Weekend break ideas for Pub/ Restaurant with rooms

[kiwifraser]

I'm struggling to find somewhere for myself and Mrs Kiwi to go for a weekend at the end of February without the kids . Previously we have generally gone to expensive hotels to escape our (and others) wee monsters (Babington, Grove, Whatley Manor) but this time we are on a budget and want to spend up to £100 a night on accommodation.

We are looking for a Pub or Restaurant with good food, and nice rooms for a chilled weekend. I can picture us already sitting in front of a open fire with good view out the window and Guinness/ wine in hand!

Location ideally in a reasonable sized town so we can venture out during the day to find shops to look at and another pub to have a drink .

Most locations I have found so far are either miles from anywhere, great but overbudget (http://www.russellsofbroadway.co.uk), or look good but get rubbish or mixed reviews (http://www.thecrownamersham.com/home.php).

We are in Berkshire, so hopefully within 90 minutes drive of home (Gloucester/ Hampshire/ Dorset/ Bucks/ Berks/ Surrey/ West Sussex/ Oxfordshire/ etc).

An ideal solution would be something like this where we stayed a couple of years ago down in Cornwall...
http://www.theoldquayhouse.com/

Any ideas greatfully welcomed please

[bridgdav]

Go here for ideas......

http://uk.top20.travelzoo.com/

[grumbledoak]

Can't be more immediately helpful, as I haven't done this in ages!

But, you do know these guys exist: http://www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk/ ?

[LordGrover]

The Manor, Castle Combe?

Click

[kiwifraser]

LordGrover said:

The Manor, Castle Combe?

Click

Very nice, but it goes in the £££££££££ Pennyhill style budget, rather than a couple of nights in a smaller £££ boutique pub budget

[LordGrover]

Oops! Wasn't thinking - 'tis nice though.

[kiwifraser]

LordGrover said:

Oops! Wasn't thinking - 'tis nice though.

I'd definitely agree with that!!

[Don]

I've remembered a cracking spot. Might be a bit far for you though.

The Helyar Arms in East Coker near Yeovil.

Helyar Arms

The food is cracking. You can go for a walk right out the door. East Coker is chocolate-box pretty. Not far away is a load of stuff to see like military museums and, of course, the Haynes Motor Museum at Sparkford. If you like NT properties there's Montacute House - probably not open end Feb but maybe on another occasion.

Reachable on a Friday night. Enough to do for two days easily.

[dougc]

Again, maybe a little too far but I can thoroughly recommend

http://www.the-carpenters-arms.co.uk/

I stay there a lot when travelling on business. The food is fantastic, particularly the steak.

I think they do an all inclusive (apart from drink) 2 night weekend for £275.

Its about 15 minutes drive from Bristol and Bath.

eta - ask for rooms 10 or 12.

Edited by dougc on Friday 22 January 15:27

[LordGrover]

dougc said:

http://www.the-carpenters-arms.co.uk/

Didn't we go there for a non-curry curry a year or two back?
The service and food was excellent IIRC.

[dougc]

LordGrover said:

dougc said:

http://www.the-carpenters-arms.co.uk/

Didn't we go there for a non-curry curry a year or two back?
The service and food was excellent IIRC.

Yep, thats the one. We had the big room out the back and they even managed to cook Bill's steak rare enough that he was happy with it!

[Bullett]

A few miles from Nottingham.

http://www.restaurantsatbains.com/

Probably a bit far but the wife and I went here last year before the rugrat came along. Very very good food, friendly service, excellent breakfast, comfy rooms. One of our best trips of the year.

[b3kaw]

swanage in dorset, just returned from a week working around there, i think in good weather it could be a great weekend there with the mental!!