Chequers

The staff were attentive and very friendly, and they did kindly remake my Aperol spritz. It still tasted off, though. The first one had no fizz and tasted horrible, presumably because they used the last of a bottle of prosecco. The beef roast was disappointing too: it was meant to be pink, but came very dark and fatty. When I asked, I was told that was because it was the cut at the end of the joint.

The evening meal was tasty and good value, though the pub area was so noisy that I could hear it while eating in the adjoining restaurant. I was disappointed by breakfast from the outset: just a few slices of white bread for toast, a couple of crumpets curling at the edges, cereal with the wrong label, and hot water from a thermos for tea. I didn't touch the water, and there weren't any decaf tea bags, so I made do with orange juice. I wanted scrambled eggs and avocado on sourdough. After some fiddling, the waitress managed to put it through, though apparently they normally work from a set menu with poached eggs. The toast was impossible to cut with the blunt knife, the avocado tasted revolting, and I ended up scraping off and eating only the scrambled egg. Not worth the money, and I won't be back. I stayed overnight because the location was convenient. The room was clean, and the bathroom was fine, with good towels. But the staircase and corridor were scruffy, especially the carpet, and the room was very hot. The stiff window only opened a few inches, and I had to ask someone to open it. At least they provided a fan.

It's lovely and quiet here in the morning, which made it perfect for a breakfast date. The staff were polite, kind, and happy to make a few small menu adjustments for dietary preferences. I'm sure it gets livelier at night. I'd recommend it to people nearby, and plan to come back to try lunch and dinner.

Want a microwave meal? This is the place for you, the “king of ping” will heat it up. Rooms in the main building are basic. In the converted barn or house across the way, the top floor has something, maybe a rat or squirrel, making noise and keeping you awake, along with other creatures. There's also a dog in the house behind that barks constantly.