On Tuesday evening, I travelled from London to Axminster to attend yet another amazing BlogCamp event organised by Foodies100, at River Cottage HQ.
The train journey was an eventful one. As always, I left home way too late and ended up walking briskly (OK, running) to the station, having 14 seconds to spare before my train left when I tapped my Oyster card (I did check the exact time as I entered the station). Needless to say, my run down the stairs was everything but gracious.
It took me a good 20 minutes to recover, by which time I had to change trains and I remembered I had booked my tickets and should not have used my Oyster card. The train to Axminster, on which I had not been able to reserve a seat, only had 3 carriages (really?) and it was already full when I got on at Clapham junction. An hour later and I had a seat, thank goodness.
Only a couple of people came off the train at the same time as me in Axminster, and they headed straight to their cars, which were parked there. There was no taxi in sight, but luckily, a large sign was advertising the local taxi company. After several attempts, it dawned on me that nobody would answer. 9.20 p.m. might have been too late. Thanks to the map app on my phone, I started the mile-long walk to Prestoller House, where I had booked a room for the two nights to come. The hill was steep and I was cursing myself for wearing heels (what was I thinking?) and carrying so much stuff, but I got there eventually, out of breath and sweaty (recurring theme on that day).
I knocked shyly, as it was rather late and I did not want to wake anyone up. Caroline opened the door with a big smile on her face, asking me: “Are you Mel?” When she found out I had walked, Caroline reprimanded me, insisting I should have rung her and she would have picked me up. I felt at home already!
After a tour of my room, Caroline asked me whether I would have a croissant made by her other half in the morning (would I ever?). I would also have cooked breakfast in the morning and we parted, Caroline promising she would wake me up if I did not appear in the house by 8.15 a.m.
When you are rarely away from your family, the prospect of a night or two on your own seems like a treat, but the reality of it is despite the noise and the mess at home, I missed Hubby and the little ones.
I was glad I had booked my two nights away from my family at Prestoller House. My cosy room, coupled with Caroline making me feel completely at home, really eased the guilt of being away from my family.
My room had its private entrance.
It was spacious and clean, with everything a guest could wish for: a comfortable bed, nice, powerful shower, cosy armchairs and fluffy towels.
This is what you expect when you book a room, but Caroline and Adrian have really thought about everything. Small details made all the difference.
Shower gel and conditioner, hand wash, sewing kit and small toiletries were of high quality.
On one of the bedside tables, freshly cut flowers were brightening up the room.
A bottle of filtered water straight from the fridge was ready by the side of the bed.
The promise of a good cup of coffee was there too in the form of a Nespresso machine.
A kettle, fresh milk, biscuits, sweets and teabags were also… the WiFi signal was strong.
Under the large flat screen TV, magazines and books offered temptation to relax and unwind.
Inside the wardrobe, two dressing gowns and slippers made me feel even more welcome.
I had intended to work when I got there. Instead, I had a cup of coffee, followed by a bath at midnight!
Breakfast was out of this world.
Adrian and Caroline had an impressive range of breakfast options to tickle my taste buds, and I have to say I was a happy guest, starting with cereal
delicious strawberry jam and marmalade
homemade croissants, fruit salad
and scrumptious cooked breakfast, with all the trimmings: scrambled eggs cooked to perfection, mushrooms, bacon, black pudding, sausages served with fresh bread.
My friend Vicki came for coffee before we headed to River Cottage HQ, and as we were chatting to Adrian, we found out he had intolerances to gluten and dairy. There is no doubt Caroline and Adrian would try their very best to cater for those with allergies or intolerances.
Would I stay at Prestoller House again? Yes, yes, ten times yes!
Here is where you can find this lovely Bed & Breakfast:
Prestoller House, Beavor Lane, Axminster, EX13 5EQ, United Kingdom
Phone: 01297639403
Website: click here
One of my lucky readers could win a night for two with breakfast at Prestoller House.
How to enter the giveaway:
Check the instructions in the form below. You can pick and choose a range of ways in which to enter. The only one you must click on to get into the draw is the one asking you to leave a blog post comment. You must also leave a comment on this blog post for your entry to be valid.
