Dowdeswell Holidays

People leave a 1 star or 5 star review for everything these days, so I see ratings like this and think “yeah, right”. Well, this time it was right… virtually flawless from start to finish. Plenty of spacious parking spaces. My host found the rate balance between friendly and not overly familiar. I was arriving late so I was sensibly put by the front door, presumably to not disturb other guests. The room was immaculate. I’ve stayed in some of the leading hotels of the world and Barncroft was as clean as any of them. Well appointed doesn’t cover it - they had every mortal thing in that room. Hot chocolate, bottled water, fridge with fresh milk, fruit cordial, Borders biscuits, 2 hair dryers, 2 first aid kits, 2 fans, a sewing kit, USB charging cube, individual body wash, hair shampoo and bar of soap (none of those wall dispensers refilled with lord knows what), heated illuminated bathroom mirror, heated towel rail, 4 fluffy towels, a bath AND separate shower cubicle (which had a rain head and a shower head on a hose). TV featured Netflix and Prime (to use your own account), YouTube, and Apple AirPlay streaming from your phone or iPad. Breakfast was flawless. Yoghurts (inc vegan), fruit juice, cereal (inc 3 GF), fresh berries, fruit, pre-packed baked goods. Quality sausage and bacon on the full English, perfectly poached eggs and great granary toast. Curtains could be more opaque and I dislike fragranced rooms. Overall, Barncroft is in the top 0.1% of guesthouses.

Very nice hotel well maintained with good secure parking. Food is a bit pricey but probably in line with the quality of the hotel.

Parking Ok breakfast average.

Great room with in-room coffee service and tea kettle. I wish I had tried the breakfast because I read wonderful reviews but I was pretty jet-lagged after traveling to England from the States so I ended up sleeping in late for the first two days of my visit and then had to grab an early flight to the airport on my last day! : )