with real fires (which are lit), fresh flowers, and comfortable tweed upholstered chairs and people who are genuinely pleased to see you. It’s no wonder that many of the customers arrive for a mid-morning coffee, drift over to Don Paddy’s, their café, bar, restaurant, for a spot of lunch, back for afternoon tea at the Falcon and then on for a convivial drink at The Vaults, their pub on another side of the Market Square. Each has its own individual character, the same great staff and the same dedication to making your experience as enjoyable as possible. Nothing is too much hassle, and it’s all so incredibly relaxed. Carol Wills, the joint owner, with husband Robert (Uppingham champion born and bred) are the embodiment of their ethos for the businesses. Unfailingly open and approachable, to young and old, whether you’re there for a pint or to stay, she is refreshingly welcoming in a low key but unmistakeably generous way. “We want the hotel to be classically stylish and good value for money. A place people want to come to, and not to be there just because they
need to be. We want it to be at the heart of Uppingham’s community, and a destination for those visiting because of that. An experience that is more than just the hotel alone.” First on her agenda, together with fixing the roof and chimneys, and sorting the bar was getting the toilets done. As they say, you can tell a lot about a place by the toilets. These now definitely say there is a commitment to the customer, in every detail, whether small or large. Success is not magical or mysterious. It is the natural consequence of getting the basic fundamentals right. This thinking ‘what would I want?’ has also led to putting the Lounge facing the Square so that you can see what is going on and feel a part of it. Upstairs, in the light-soaked refurbished bedrooms, the same care and personal touch have gone into the details. The duvets are generously sized, doubles on single beds, kings on doubles, you get my drift. The mattresses have been replaced with those designed to ensure a deep and restful sleep, pillows are down like and the well designed bathrooms filled with The White Company toiletries. As for the baths and showers, each set of four rooms now has their own hot water cylinder, replacing the single hot water cylinder that served the whole hotel previously. All 50 guests can now shower and bathe at the same time in the secure knowledge that neither the hot water nor the pressure will be compromised. Outside the garden has been given an overhaul and made a wonderful place to retire to, to enjoy the sun or simply to sit on the veranda with a drink. The food from the newly re-fitted kitchen (it was closed for a month for a complete overhaul) is really good. In a way it sums up what the Falcon is, which is good quality and wholesome. It is not fancy or over
the top, just very, very good. Generosity of spirit is married to a commitment to quality. Nothing is done half heartedly or by cutting corners. The outstanding service delivers what you need, simply and efficiently, frequently before you know you need it. A breast-feeding guest at a recent wedding was given use of a nearby room at no extra cost and, offered tea as and when she wanted it. Unsolicited acts of hospitality such as these speak volumes about the consideration and attitude of the staff and owners. If you haven’t already been, go and experience it for yourself - you won’t be disappointed. • The Falcon Hotel, 7 High Street East, Uppingham, Oakham LE15 9PY Tel: 01572 823535 - info@falcon-hotel.co.uk, www.falcon-hotel.co.uk
RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JANUARY 2012
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