Downs Edge

The welcome tray summed up the odd details: stained teacups, four little squares of homemade cake, two unwrapped chocolates, cotton buds and, bizarrely, throat lozenges. We paid £89 for the room, which didn’t feel worth it. The house is shabby and scruffy, and the standards seem to have slipped. Our small double had no view of either the Downs or the garden, despite the website’s claims. It had poorly equipped 1930s furniture and a tiny TV that felt like it came from the ark. Dust covered the bedside tables, and the remote was so dirty I wanted gloves. The en suite shower room was like a large cupboard attached to one wall, and the shower had black, dirty grouting. Wallpaper was peeling, the paint was heavily scuffed, and the room badly needed redecorating. I saw other rooms that did too. The website promises a country house welcome, a relaxed atmosphere and professionalism from years of managing some of Britain’s finest five-star hotels. It also says the well-appointed en suite rooms have careful attention to detail and sweeping views over the Downs or gardens. What we got didn’t match that description. The elderly proprietor opened the door, but before we’d really had time to put down our bags, we were handed a menu and told to choose breakfast items and a time. It didn’t feel welcoming. Breakfast was good, though the proprietor’s wife complained that some guests hadn’t come down at the time they’d said they would. That backed up an earlier impression that the house is run for its owners rather than its guests. The elderly owners seem to be finding it difficult to cope, which may explain the decline in standards.

The hosts were really friendly, and I had a lovely all-round stay. The house was lovely, the room comfortable, and breakfast fantastic. I was there overnight before my daughter’s graduation in summer 2013.

Nice area, lovely people, and breakfast is so good. It feels like a home away from home, and they’ve made me welcome every time I’ve stayed. I’ve been back many times after it was recommended to me, and I’m passing that recommendation on. There are lots of local restaurants close by too.

The no-Wi-Fi situation might bring back a nostalgic feeling if you miss the good old days. I found the place awful, though. If you enjoy being spoken to like a child by an obnoxious scorpion witch, check it out. I wish I could rate it below one star.