The Black Lion, Long Melford

Breakfast was good - food generally was very good. This is a pub with rooms - don't expect hotel facilities. We stayed at Christmas when EVERY square inch of the place was given over to eating xmas lunch - there was nowhere to sit except at your designated table or to go to your room - it would have been nice to have had somewhere to relax after lunch - probably better to be here in the summer. Service for xmas lunch was excellent - thank you! Ellen?!

We didn't complain because it was Christmas but.... 1. Cleaning was dubious - sweet wrappers on the floor of the room (not ours!) Random hair grips too! Tiles on wall by bath in shower area had a lot of scum on them.... No bathrobes....or even a chair to sit on... 2. Lukewarm reception from manager of our puppy (which had been pre-booked in as they say they welcome dogs on their website).... "dogs not allowed in the restaurant" Well ok ..and we didn't particularly mind but that's where breakfast was set up Xmas and Boxing day and it wasn't as if there were carpets in the restaurant that could be ruined... his attitude -especially Boxing day morning - rather annoyed me.. but the other manager was lovely and let us use the restaurant for our breakfast thankfully. BTW our puppy was beautifully behaved! 3. Rooms were extremely small - check the size before you go if that would bother you. There was nowhere to sit (apart from the bed) or even to put out makeup etc. We had room 8 and every time the next door room switched on their shower, the pump (I guess) made it sound as though Concorde was about to take off in our room ! 4. It wasn't particularly cold during our stay unfortunately, so that was probably why the log fires were not kept going all afternoon and evening - which was a shame as it gives such a lovely atmosphere - dead fires are not very cheery. I think my expectations of this place were too high, as I had relied on the reviews - if I hadn't had such high expectations it would have been fine. It was ok but we would not book this place again.