Without the tea light on the table there would be little joy in the bar at historic Wotton House.
I was hoping to eat at the restaurant but it was “closed for an event” – which was not made clear earlier in the day when I made the reservation.
It turns out to be the worst of both worlds, as the pub menu is not limited to just sandwiches, a burger or fish and chips, but at around 9.30pm the large group attending the ‘event’ rush to an after-dinner Beano walks in and the noise is so crazy that I have to retreat to my room.
Before I do, I stop by the front desk to vent my frustration. “We left a message on your phone that the restaurant is closed,” said one of the women behind the counter.
The room is terrible. I read somewhere that Wotton House near Dorking in Surrey has been renovated. Obviously my standard double room didn’t bother the decorators.
The inspector enters the historic Wotton House, where the great diarist and botanist John Evelyn was born in 1620.
The dressing table is so battered that you won’t be able to give it away at a flea market; the shower door and some tiles are colored yellow; the paint around the plug in the tub has long since peeled off.
There is no chair of any kind, it has those terrible anti-theft hangers and no one bothered to plug in the TV.
It’s all such a shame as Wotton House has a real pedigree.
The great diarist and botanist John Evelyn was born here in 1620 and he and his older brother George created the Italian Garden, the first of its kind in Britain, complete with its own temple.
The hotel, which once served as a base for Canadian soldiers during the Second World War, is located near Dorking (pictured above) in Surrey.
Several additions were made over the years transforming the property into a long, thin structure.
It was a base for Canadian soldiers during the Second World War and was later leased to the Home Office as a fire school. You would never call it comfortable.
Breakfast is a business buffet with large, military-style stainless steel containers.
Coffee comes from several machines in the great room. The staff is friendly.
I ask one of them how many rooms there are in total. “Sorry, I don’t know,” she said. I’m not the least bit surprised.
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