Entries are open until 23.59 p.m. GMT time on 27 October 2015. Good luck!
Disclosure:
– The prize will be supplied directly by Prestoller House.
– The giveaway is open worldwide. You must be over 18.
– I spent two nights as Prestoller House and was given a discount for sharing photographs with the owners. No payment was received. All opinions and photographs are my own.
I have listed this giveaway on ThePrizeFinder, SuperLucky and Loquax.
Wow, looks like a great place. Breakfast is the top of my ‘must be good list’ when I look for a place to stay and this one looks amazeballs!
It really is a great place to stay. Best breakfast ever!
What a gorgeous place to stay – so many lovely touches that make staying a way from home that much nicer! x
It really was a nice couple of days. x
I love a nice warm bowl of porridge in the cold weather, and fruit & nut muesli when it’s warmer 🙂
Yum!
OMG Mel! It looks amazing, just my kind of mini break place 🙂 I really want to enter your amazing giveaways!!! So unfair!! 🙂 (PS I am always running late too. Sigh. And I like to think I’m an organised person!!!)
This one is open worldwide so you can definitely enter it! I was thinking about you when I decided to open it to the whole world! Fancy a break in England?
a very clear and comprehensive blog
The breakfast sounds great 🙂
Full english with extra crispy bacon and sausage
Porridge in winter, branflakes in summer and a lovely fry-up when I go away in the UK
Full English with yummy crispy bacon sausages eggs and tomatoes….I only ever eat it when I go away but that’s what makes it so good! Fabulous prize it looks gorgeous ?
It really is!
Has to be Sausage Egg & Bacon with toast.
Scrambled eggs on toast 🙂
2 toast 2 pikelets 2 crumpets 2 potato cakes with cuppa and oj
Full English
everything looks lovely including that great brekkie!
Just toast and Jam
Toast and crunchy peanut butter
Sausage sandwiches
I hardly ever get it but i really love a Full English Breakfast
Porridge with milk and cinnamon
A greasy English fry-up combined with a healthy smoothie & fruit!
I like pancakes, bacon and maple syrup
Full English
As a once in a while treat It has to be the FULL English, so naughty but so tasty and satisfying!
Big breakfast with black pudding
A full English with fresh and local ingredients. Nothing better for me!
I love a full English x
Full English (but only once in a while!)
Toast with raspberry jam and English breakfast tea.
The breakfast sounds lovely x
yougurt and bagels
Mmmmm a Bacon, Cheese and Mushroom sandwich!!!!
Ps I feel your pain with that Axminster train, I took the kids to Lyme Regis in the summer and we should have gone straight to Exeter from Birmingham, but due to major problems on the tracks up north somewhere we were told to go via Basingstoke, we spent a wonderful couple of hours standing next to the toilet all the way to Axminster!
Nice way to travel, isn’t it? I just don’t get why they don’t let you book a seat… maybe because they are trying to cram in as many people as possible, whether they fit in or not.
With no dietary restrictions? Then my favourite breakfast has to be danish pastries. Followed by fruit and yoghurt!!! Mel…it might also be worth adding into your post that they would happily cater for those with dietary restrictions, given the owners’ own… Just a thought 🙂
Oh I love an apricot danish! So, so true about Adrian being more than happy to cater for exclusion diets. Will add that now! xx
Kippers and bread and butter
yummm….
Vegetarian cooked brekkie!
A BLT on whole grain bread
Full english with all the trimmings
Bacon sandwich
Bagels.
What is your favourite breakfast? . . . .. . . . . the works – a full English oh yum
Pancakes & Maple Syrup!! What an amazing giveaway xx
full english with hollumi
I do love a full english xx
I love croissants
home-made granola, porridge or toast with peanut butter & banana
Good old (free range) scrambled eggs on doorstep toast!
When I am away I love a cooked breakfast but when at home I really like to have fruit and yogurt with a coffee 🙂
Coffee is always a must here, too!
full English for me bacon, egg, toast, baked beans and hash browns
a trip to heaven and back
I love eggs Benedict ( toasted muffin, butter, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce with smoked salmon)
Has to be a full english x
looks amazing hope i win!
