The Castle Inn

The staff were great, the location is convenient right by the A41, and the food was decent with large portions. Just a heads-up about the bill: after I left a 5% tip, I got home and realized there was already a 10% service charge. On a bill over £200, that meant my tip was about £31. I didn’t see the charge mentioned or advertised.

The American tray was £24, and I’d suggest sharing it and getting a side plate. The burger was juicy and tasty, the brisket fries were delicious, the giant mozzarella sticks had a great cheese pull, and the onion rings were lovely and crispy. We were greeted straight away and seated, with lovely service and a warm welcome from the friendly staff. Even the chef came out to chat. We’ll definitely come here again.

The little notes in the ladies’ toilets really touched me. There was a glass bowl on the shelf with handwritten positive messages on post-it notes, and guests could take one with them. The one I picked brought tears of joy and made my day. A huge thank you for a lovely, leisurely lunch. The food was fabulous too. We had meat pie, fish and chips, and ham, all delicious. We were too full for pudding, but enjoyed coffee with delicious flapjacks on the side.

Room 5 had a wonderful view over open countryside as far as you could see. We could hear some traffic from the A41, as you’d expect right beside it. It didn’t bother us at all, but might be worth knowing if you think noise could disturb you. We stayed one night and were very happy with the clean, spacious, comfortable room. The only minor irritation was having just one bedside table. Dinner and breakfast in the restaurant were a real highlight, especially the loaded chip shop tray, which I can definitely recommend. We’d gladly stay again.