I Stayed in a Greene King Inn… Here is What I Experienced

“Never book any of these Greene King Inns!” was a quote from a review that I observed about one of the Greene King Inns. This review however was left back in 2009, and as this was a review left 13 years ago, so much could happen in this time. Why surely they could have improved how all Greene Kings Inns are run between the time when the review was left and the present day. I decided to find this out by staying for two nights in The Rising Sun Hotel, an establishment owned by Greene King Inns.

As I arrived at The Rising Sun, located just outside of the charming town of Cheltenham, I managed to park up easily and unload my car of the luggage it was helping me to haul. I briefly admired the view that was surrounding the area. Prior research showed that the hotel offers views of up to five counties, and after an observation of this view, that statement seemed to be very true.

The hotel viewed from the alongside road

I entered the reception area to be greeted by a receptionist with a strong Russian accent. He gave me the key to room 24 of the hotel and had directed me on where I needed to meander towards my hotel room. I strolled down the corridor, which resembled a mystical labyrinth filled with rooms, and then approached my room.

The reception area overlooking the charming view of five counties

Once accessing my room, I was presented with the sight of a cosy singular room. The single bed was well made and took up the centre of the room, and was even enough to fit two people on it. Two lamps were situated on either side of the bed, resting on two wooden bedside tables. There were also hangers available for usage so that I could easily unpack my suitcase and hang up my jumpers and hiking gear.

A desk was also present to the right hand side of the bed, which supported the tea and coffee making facilities as well as a Greene king breakfast and dinner menu to flick through. A mirror was also present above this desk, and the TV was mounted up alongside it. It was however slanted slightly downwards and was positioned in a way which I had to turn 90 degrees while lying in bed. You wouldn’t usually find many hotel rooms that have this exact layout, but that is what makes hotels like this unique.

The TV and the desk in my single en-suite room

The entrance to the bathroom was located to the left of the TV. The bathroom itself consisted of a bathtub equipped with a shower and hand & face washing facilities. Shampoo and body wash was also conveniently available for me to use whenever. A sign stated that shower matts were available upon request should I wish to avoid the risk of slipping in the shower. White towels were neatly folded and hung up on a towel railing, ready to be used. A sink was also present and had a hand wash bottle hung up next to the sink. The overall evaluation of the room is that it is a room which tailors to your every need just like any standard hotel room, only it has a TV in a slightly odd position.

The food at this Greene King Inn was charged at reasonable rates, and had the traditional main course items you could consume. These items included a range of burgers, signature dishes and a drinks menu to accompany the palette. The food itself wasn’t just a factor that made this restaurant warm and welcoming, but the friendliness of the staff who served all hotel patrons as well as those just visiting to eat.

I dined at this hotel’s restaurant area for both of the two night I stayed there, and had treated myself to a three course meal on the last night that I stayed there. The starter consisted of Halloumi Fries with a sweet and spicy chilli sauce, a light way to start a tasty meal. The halloumi had a chewy texture but it wasn’t too chewy at all, and the sweet chilli sauce had a very light and satisfying kick to it.

The main course then arrived a few minutes later after my consumed starter, which was a signature Hunter’s Chicken. This was complete with garlic ciabatta, chips and onion rings, and was smothered in an IPA BBQ sauce. The hunter’s chicken itself had no raw areas whatsoever, and was succulent throughout. The onion rings were nice and crispy on the outside and texture-wise were soft in the centre. The barbeque sauce had a rich aftertaste and definitely contributed to the chicken’s bursting of flavours.

The dessert then came along afterwards, and this was a Bakewell Tart served with raspberry coulis and custard. What better way to round up a hearty meal at a Greene King inn? A crumbly shortcrust pastry with a heavenly frangipane sponge and complete with a tart (excuse the pun) raspberry coulis and finished with a silky vanilla custard. This may have been a standard meal, but it will remind you of the food you would usually have in the comfort of your own home… Only this time it’s in an establishment which makes you feel like you are living in your second home.

Overall my stay at this Greene King establishment taught me three key points. The first point is that anyone staying in a Greene King establishment can expect to receive the same exceptional service as any hotel that is more commercialised, such as a Premier Inn or Travelodge. The second point is that the entire service that Greene King establishments provide has thoroughly improved since the 2009 comment from that disgruntled Trip Advisor user. The third point is that these inns are good to stay in for a good ‘hiking in the countryside’ break whatever the weather.

The view from the beer garden outside The Rising Sun

Staying at the Rising Sun

• A single room at The Rising Sun Greene King Hotel for two nights will cost you around £115 with breakfast included (Price is according to Booking.com).

• For further details and to book on the Greene King website, please Click Here.