Sunday evenings are tricky for hotels. The staff are all knackered and guests are thin on the ground, but those who do turn up are still full of expectation.
Here at the famous George of Stamford, Lincs, there’s something called a Serene Sunday package, which works out at £75pp B&B as long as you spend at least £31pp in the main restaurant.
So, that means an outlay of £212 per couple before you’ve even had a glass of fizzy water — which doesn’t exactly resonate with serenity. I fall foul of the ‘jacket is required for gentlemen’ rule in the posh restaurant, so we opt for a normal B&B rate and have dinner in the informal, but strangely dreary, Garden Room.
Somehow, with four glasses of wine, our bill in total creeps up to more than £300. What’s more, they have that horrible rule where you must stay two nights at weekends.
The George is trading far too much on its past. Its exact age is not clear, but it once belonged to the Abbots of Croydon, which means it might have been built in 947AD. Royal guests include Charles I in 1641, followed by William III in 1696.
There are now 47 rooms. Ours, on the top floor, involves an obstacle course to reach. It lacks style and it’s a shame to have ugly modern fixtures and fittings in the bathroom.
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We have a drink by the fire in the main drawing room. It’s hushed and not much fun. There’s not a lot going on in the Garden Room, either. Fish seems to be the speciality, with a counter laden with lobster.
We share a whole one, accompanied by an ineffective green salad. On checking out after a good breakfast, we walk across the road and gaze up at the George. It’s a splendid building that could be just as splendid inside.
Travel facts
The George of Stamford
St Martin’s Stamford
Lincs
PE9 2LB
01780 750750
www.georgehotelofstamford.com
Doubles from £185 B&B Mon-Fri