Red Lion

Rooms

A 2-minute stroll from the pub towards the river leads to a modern bungalow with 5 individually styled, super-comfy rooms. Brittany used the best of the best when creating them: Somnus beds, Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems, Egyptian cottons and linens, Nespresso machines and contemporary fixtures and fittings, married with French-style antiques. Boutique by numbers this certainly ain't.

All rooms are spacious with giant glass doors (most bi-fold) that lead out onto your private decked area with chairs and table, alongside the River Avon.

We first stayed in the huge Benjamin Suite and woke up to 3 swans breakfasting outside our door. Decorated in silver and blue, this is a beautiful room with a gorgeous deep-soak bathtub and a small sofa. On our most recent visit, we were in Davenport, a lovely and light room with pale green walls and a big shower room with underfloor heating and wonderful views of the river.

Chamberlain is dressed in sage and gold tones, with a large wardrobe, leather love seat and shower bathroom, while Anglesea is a dramatic petrol blue, with tub and shower in its bathroom. Manser is wheelchair-friendly with a wet-room style bathroom; it is the most peaceful room, being the furthest from the road, and is also dog-friendly. All bathrooms have cosy robes and a generous array of toiletries.

But it's the quirky touches that really set this place apart. As Guy and Brittany's past and present revolves around food, décor includes framed menus from fine-dining establishments around the world, and classic cookbooks (Locatelli, Larousse Gastronomique). Inventive minibars host Sipsmith gin and vodka alongside Frobishers juices, and you're treated to delicious homemade biscuits. You'll find hangover cures by the bed, Pictionary in the wardrobe, and leather guides full of information about the local area and beyond.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Fan
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• WiFi

Eating

Red Lion's food is outstanding, and you'll quickly see why. Ingredients are locally sourced and the marriage of flavours and combinations has been brilliantly thought through. The drinks list is equally considered, and prices, whilst on the high side for a pub, are extremely reasonable for the quality on offer. Impressively, all extras are all homemade (from brown and tartare sauce to the tomato juice in Bloody Marys).

At dinner, we were spoiled with a 5-course tasting menu and superb wine pairings. It started with chilled gazpacho with mouthwatering datterino tomatoes and grilled croutons, followed by flavourful baked halibut and wild asparagus. Next up, the Wiltshire chateaubriand with jersey royals was succulent and cooked to perfection. A lemon sherbet lolly served as a fun amuse-bouche before our final (thankfully light) course of fresh English strawberries, sorbet and basil financier. The pace was leisurely and we loved the laid-back pub atmosphere.

Breakfast the next day started with a superb buffet; don't miss the homemade granola, compote and local yoghurt. Coffee is made to order and there's just-squeezed orange juice for Buck's Fizz plus the ingredients for a Bloody Mary. Our cooked options were a mixed bag though; the scrambled eggs were insipid and disappointing, but the bacon was fantastic, home-cured from their West Berkshire pigs.

In addition to à la carte lunches, bar snacks are available all day - we can recommend the Scotch eggs and smoked pork ribs with pickled coleslaw.

Features include:

• Bar
• Kids' meals
• Restaurant

Activities

• Explore the local footpaths to help you build up an appetite. Staff can provide recommendations and maps
  
• Kick back on your terrace and read a book by the river, then treat yourself to an in-room massage
  
• Stonehenge, a mystical World Heritage site, is just 15 minutes away. This incredible pre-historic monument has stood proud for 3,500 years, and to this day no one can explain why the circle of vast stones was built
  
• We love historic Salisbury with its stunning cathedral and grand 15th-century banqueting hall that now houses the cinema
  
• Indulge in country pursuits - clay pigeon shooting, trout fishing, horse riding and golf can all be arranged locally
  
• Birders can visit Wiltshire's Great Bustard Project, aimed at reintroducing these majestic birds to the wild
  
• There are a number of excellent National Trust properties in the area, from Lacock Abbey (featured in Pride & Prejudice and Cranford) to Avebury Manor. Nearby Highclere Castle, featured in Downton Abbey, is also popular
  
• Beautiful Bath is only an hour away and we always find it hard to resist for boutique shopping, the famous thermal spa and delicious cream teas
  
• Longleat Safari Park is an hour away: drive through the monkey enclosure, explore the maze, and see lions, tigers and giraffes

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Clay pigeon shooting
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Hot air ballooning
• Museums / galleries
• Plantlife / flora
• Shopping / markets
• Wildlife

Kids

Whilst we wouldn’t particularly recommend this for families, children are welcome, and Britt and Guy understand the requirements involved with small kids as they have a family of their own.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

The Benjamin Suite can accommodate a child/adult on its sofabed; all rooms can fit a baby cot (free of charge)

Cots Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Red Lion is in the village of East Chisenbury, in Wiltshire, southern England. It's an hour's drive from Southampton or Bath, and 1.5 hours from London (90 miles/147km).

By Air:
Southampton is the closest airport (49 miles/78km); London Heathrow is 77 miles/124km away, and Bristol is 70 miles/112km. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
Either head to a train station and head to Pewsey, or hire a car. For car rentals, click here to see our recommendations. You can collect your vehicle at any of the above airports when you land, and park for free at the guest house.

By Train:
Pewsey is the nearest rail station - 5 miles from East Chisenbury. See National Rail for links around the UK. London Heathrow is linked to London Paddington by the high-speed Heathrow Express rail line.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

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