Weekend bookings are hard to get at this 400-year-old inn with just eight rooms in the tweeist of twee wattle and daub villages. It is very popular with DFLs (Down From Londons) such as us. After months of trying, we settled for a Thursday night stay. I had planned to go with a friend and had booked the only twin room. She cancelled and I changed the booking to a double for my husband and me.
So it was a surprise being shown into the twin. No chance of the last double — it had been sold an hour before our 8pm arrival. “No one made a note in the book,” apologised the stud-belted, cowboy-boot-clad receptionist. While we settled into the wood-beamed restaurant, he scurried upstairs, pushed the single beds together and laid double sheets.
We slurped G&Ts from tall glasses, clinking with ice and fat pieces of lemon. A waiter drizzled “superb” (his description) extra virgin olive oil on to a plate and brought us “superb” (our description) warm, home-baked foccacia. My steamed razor clams with garlic, parsley and chilli arrived ten minutes after my husband’s wild garlic and asparagus soup. “We’re not doing very well with you guys tonight,” fretted the bloke with the belt.
We slept fitfully thanks to a persistent car alarm parked outside our window in a charmingly wonky room with floors so steep that a glass of water slid off the bedside table in the night. Twin rooms are invariably the hotel booby prize — the other rooms, including four in a coach house, looked better on the website.
While awaiting the full “Fletching Breakfast” we admired the original prints, stuffed fish and birds and higgledy-piggledy ornaments. “Sorry, we’re running late with breakfast, we were locked out this morning,” our Antipodean waitress told us. The Fletching chipolatas were gorgeous and I asked if there was a village butcher shop. No, she said.
“Hey, isn’t that a butcher shop opposite?” I said as we left the inn. We rushed in and bought two kilos of chipolatas.
What did we like about the Griffin? The wood-roasted rack of new season’s lamb blushed pink, with artichokes and cherry tomatoes, makes my mouth water just imagining it. The beef served to my husband Markus, a thick juicy medallion smeared with horseradish sauce with wood-roasted red onion and beetroot, was the best steak he can remember. But the service? Dozy beyond belief.
Bottom line: Jeannette Hyde paid £80 for a twin room.
Sampling the fare: A starter, main course, ap?ritif and glass of wine for two people cost £70.
What we think: Great place to dine outside in nice weather.
Best thing: Anything wood-roasted.
Worst thing: Our room.
Access all areas: Yes, in the pub and two coach house rooms.
Need to know: The Griffin Inn (01825 722890, www.thegriffininn.co.uk), Fletching, near Uckfield, East Sussex.
Room: 4 out of 10.
Food: 8 out of 10.
Service: 4 out of 10.
The Griffin Inn, Fletching, East Sussex
Great place to dine outside in good weather