Stay Here: The Bunk Inn, NewburyBy Claudine Levy
88 minutes from London lives the Bunk Inn. As you arrive, the slow crunch of gravel in the driveway marks a languorous shift of pace, away from the frantic velocity of the Big Smoke, and into the tranquil cuddly arms of the countryside.
This sweet, slow pub-turned-B&B is the perfect antidote to the ticking urgency of the city. Think real ale, roll-top baths, goose-down duvets, and a feeling of serene bliss, helped along by staff who have mastered the art of good vibes.
We arrived to a beautiful room overlooking green pastures and grazing horses. Having dumped our bags, we asked about the local walks they recommended, in our slightly fear-stricken, Citymapper dependent way. Thankfully, the Bunk Inn were perfectly equipped to deal with the directionally challenged and disorientated Londoner, and had printed us off The Idiot’s Guide to Walking – a comprehensive set of instructions for various lovely local ambles.
A word of warning: before setting off make sure you’re armed with the Inn’s godly sandwiches – roast beef cocooned by English mustard and fresh bread – which are enough to make Pret a Manger weep.
But be sure to save room for dinner. The head chef is dedicated to producing elegant English comfort food which is simple and unfussy. Don’t leave without trying the garden-patch salad – a beautiful little dish of seasonal veg and goats cheese, and the perfect primer for what’s to come. If you’re there on a Sunday and you’re a fan of stonkingly sexy swine, we urge you to try their gorgeous honey gammon – sticky, melting ham served alongside a few brazen roasties and some self-assured cabbage. And finish with a dessert which tastes like a kiss: panna cotta, rhubarb and honeycomb.
After dinner you can then roll yourself upstairs to your charming chambers, pass out from a food-induced coma, and sleep soundlessly until chirruping birds lure you from your dreams.
The Bunk Inn starts at £90 for two people in a double room. For more information and to book, see here.
