Surrounded by history

This oddly named hotel has a pub to the rear where we had a very pleasant lunch. Parts of the hotel building date back to 1384 and it was run at one time by the monks of nearby Bruern Abbey. Bruen was a Cistercian abbey founded in the reign of King Stephen and dissolved in 1539 - nothing now remains of the abbey itself.We entered through a large arch into a passage that would I think have been used in the past by horses and carriages. A glimpse into the room on our left (the hotel's reception) showed us a wealth of fascinating historical features, while propped in the passageway was what looked like the original door, now replaced rather effectively by modern glass. Beyond was a pretty courtyard garden and beyond that, the pub. This was a fairly simple affair, but with a good menu offering both lighter meals and more substantial ones. Chris and Ingrid both chose the lamb koftas which came with naan bread and a yoghurt and mint dip. I had a sandwich of roasted peppers and pesto on ciabatta bread. Ingrid and I sampled two of the local real ales but Chris, our driver for the day, stuck to water. The bill for the food was about £17 for all three of us – I don't remember how much we paid for the drinks but it seemed to be standard pub prices, not inflated hotel ones. We ate our meal out in the garden, next to the pool with its fountain and colourful goldfish – a lovely break on our sightseeing tour.

A User - 08/08/2008 | report this review