A great location in Lewes, charm, elegance, seclusion and a friendly welcome is what you can expect at Grade II listed Berkeley House. ‘Everything’s on our doorstep,’ says owner Amanda Deadman, about the beautiful Regency building, which is seconds from the High Street. ‘Yet Berkeley House is an oasis of calm.’
Unusually, the townhouse has two outside spaces. One is a pretty sheltered courtyard lined by ancient flint walls, which gets the sun all day but offers shady spots too. ‘I’ve often had guests enjoying an evening glass of wine under the awning – even in the winter!’ There is also a sun terrace off the second floor. ‘We’ve got lots of flowers and greenery up there to make it welcoming and comfortable, while guests can keep an eye on the comings and goings on the High Street.’
Berkeley House’s four individually styled rooms are spread over three floors. ‘You’ve got to like stairs – we have got several flights of them for guests to enjoy,’ jokes Amanda. There is a cosy apartment, like a small suite, with a king-size bedroom, private sitting room, shower room and small kitchen. On the first floor is the Green Room, a large superking/twin bedroom with private shower room across the hallway, then on the second floor are two en-suite rooms – Blue and Yellow. The Blue Room offers a doulble bed and the Yellow is a superking/twin. Apart from the comfortable British Hynos beds and crisp Egyptian cotton linen, this Lewes bed and breakfast is known for ‘the best showers’ and ‘the delicious homemade fruit, yoghurt and granola pots’, according to guests’ feedback. Apparently, Amanda can be bribed for the secret ingredient that makes the breakfast pots taste so good!
Amanda has been running the bed and breakfast for three years, having bought the house from the previous long-term bed and breakfast hosts. ‘We upgraded the entire house before we opened so that the accommodation now offers all the things the discerning traveller would expect from, say, a boutique hotel, although we are just a humble bed and breakfast. We had no intention of running a B&B. We got talked into it by the previous owners and are delighted we did,’ she says.
‘I’ve met wonderful interesting people from all over the world, who’ve come to Lewes for a huge variety of reasons. They may be visiting Glyndebourne, the auction houses, working locally, visiting friends and family, attending weddings, catching up with the Bloomsbury set at National Trust properties Charleston and Monks House, walking the South Downs Way, visiting local gardens, the shops and farmers’ markets or simply just exploring a new place. Nearly everyone is bowled over by what the town has to offer – it’s a bit of a secret gem, I think – and it’s wonderful to be able to recommend places to go and things to do. There’s a regular comment when people leave and it’s, ‘We’ll have to come back again – there’s still so much we’ve got to see!’
With the friendly and hospitable welcome at Berkeley House, guests are bound to want to return. No wonder Amanda’s bed and breakfast is the number one hotel on TripAdvisor.
So if you need accommodation, visit the group’s website, www.shortstaylewes.com, where you will find a range of wonderful accommodation and a warm welcome. The following bed and breakfasts can be found in and around Lewes and are part of the new group of quality-approved bed and breakfasts for the Lewes area: Beechwood B&B, Halland; Little Norlington Barn B&B, Ringmer; White Lodge B&B, Cooksbridge; The Corner House B&B, Lewes; Murrells B&B, Lewes; Aleberry B&B, Lewes; Berkeley House B&B, Lewes; no11 B&B, Lewes.
