The Old School

We booked a room on booking.com that was advertised as dog friendly. As soon as we booked, an email arrived saying dogs weren't actually allowed in the room. We emailed the host straight away to ask for a refund because of the false advertising, but got no reply. When I called, she said she'd refund us. Since then she's changed her mind and now says she'll only give a partial refund, keeping £100 of our money for the inconvenience. On the phone she was aggressive and dismissive, saying she didn't have time to deal with us. Avoid this venue. The owner is a liar and will try to cheat you out of your money.

The house itself tells you a lot about the host and her family. It felt like a museum, and I had a beautiful experience. The host wasn't there on the day I visited, which was unusual, so I didn't get the pleasure of meeting her. She had set up breakfast and left instructions, but everything was arranged so nicely that I didn't want to disturb it, so I skipped breakfast. I'd highly recommend this, especially if you're new to England and want an authentic experience.

Sally-Anne came to my rescue after I booked for the wrong month. They weren't taking bookings that weekend because of a family event, but still looked after me so well. It's a beautiful old house, and the service was even better.

The living room was lovely, with its big fireplace, sofas and armchairs, but the smell of cold wood smoke stayed in there. It seemed like the wind was pushing down the chimney and bringing the smoke smell with it. Both my parents have fireplaces at home, so it wasn't new to us, but it did feel quite strange. The owner was so kind. She offered us tea and biscuits as soon as we arrived, brought extra plates so we could eat dinner in the living room, and found a mobile heater for our room when the heating oil had run out. She even made us eggs on her aga. She was just such a nice person to talk to, and you can tell how much care and love she puts into the home. It felt genuine, and the bed was huge. It's the most English home I've ever seen. I'd come back for sure.