As a city girl I thoroughly enjoy jumping in the car on a Friday evening and heading out to the open countryside for some fresh air and RnR. But although I love the idea of prancing through fields of daisies with my headscarf blowing in the wind, I soon find myself pining for my ipod, my surround sound TV and 4 solid bars of reception on my mobile phone.
The problem is that in rural England, there is little demand for a five-star resort complete with spa facilities and an ever-changing a la carte menu. Or is there? I wanted to discover a place where I could enjoy all of the above, mixed in with my own romantic ideals of rural old English charm; a sleepy village, a church doused with cherry blossom, a post office, a few fields, some sheep and perhaps a lake or something.
My quest lead me to the New Inn in Berkshire, which from the outside looks like a traditional old English pub, replete with beer garden, gravel drive and neat geranium window boxes. Inside is a different story, where the stereotypical charm meets a more contemporary feel.
The owners have cleverly maintained the more traditional features: low ceilings, large oak beams, duck paintings on the walls and an open fireplace, but happily, some of less appealing features have been banished. I stayed in the Champagne room where chintzy curtains, kitsch wallpaper and ageing potpourri baskets had been replaced with a 42-inch plasma TV, mini spa with wet room, body jets and heated flooring! With a contemporary pale wood and mahogany colour scheme, and a super-king-size double bed, it was perfect for a romantic getaway.
Situated in the picturesque village of Kidmore End, The New Inn is only five miles from the centre of Reading, and about an hour to an hour and a half away from London. It is also close to Henley and would be an ideal place to stay for the Henley Regatta in the summer. As well as a cosy bar, it also offers a full a la carte restaurant. I ate a fantastic steak and kidney pie, New Inn style, with an unusually thin crust, but delicious and very filling!
The New Inn attracts locals for the fine dining in the evening, but also seems to be popular with business men travelling though the area, looking for somewhere they can relax, with internet access! The friendly manner and relaxed atmosphere clearly also appeals to couples looking for somewhere to unwind for a night or two in pleasant surroundings, inside and out.
I was delighted with the New Inn, and it ticked all the boxes of what I would look for in a country retreat of its kind. The staff were relaxed, welcoming and friendly, and the onus seems to centre around creating a calm space amid a traditional setting. Heading back the following day, with fresh air in my lungs and good food in my stomach, I felt fully rejuvenated and ready for my next round in the big smoke.
Further information
The New Inn is one of 40 inns that have come together to form Distinctive Country Inns where rural charm meets contemporary style. Accommodation is equivalent to a minimum four-diamond rating and they are found throughout the Southeast countryside. I stayed in the Champagne room at a cost of £110 per night. These traditional English country inns offer rural retreats, open fires, oak beams, home-cooked food and the great outdoors on the doorstep, alongside modern facilities such as plasma screen TVs.
Until 1 October visitors to participating Distinctive Country Inns can benefit from ten per cent off the cost of accommodation when they sign up to receive the newsletter on the website.