We pulled up to the street of our next hotel and this was what greeted us. Wow!
Coming up the lane to the hotel was equally impressive and the building itself was beautiful.
We were in the annex (which had a lift) and opened the door to our room. We hit the jackpot: a bedroom AND a separate living room AND a separate utility room AND a bathroom off a small hallway. Four days of relaxation. We were ready.
Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White bought this property several years ago and brought it up to what it is today. With 14 acres of grounds and 2 hotel buildings, it is a unique experience. We walked around the grounds that included apple orchards and several grassy areas with benches and tables and chairs for quiet chats or afternoon drinks. We saw quails, chickens and geese. The geese were very aggressive and screamed, chased and nipped at us. They brought back memories for Allan when a goose bit him at 18 months.
Marco had personally decorated and designed the hotel interior himself starting with the main building. We could tell by the artwork in the lobby and upper hallways that this was no ordinary hotel. The images on the walls were taken by a personal friend and were edgy and artful.
Upstairs the walls were filled with political cartoons and unique treasures Marco had collected over the years.
Each guest room was different, painted in deep rich colours with larger than life furniture, decorative pieces and tongue-in-cheek and outspoken artwork. The bathrooms were luxurious with large claw-footed bathtubs. As each room was different and unique, they were given names rather than numbers.
Even in the dining room, the tables were covered in large pieces of leather under the white tablecloths, giving them a rich texture. Breakfast was included and we could order the full English breakfast (bacon, sausage, eggs, black pudding, tomato and mushrooms). It was heavy and could last you the whole day!
Rudloe Arms was another happy surprise and definitely a good stop on a UK tour.