An Inspector calls… at The Greyhound Inn in Oxfordshire and loves the nooks and crannies, his ‘wonderfully comfortable’ bed and the ‘terrific’ food
- The Greyhound Inn, in the village of Letcombe Regis, has eight rooms that are all named after places nearby
- It has a ‘mish-mash of tables and chairs’, ‘various nooks and crannies’ and a variety of real warm ale
- The Inspector was treated to a free round of drinks during his stay as a reward for booking direct
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When you’re not quite in the mood for live music, young children rushing about in high spirits and harried staff making sure everyone follows the rules, it can grate.
But one must not let the curmudgeon conquer in these circumstances, and so we grab our bags and make for the beer garden (just as Sweet Caroline starts up and let’s just say it’s not Neil Diamond on vocals), from where we enter The Greyhound Inn and are shown to our room.
Then it’s a case of fleeing the premises as soon as possible and finding a bridle path to explore some of the glorious Vale of the White Horse, about a mile south of Wantage in Oxfordshire.
The Greyhound Inn in Letcombe Regis, Oxfordshire, is described by the Inspector as ‘the heartbeat of this pretty village’
The Greyhound Inn is ‘the sort of place author Bill Bryson waxed lyrical about in his book chronicling Britain’s quirky charms’
The Greyhound Inn has battered wood floors, various inter-connected nooks and crannies and a central bar
The Inspector says The Greyhound Inn has ‘a mish-mash of tables and chairs’ and ‘a variety of real ale’ on offer
We’re in far better spirits on returning from our walk, and not only because the band has packed up and the children have been escorted home.
We get the impression that The Greyhound is the heartbeat of this pretty village, with its mix of thatched cottages and traditional red-brick houses, some of which date back to the early 18th century.
It’s the sort of place author Bill Bryson waxed lyrical about in his book chronicling Britain’s quirky charms — battered wood floors, a mish-mash of tables and chairs, various inter-connected nooks and crannies, a central bar (no loitering here, sadly), a variety of warm real ale and the buzz of families pretending that everything is normal.
The eight rooms are named after places nearby. We’re in Lambourn, which has a connecting sitting room ideal for smaller guests.
There’s plenty of gnarled bare beams and windows on both sides. The huge bed is dressed in white luxury and is wonderfully comfortable, but it’s not a room you would choose to spend a lot of time in.
In fact, you might dismiss the Greyhound as predictably pleasant until sampling the food. My charred broccoli salad starter with green beans, peas, broad beans, toasted seeds and fresh chilli is terrific.
The Inspector’s room – called Lambourn (pictured) – ‘has a connecting sitting room ideal for smaller guests’
The Oxford Suite at The Greyhound Inn. All the rooms are named after places nearby
The Oxford Suite, pictured, is set in the roof space and can accommodate a family of four
The Inspector received his first round of drinks for free as a reward for booking his stay direct with the pub. Pictured is the beer garden
And then we both opt for the 10 oz rump steak, which is far more tender than either of us expect.
And our first round of drinks comes complimentary as a reward for booking direct.
Other hotels and inns should follow suit, rather than letting the likes of booking.com cream off hefty percentages.
TRAVEL FACTS
The Greyhound Inn, Main Street, Letcombe Regis, Oxfordshire, OX12 9JL. Doubles from £95. For more information call 01235 771969 or visit thegreyhoundletcombe.co.uk.
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