The Kicking Dickey

There's a good range of food and drinks, and it's a lovely old building. Greene King owns it, though it isn't a Greene King pub. It definitely feels like a locals' place, so be ready for everyone to look over when you walk in.

We had a really tasty lunch, with friendly service and fair prices. The steak and ale pie and pistachio semi-freddo were both so good, definitely recommend them!

I only booked a room before an early flight from Stansted, and didn't eat there. The location worked well for the airport, and free parking, a generous tea and coffee tray and a carton of Ribena were nice to have. But I slept so little that the stay felt like a complete waste of money. I would have been better off at home getting up at 2am. The mattress was extremely uncomfortable, and like another recent reviewer, I ended up sleeping on top of the duvet. My single-glazed window faced a yard where staff and kitchen noise carried on late. It seemed they had no regard for people trying to sleep nearby, and I couldn't get to sleep until at least pub closing time. Around midnight someone threw glass bottles into a bin and woke me just after I had finally drifted off. An extractor or air con unit outside switched on at random times through the night, and was so noisy it woke me repeatedly even with earplugs. I could also hear the bathroom extractor fan next door, and the one in my own bathroom was noisy. There was a sewage smell in the bathroom that made me feel sick each time I went in. The shower silicone was visibly mouldy and needed replacing. To reach the room you have to pass the kitchen extractor, which smelled of chip oil. That made it hard to leave the window open for long, and the room got very hot. Staff didn't give me a proper welcome, just told me there was no breakfast. The Wi-Fi password on the room sign didn't work. There were no coat hooks or a chair to put a coat on, only an old bar stool to sit on.

The staff really go above and beyond, and the atmosphere is great. Food's excellent, and it's a really nice place to stay. 💯