Disappointing stay at the inn!

There were things we thoroughly enjoyed about the New Inn, but all in all we wouldn't stay or eat here again.Perhaps the rooms in the actual Inn itself are nicer and more characterful, but we were put in a triplet room in a renovated barn. It is quite evident when short cuts are made and they have been made here, in droves!The bedroom was spacious, with a large bathroom. They could easily have put a bath in there, but they have a shower only. The flooring is that cheap plastic laminate too, which we aren't fond of at all! The bedroom's decor was not nice at all. The thick blue (old) carpet was discoloured (pink) by the door, the mattresses were very springy and uncomfortable. The second single bed had no side table. Even the pictures on the wall looked like they were cheap fame gold framed ones, bought from Argos!If we stay at an old Inn, that has been around a couple hundred years, we would hope for some antique pictures on the walls perhaps?The room came with breakfast, and this was tasty... the usual English fry-up of egg, bacon, sausage, mushrooms and toast. Coffee wasn't very nice, it was definately an instant coffee.There is a Beer Garden outside, as well as a lawn area where you can relax. All amenities are non-smoking.We didn't find the owner very friendly at the start, but he seemed to become a tad more friendly the morning we were due to leave - and pay! So all in all, not a good stay and we wouldn't personally recommend it.Having said that, there is a lot of interesting history surrounding The New Inn.It was a coaching inn back in the 1500s... and had 3 or 4 coaches passing through every day, picking up and dropping off passengers and horses.Before this it was a dormitory building in the 1200s, a single building, not 2-storey as it is today. Pilgrims and monks who were visiting the Cerne Abbas abbey would stay here.The coaching trade continued until 1855, when it stopped. There is said to be a ghost living here too, in the original part of the building. We heard and saw nothing though ;)The one star is for the history this building holds!

A User - 08/02/2008 | report this review