Rye Town is small and compact - you could walk from one end to the other in 15 minutes - so when we say the Windmill is on the edge of town, you understand this bears little relevance to proximity to the action! The grade II listed landmark is situated next to the River Tillingham and the railway line, but far from being disruptive, the infrequent clack-clack of the local commuter train was rather pleasant.
We pulled up in the gravel drive early on a blue and brisk Friday afternoon, which made for a fantastic first view of the Windmill. We were welcomed by the smiling proprietor before we'd even lifted our cases from the boot, and immediately felt at ease. He was very welcoming and took the time to show us the town map, marking out some of the best spots for a couple of foodies. On the way up to the suite, we spied the Four-Poster room through an open door, and were immediately convinced that any of the 10 rooms in the B&B would have been lovely. Upon entering our own room, nestled up inside the top of the windmill, we were thrilled.
It was light and open, but cosy all at once, with windows on all sides for a panoramic view of Rye. We also had exclusive access to the balcony, where we enjoyed a brew while the weather held. The room itself covers two levels, with the king-size bed and living area on the main floor, and a large bathroom on the floor above, complete with both bath, spacious shower, and couples' sinks. C's favourite part of the suite, in fact, was the modern roll-top; positioned by a window looking out on to the countryside, it made for a perfect afternoon bubble bath.
Facilities in the room were well-stocked and thoughtful: from the tea and coffee making area, large dressing table and mirror, hairdryer, iron, and good-sized fridge (complete with complementary bars of Dairy Milk). Soft white bath robes were also provided as well as towels, which is always a nice touch to a B&B or hotel stay.
The communal area and breakfast room, named 'The Granary', was beautiful. All oak beams, and cute tables and chairs, with a stunning wood burning fireplace that would be wonderfully cosy in the colder months. The B&B is also licensed, with a well-stocked, reasonably priced 'honesty bar'.
Breakfast was also very good. Not only were there the usual self-service options of cereals, yoghurt, and fruit, you could also order a freshly cooked hot breakfast of more or less whatever combination you wanted. From a full English to perfectly cooked poached eggs on muffins, and catering for vegetarians and gluten-free diets too, everything was made from quality local produce.
Whenever we review anything, we always feel like we ought to dig for some negative aspects so as not to sound too gushing, but we honestly had a wonderful stay, and the suite was worth every extra penny. We'll definitely be returning to Rye - whether for Scallop Week again, or the equally interesting Wild Boar Week - and we would love to stay again at the Rye Windmill.
N.B. We booked and paid for our stay at The Rye Windmill ourselves, and all opinions are our own.
No comments:
Post a Comment