The Halfway Bridge
Lodsworth, Sussex
Good Hotel Guide Review
In the heart of the South Downs national park, this 18th-century inn is a well-judged mix of friendly local and restaurant-with-rooms. The A272 outside is now a busy road, but inside, it’s still atmospheric, with beams and inglenook fireplace; when our inspectors last visited, drinkers nursed their Arundel ales as dogs snoozed by their feet. Proprietors Sam and Janet Bakose also own The Crab & Lobster, Sidlesham (see entry), and chef Clyde Hollett oversees both kitchens. On the short menu can be found both pub classics and more inventive dishes such as hake in bouillabaisse sauce – ‘tasty and beautifully presented’. It’s not a quick trip upstairs to bed though: bedrooms are in the inn’s old stables, a 165-yard walk away and across a narrow country road. Our inspectors’ room was huge, with beams and a high ceiling, and a picture window looking out over fields. Fresh milk and organic toiletries were welcome extras. The look was a bit generic, with wall-to-wall carpeting and flower prints, but it was comfy for all that, with good lighting to read by. Reports, please.
Hotel details
Address
Lodsworth
Petworth
Sussex
GU28 9BP
England
Telephone
01798 861281
Bedrooms
7. In converted barns, 165 yds from main building.
Open
all year.
Facilities
bar, restaurant, in-room TV (Freeview), bar terrace, small beer garden, unsuitable for disabled.
Background music
‘quiet’ in bar and restaurant.
Children
all ages welcomed.
Dogs
allowed in bar area only.
Credit cards
Amex, MC, Visa.
Prices
per room B&B single £95–£115, double £150–£230. Set lunch menu £26, à la carte £32. 1-night bookings refused Fri and Sat, when single occupancy is charged at full double rate.
Other reviews
Good Hotel Guide articles about
The Halfway Bridge
- The Good Pub Guide: 6 top pubs with rooms in Sussex