View from the Room - Falstaff Hotel, Canterbury
I finally sat down to write this over two months since this year’s birthday trip and I’ve realised (after much searching) I didn’t make any notes. I guess I have got out of the habit with a year of virtually no travel.
The thing about the memory is that after a while, bad memories fade and the good are remembered and talked about more. However, as this was so recent, the first things that come to mind about the Falstaff is not knowing how to get to the carpark as there were no instructions given and then realising that where we had parked was right by the separate building that houses most of the bedrooms here. I even looked at the sign and thought to myself wouldn't it be funny if after we emptied our weekend cases along with lots of bits and pieces from the car to walk to the other end of the car park and through the length of the hotel to get to the reception, we will have to walk all the way back here. We did.
The situation was made mildly worse by the long wait at reception. Not because the two staff there were serving anyone else. No, they were clearly having a crisis with phones locked to ears. Eventually, we were handed our key and walked all the way back through the bar and restaurant to the courtyard, the car park and eventually reached our building. At least we're on the ground floor.
The room itself is lovely, a sunny delight with yellow curtains and orange armchair and a good-sized bathroom with a heated towel rail. Well, it was heated once we found the switch. Yes, the room was nice, unfortunately, there was no phone signal and the wifi wasn’t working so no plans could be made as to which part of Canterbury to explore first. Eventually, after a couple of visits to reception (there is no phone), it did work although hit and miss.
Staff were friendly enough and helped whenever we asked. This was masked-up-stand-2-meters-away October 2020 and the last of the three trips we were able to take during this year. It’s understandable for people to be a little bit on edge, especially in the hospitality industry where jobs are most threatened.
The Falstaff is in a great location and other than the wifi issues, everything else worked as it should including the large radiator and plenty of toiletries so none needed to come to our room. Indeed the one-way system in the hallway meant we only saw one other guest during our stay, other than our hour in the busy bar. Here staff were masked up as expected and doing their best to keep people apart and remind them about face coverings when after a couple of drinks, they easily forgot.
There was the traditional choice of breakfast so I had full English on one morning and a welcome plateful of pastries the next, both cheerily served.
We chose well and providing wifi has improved, would be happy to stay here again.
October 28-30, 2020,
