The Bed and Breakfast scene in England can be a bit spotty, and therefore we decided to check out the Wolsey Lodges and see if there were any near our destination of Canterbury. Wolsey Lodges have a certain standard to adhere to, and therefore any bed and breakfast you stay in under that name is guaranteed to be a lovely stay. Great Weddington met and exceeded those standards! As a young couple travelling with a baby, we were nervous as to whether Great Weddington would allow us to stay, as many B&B's in England do not allow children under 12. Neil and Kate welcomed us all with open arms, and even suggested we take the attic floor as the best option for our little family. The attic floor is not really mentioned on their website, but it is refered to as the “Family Ensuite” and comprises of two bedrooms joined by a very short hallway, with a bathroom between the two rooms. The suite was available at a sale price of 85 pounds. The suite can only be booked together, so you won't be sharing your bathroom with a stranger! Our bedroom was nicely appointed, with lovely little touches and accessories. It had tea and coffee making facilities in both rooms, along with some biscuits which were much appreciated. Upon arrival, Neil met us and advised us that since we had booked dinner, we would be eating at around 8pm, and to please stay and enjoy tea and biscuits in the living room downstairs. We had some wonderful Earl Grey and shortbreads, and enjoyed the fire and coffee table books. We were the only people staying that night, and it was very much appreciated as we didn’t really feel like socializing, but you must be prepared to if you stay here!

Dinner was 31.50 pounds each, and while it was absolutely delicious, it was quite expensive. However, for the convenience of dining with a baby sleeping upstairs, it was worth every penny! We started with a smoked salmon and leek starter, followed by pork in a brandy cream sauce with mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables, and finished with chocolate mousse and camembert and crackers. Wine was from a wine list at a reasonable 12 pounds. One small thing that would have been appreciated was a little bit of music, just to absorb the sound! Coffee and tea was finished up in the living room, and we retired for the night. The beds were heavenly and the down pillows were wonderful. The tv worked well and the bathroom was very large for the space. However, the shower was a tight squeeze for us both, and we aren’t large by any means! The hallway is filled with children’s books and this would be a big bonus for anyone staying with children.

The one slight, small issue that we had was merely an attention to detail issue. There were little things left in our room from a previous occupant…a bottle cap from a bottle of water, a hair tie on the nightstand, shampoo and conditioning in the shower that was half empty…little things like that that just reminded you that we were in someone’s home and not a hotel. However, these were all easily overlooked as the rooms themselves were spotless otherwise.

Breakfast was served whenever we wanted it, and we decided upon a cooked breakfast which was delicious. We also had cereal, yogurt, and freshly squeezed orange juice.

At first, you worry about staying in someone’s house as they can make themselves overly available to you during the time you stay, but Neil and Kate knew exactly when to appear and when to disappear, and left us to our own devices more that we thought they would (which, as this was the first alone time these new parents had had in a long time, was fabulous)! I would stay here again in a heartbeat. Enjoy!

We had a great couple of days in this lovely house.
Neil and Kate were delightful hosts and the one evening meal we had in house was really great.
Breakfasts were substantial and we enjoyed fresh local produce.
The house was lovely, the guest lounge really full of atmosphere, and the gardens also a delight.
Neal was very helpful via e-mail and when we visited, with local info and advice.
We would certainly re-visit.