Hotel Hippocampus

The old mansion's creaky floors and old-fashioned keys are part of its charm. The hosts are generous and welcoming, and breakfast, which is included in most rates, has been perfect on each of my three stays over the past few years. Each visit has been wonderful. If you can afford it, have dinner at the restaurant downstairs. One of the best meals of my life was there.

The food was apparently good, but I wouldn't recommend this hotel because it was so poorly organised. I prepaid for a stay as a gift for my brother and told the hotel not to give him their card since it showed the price. Yet they asked him to pay for the full stay, and he never received the bottle of champagne I had paid for. The stay nearly ended up being paid for twice. When I complained, they didn't properly address my request or seem to understand their mistake. I also lost a lot of time chasing them about it. The customer service was the worst I've experienced.

The long traffic queue on the motorway, 1.5 hours travelling from the channel port to Hippocampus, was soon forgotten after we arrived. We were warmly welcomed, and the fixed-menu dinner was a real delight. This charming hotel was well worth the sacrifice!

The restaurant food was terrific, with a limited selection that still gave you plenty of options. I love the country setting, though it may not suit everyone since there aren't many pubs and similar places nearby.