It looks lovely. I love egg and soldiers 🙂
yoghurt with fruits
separate entrance makes all the difference
Porridge and honey
Cheese on toast!
Quelle jolie cottage! C’est une rêve! Le petit déjeuner est génial et j’aime bien la vaisselle! You are a Lucky girl!
Merci ma belle. Tu peux prendre part; cette compétition est ouverte au monde entier!
Wow. Breakfast looks amazing
I love a poached egg white and toast.
A warm croissant with Nutella! Mmmm.
Looks great.
I do love a good full english
looks great…lovely part of the world, and yoyu are making me hungry with the breakfast!
Thinking about it is making me hungry too!
Full English – Sausage, bacon, scrambled egg, mushrooms, tomato & black pudding with fried bread!
Full English
A full English x
Smoked salmon bagel 🙂
The full English, always with the black pudding
A full English sets me up for the day.
I like porridge as a treat
I love a full English, but only when I’m on holiday.
if im not gonna feel any guilt then the full english it must be, looks a fabulous place x
A full English with crispy bacon and dippy eggx x x
Scrambled egg on toast with bacon 🙂
Got to be a good old English Breakfast!
My favourite breakfast is full english
I like a granola in a coconut yoghurt
i love eggs Benedict x
orange juice,corn flakes, Full English, toast and mandarin marmalade, with tea and coffee
eggs benedict and a latte
Full English with black pudding and mushrooms – yum
eggs benedict with a cheese twist!
A full English
I love a croissant
scrambled eggs
Eggs Benedict
My best breakfast is a green smoothie and a black coffee.
Nothing can beat a bacon buttie in my opinion
Eggs Benedict
I love to have for breakfast a good tea and an omlette.
Tea and crumpets
Mashed Avocado on toast with lots of black pepper
porridge with pecans and maple syrup
one of those ones you get at a good hotel that includes EVERYTHING….trouble is, i’m usually so hungover that i only want toast….
Normally porridge or shreddies, but I do love a good full English Breakfast as a treat 🙂
full english 🙂
An ‘FEB’ (without eggs) is a real holiday treat.
I love warm croissants with Nutella- naughty but nice 🙂
How beautiful
Full English for me
Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toast, with a sausage on the side 🙂
Full English for me please
a full English……………. well anything if someone cooks it for me, and does the washing up!!!!
porridge with fruit
It looks great – all those little touches. I like some fresh fruit salad, yoghurt and museli.
has to be muesli
Always the full English
For a treat, it has to be a full English.
It looks great – all those little touches. I like some fresh fruit salad, yoghurt and museli. (@PeanutHog)
I love porridge – nice and hot with some raisins on top!
Toast and marmalade
I loooove eggs benedict! Delicious 🙂
Full English!!!! Nom nom
love continental breakfast
eggs Benedict – breakfast heaven
I do love the occasional full english breakfast!
I love weekend breakfast – bacon, sausage and eggs
Poached eggs and buttery toast!
i love a full english breakfast
Ppoached or scrambled eggs with salmon followed by a little pot of granola. At least 2 cups of coffee is a must.
A full english, you can’t beat it! 🙂
Poached Eggs on Toast 🙂
Full English Breakfast or a poached Egg on Crumpet ….. close call 🙂
Bacon and Egg Muffin
Eggs Benedict!
Fresh fruit is the best start to the day, and a smile from hubby x
Full English for me.
This looks such a lovely place to stay at. I like poached egg on toast for breakfast.
Eggs Benedict and Croissants
Poached eggs on toast
A full English
When I’m away from home it has to be a full English! 🙂
If I am away I love a Full English Breakfast but at home I have porridge 🙂
I love a vegetarian full English!
For me its got to be a full english breakfast – sets you right up for the day!
I love Eggs Benedict – thats a Sunday treat in our house x
Frosties with cold milk
Bacon and Eggs please!
This looks amazing, can’t beat a full English
i love a full english breakfast. yum yum
Poached egg, hollandaise sauce on granary toast and crispy bacon
Love a full english!
a full English with all the trimmings
Full English! 🙂 x
Toast and lots of butter and homemade jam
A full English
I like a good old pop tart
contiental so I can think I am in Paris
Full English .. or a veggie version