We booked a classic double room after looking at the website photos. We were allocated room 7, in the roof space that is accessed by several flights of stairs. Two sides of the room have sloping ceilings with exposed roof timbers. The toilet is located under the eaves behind the circular window seen at the front of the building. Despite warning notices, we frequently hit our heads and on one occasion, my wife hit her head so hard that she suffered a severe headache.
Ours was a short stay and as we had a busy schedule, we avoided the upheaval of moving to another room. Whilst not an expert, I am surprised that building regulations allow such a room to be used as accommodation. In my view, the room is unsafe for visitors unfamiliar with the layout, its exposed eaves and roof timbers. Perhaps not surprisingly, it does not feature in any website photos.
On a general level, reception is only open for limited periods of the day. The building is very tired and in need of redecoration. Paintwork on the window in room 7 is peeled back to bare wood in places. There are no lampshades on the wall lights; the toothbrush glass is missing; the light over the sink does not work.
Despite the decor being tired, our room was clean, the bed was comfortable, and breakfast was good. We enjoyed a first-rate afternoon tea watching the Grand National. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and we would call out Teri who showed great dedication. Oh, and the gin flavours were fantastic.