Four years ago I obtained a free accommodation Breakaway Package through renting a hire car from a company based at Heathrow Airport, London, for one month. I chose to stay for the two nights package at the Winston Manor Hotel, which is located at Beacon Road, Crowborough in East Sussex, England. The town, a small one, is very pleasant and is located in the heart of the delightful Ashdown Forest. This was once the famous hunting grounds of English Kings. The surrounding countryside is attractive and charming towns such as Royal Tunbridge Wells and East Grinstead are both just a short drive away. Crowborough is, I should add, a rather small place and perhaps at first glance may not seem to have a great deal to offer the short-stay visitor. However, first impressions can be misleading. There is a lot of greenery in and aroud the place, a number of interesting little shops, good pubs, coffee houses and cafes and some nice areas for leisurely walks.
Just nearby are some charming Sussex villages and all the delights of the Ashdown Forest to explore-this is probably the finest natural forest left in South East England and has a great charm all of its own. There are plenty of trails through lovely woodland to explore. The hotel itself is a spacious one with 54 well equipped bedrooms. My room was en suite, had a queen size bed, spare pillows and blankets, IDD facilities, remote control satellite TV, an elegant arm chair, writing table and chair, and there was a welcoming basket of fruit, a nice little touch I thought. As is more or less standard these days there were tea and coffee making facilities and Scottish oatmeal biscuits on the tray. Although I didn’t use it I noticed there was also a modern hair dryer in the room and a trouser press. The public rooms in the Winston Manor are large and comfortably furnished. Reception were helpful and answered all my questions about attractions in the area with good grace. Breakfasts in the elegant Winston Restaurant were whole hearted affairs and there was a wide choice of healthy fruit drinks, yogurts, cereals, fruit and figs, as well as the delights of a traditional English breakfast.
As I traveled around a lot during the day by the time I got back to the hotel at evening time I had worked-up quite an appetite. Both of my dinners were gourmet affairs-the Executive Chef did us proud. There were some great starters including hearty home made soups and a good selection of entrees such as pan fried salmon and dill and braised lamb shank. The desserts were delicious, in particular, I remember the Black Forest Cheese cake and Cream was yummy, yummy, and yummy. The hotel had a good selection of wines and I ordered wine by the glass.Both dinners were finished off by especially fine coffee and mints. There is a well patronized bar at the hotel with a good selection of real ales, lagers, wines and spirits.
I noticed there were a lot of non-residents in the bar and service was more than a bit slow. Other facilities at the Winston Manor include a well equipped Fitness Centre, a small reading room and a stylish, well furnished lounge. Other plus points about the hotel were its very handy location-only a short walk from the main shopping area of Crowborough. Overall I enjoyed my short stay in Crowborough. The town is not the most beautiful in East Sussex but is pleasant enough and a nice relaxed sort of place to unwind in. It is also strategically placed for short trips to the likes of Forest Row, East Grinstead, and Royal Tunbridge Wells and was the home for a number of years of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ! Physician, novelist and detective-story writer, he will always be remembered as the creator of the master sleuth Sherlock Holmes. Sir Arthur passed away in Crowborough on July 7, 1930.