The Bell (Quality)

Having been to the Bell Inn for Sunday roast in the past and enjoyed both the food and ambiance we took the family there for Saturday lunch and were extremely unimpressed. The menu was limited, pretentious, and grossly overpriced. When it arrived the portions were tiny and the ingredients were of low quality. When we complained, the manager was courteous if rather cold, and gave us a reduction, but the impact of this was spoilt by the extreme rudeness of one of his staff. We will NOT be going back! AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

We didnot stay at the Inn but only went for lunch. The surroundings were delightful the pity is the meal did not live up to ones expectations. The service was poor due no doubt to the fact that the inn is used to train students. The quality of the food was second rate and indeed only upon returning home did I realise that my dessert was missing the pistachio ice cream which was supposed to accompany it. The sweet potato samosa on fennel mash was probably worthy of a fourteen year old's attempt at cooking, rhubarb crumble had a topping that tasted like saw dust with inedible pastry. Vegetables unexciting. Chicken was tough and tasteless. To be fair our companions enjoyed their venison. Best part of the meal was the bread and olives. Prices very high for lunch £110 for four of us, one guest had only one course another had only two courses. The only thing that was cheap was the coffee , presumably because it was virtually undrinkable.

Don't expect an upperclass hotel with chocolates on your pillow and an indoor pool. That's not why you'd choose to stay here in the first place. What the Bell Inn DOES have is charm- and plenty of it. We stayed in the Ann Boleyn suite for 4 nights in early January, 05, and I felt that I was in my grandmother's attic. Large yet cozy room, comfortable bed, nice bathroom, and narrow, old stairs leading up to the room. The pub and restaurant are downstairs. Great food with a quirky menu- the restaurant has a good reputation with the locals and lives up to it. If you're looking for a pub with tons of atmosphere- ancient beamed ceiling and half-timbered walls with a roaring fire and much good cheer- this is it. It's much less expensive than a nice London hotel and you can take the train in from the West Horndon station to the Fenchurch station which is close to the Tower of London. We'll stay there again.