The Crab & Lobster
Birdwatchers flock to this 17th-century inn turned restaurant-with-rooms overlooking Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve. More
Good Hotel Guide Review
Birdwatchers flock to this 17th-century inn turned restaurant-with-rooms overlooking Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve. Recent sightings have included spoonbills, spotted flycatchers – and a pair of trusted Guide readers on a return visit. Bedrooms, decorated in pastel hues, have harbour or countryside views. Two are in adjoining Crab Cottage, with a lounge and kitchen. If you stay at the inn, our readers recommend Room 1, which is excellent, with a powerful monsoon shower over the bathtub. Room 2, reached via ‘a twisty staircase’, is under the eaves and lacks headroom. At dinner, based on locally sourced ingredients, ‘the food was brilliant. I had monkfish with crab risotto on the first night, stone bass in a mild curry sauce the next. The puds are a delight.’ At breakfast (from 8 am on weekdays, 8.30 at weekends), more fresh fruit would have been appreciated. The manager, Mark Vincent, and his staff ‘provide exceptional personal service’. Owners Sam and Janet Bakose also have The Halfway Bridge, Lodsworth (see entry), while chef Clyde Hollett oversees both kitchens. (Peter Anderson, MG)
Hotel details
Address
Mill Lane
Sidlesham
Sussex
PO20 7NB
England
Telephone
01243 641233
Bedrooms
4. 2 in adjacent self-catering Crab Cottage.
Open
all year.
Facilities
bar/dining room/snug, in-room TV (Freeview), terrace, small beer garden, bar and restaurant wheelchair accessible.
Background music
‘quiet’ music in restaurant and bar.
Children
all ages welcomed.
Dogs
allowed in garden area.
Credit cards
Amex, MC, Visa.
Prices
per room B&B single occupancy £115–£135 (full rates apply Fri–Sun), double £190–£320, extra guest (Crab Cottage) £30. À la carte £38. Min. 2-night stay at weekends.
Other reviews
VisitEngland Five Star Restaurant with Rooms
Good Hotel Guide articles about
The Crab & Lobster
- The Good Pub Guide: 6 top pubs with rooms in Sussex
Comments about The Crab & Lobster