Grange Farm House

Those friendly chickens kept us entertained, and the host was so accommodating. Grange farm ended up being our favourite part of a four-day cycling holiday. It’s one of the few places I’d plan a holiday around visiting again.

The grounds were a lovely surprise when we explored on Saturday morning: a pergola with plenty of seating, a huge lawn, and some lovely chickens. Breakfast was delicious, with a cooked meal, cereals, our choice of hot drinks, orange juice, and a selection of artisan breads. We’d found this place at the last minute while looking for somewhere near a wedding venue for our family of four. My wife spotted it, and we warned the hosts that we might arrive late after leaving work on Friday. Our 4.5-hour trip included the M25, and they replied promptly and were understanding. We were shown to an enormous room with a big en-suite bathroom and exceptionally clean linen, and were given a key to the property. We also learned that the hostess had hand-painted most of the wall decorations. She’s quite an artist. The hosts were welcoming and accommodating throughout. It’s a very rural spot, good for a quiet break, though an enormous Tesco Extra is only an 8-minute drive away. We’d happily book with them again and would recommend a stay here.

The large, comfortable bedrooms and bathrooms, easy off-street parking, the building’s English character, and a delicious breakfast were all good. I’m just not sure where all the five-star reviews are coming from. Maybe it’s me. We booked two rooms for one night at £125 per room and assumed the bathrooms were en-suite. That was my mistake: they were described as separate “private bathrooms.” You’re assigned one when shown to your room, but it’s down a communal hall or through the shared lounge. Anyone can use it, so you can’t leave toiletries there. Someone had already used the shower before I did in the morning. There was no key for the bedroom, so anyone could walk in at any time. We were told the doors couldn’t be locked for legal reasons because they apparently aren’t fire doors. Should that worry me? About an hour after we checked in, the smoke alarms went off. The host came with a broomstick and said there was no fire and it wasn’t her fault. There’s no air conditioning, and with the windows open, passing truck noise disturbed our sleep.

Phillip looked after us during a perfect stay. He was polite, friendly, and an interesting man, and all the communication beforehand had been really warm. I booked Grange Farm for my partner and me to celebrate our first anniversary and engagement. The bed was so comfortable, the atmosphere was a lovely end to a perfect day, and breakfast was spot on. It’s an amazing home run by amazing people, and we’d highly recommend staying here. Thank you for the wonderful stay and hospitality.