like a quirky historic homestead with ornate features and a lead roof, but indoors it was icy cold and a bit unwelcoming. The female owner had been friendly to my partner while booking, but was frosty when we arrived and quick to lay out what we could and couldn’t do in the house. The room itself was quite nice, but the bathroom was incredibly small. You couldn’t have the shower door and bathroom door open at the same time, and the cloakroom basin was impossible for washing my face or shaving. There was no wardrobe, just a tiny rail by the door, fridge and unit where the crockery was stored. It was Baltic in the room, so we turned on the heater, but the vibration noise ran through the whole top floor and kept us awake. The male owner said it was the shower screen vibrating and suggested jamming it with a towel. I tried that, but it didn’t help. When new guests arrived the next day, both heaters were vibrating. Bliss. The attitude, room, bathroom and heater all felt disappointing for the cost.