The Poplars Boutique

The rooms have lovely details, including speciality teas and a really informative welcome book, and the staff were friendly. The location is perfect, and breakfast was the best cooked one I’ve ever had. The bedroom itself was beautifully done, but I personally didn’t find the bed comfortable. It was very firm and the pillows weren’t very soft, so I didn’t sleep well. Still, I’d definitely stay again.

We had an amazing stay for a beautiful weekend in Lincoln. The room was immaculate and lovely, and breakfast service was fantastic with delicious food. It’s an excellent spot for getting into town, to the shops, pubs and castle. There is parking, but spaces are tight, and the driveway slope is extremely steep. When we left, we scratched the underside of our Ford Focus. We hadn’t known there was an alternative place to park for cars too low for the slope; another guest told us at breakfast that morning they’d been offered one. Please bear that in mind, but don’t let it put you off, because our stay was wonderful. The damage to our car, not so much!

We were told that Netflix and hot cooked breakfast options were included in the room rate because we booked direct. I’d recommend booking direct if you can. Breakfast was served from 8:30 at the earliest in a shared ground-floor room with two tables. On check-in, you get a menu, tick what you want and leave the card outside your door for early morning collection. There were lots of tempting choices, including cereals, yoghurt, fruit and pastries as well as cooked breakfast, two kinds of toast, tea and coffee. Everything we picked was delicious and freshly made. We stayed at the Poplars for three nights during the third weekend in September. Our room was on the second level, looking over the lower town rooftops. It was large, with two twin beds, a loveseat, desk, wardrobe, dresser, bedside tables, plus a corner table with a hotpot and Nespresso machine and a small fridge underneath. The bathroom was near the entrance and moderate in size. It had a step-in shower with modern features, shampoo and body wash, large bath and hand towels, and a hair dryer, though no washcloths. An iron and board were available to borrow. You can enter the house and room with key codes, so there’s no key to carry. Parking is tricky: staff direct you to a space and help you leave, since it takes a tight turn and a steep slope between brick walls. The back garden entrance leads to a brick path and a steep hill up to the street at the base of Lincoln Castle. There are pubs and restaurants nearby, only a short walk away, but that hill is very steep. My one complaint was the motion light in the room. It makes sense when you come in from the hall, but it switches off and on every time you go to the bathroom. If you get up during the night, you can’t avoid the bright light, and neither can your partner if they’re a light sleeper. I don’t have a solution, though a simple light switch at the room entrance would solve the problem.

The location is great for the castle and cathedral, especially if you use the back gate. We stayed four nights. The room was an adequate size, with the en suite down a short corridor. The shower was okay, though the water pressure wasn’t very strong. Towels were very good, and the body wash, shampoo and other toiletries were good quality. Breakfast was good, but if you book through an agency instead of direct, the full English costs extra. The doors all have digital locks, so there are no keys to keep track of. A good stay and good value for money.