The Farmhouse Inn - Uttlesford

We booked this one night stay in a double room in June so we could stay over for concerts at Audley end. When we went to check in another guest was being told they don’t have a room for him despite him having a confirmed booking. After the guest explained they needed to be at the concert for 3pm, the receptionist quickly gave him a room, mistakenly thinking he was performing in the concert. We then tried to book in, and again, our booking could not be found. Over the course of the next two hours I showed my booking several times to the receptionist, landlady and then the landlord. I contacted Hotels.com who confirmed my booking and they then contacted the hotel three times to find out what the problem was. Each time ended with the phone being put down and another rant front the landlord who “couldn’t understand what he was saying because he was a foreigner”. By this stage the landlord had told me that he doesn’t even have a contract with Hotels.com so I can’t have a booking, that all rooms were booked by a single group six months ago so they couldn’t possibly have accepted my booking three months ago and that I could have a twin room as that’s all they had left but I would need to pay the new higher price in cash. The receptionist was clearly out of her depth and the landlady, who was very nice, was clearly incompetent, shouting her catchphrase “I don’t do computers” over and over at the receptionist. The landlord however was just a rude, aggressive, nasty piece of work. After a couple of hours we had already missed the start of the concert and Hotels.com couldn’t find anywhere else for us. My wife was clearly getting upset by the landlord’s hostility and went outside. At this stage the landlords son appeared and asked what the problem was. I explained that we had a booking but according to the landlords we didn’t. He said he would take a look and within 30 seconds found our booking, quickly followed by a shout from the landlady “I told you I don’t do computers”. The rude and aggressive landlord was not seen again. The landlady was very apologetic and we were given a twin room as that was all they had left. In the morning we met other guests trying to check out but there no sign of any staff so we just left our keys and went. The other guests had been there for part of our ‘check in’ and asked what the problem was because the landlady was ‘effing and blinding’ for ages after we left for the concert. Having travelled extensively I can honestly say that this was the most incompetent and hostile staff I have ever met, excluding the son of course who was very competent. I wouldn’t go back if was paid to sleep there and you would be well advised not to either.

What a great find after a long hot walk, engaging bar staff and the chef made me an off menu lunch, the scrambled egg was delicious, the best I’ve had. Wish this was my local!

A friend suggested we went to The Farmhouse for lunch, he had visited before Covid as I hadn 't been before. The Farmhouse is in a lovely location, we were warmly greeted, the bar looked typically 'country ' and genial, the menu was varied and well priced and the dining area was very appealing and comfortable. The service was very friendly and efficient, the food we ordered was freshly cooked, very well presented and of excellent quality. It is one of those restaurants to which I will certainly return for a good meal in a comfortable setting and in a lovely country location. An extra plus; there 's ample parking.

The restaurant is in need of a renovation as the décor is outdated and the curtains allow a lot of light in the morning. The heated towel rack in the bathroom was not functioning, making the room cold. Despite staying two nights, the room was not cleaned after the first night. The towels remained damp with no way to dry them. At a price of £80 per night, breakfast was not included.

My husband visited today and was charged £11 for a J2O and a very small cheese and pickle baguette (with a minuscule thin slice of cheese). It seems like a total rip off. There was no side salad or chips, which are common at other venues. Also, there were no prices listed on the menu. I am very disappointed on behalf of the person who visited.