The Casterbridge Hotel clearly enjoys a good reputation as it plasters its 5 star AA Guide (for guest accommodation) and Michelin Guide recommendation all over the front entrance. Granted, the hotel is worthy of such praise as it's as impressive as it is homely. I didn't at all get that 'this is a guest house and you are a guest' feeling as I wandered around the sitting room waiting for someone to greet me. In fact it's probably due to the lack of any irritating hassling at the door that I felt so at home. I had the place entirely to myself!
My room was a single with a large bed. The décor was fairly floral but not overbearingly so; in fact it was quite elegant. All rooms are en-suite; my bathroom was very clean, lovely fresh towels and a good shower. Ticks all the boxes there then. As for my bed, I had to struggle to get into the thing the sheets were tucked in so tightly. I didn't get a good night's sleep at all because the windows are paper thin - lorries roll through the main street at night and the bin men collect at 6.12am, I know this because I was staring at the clock face at the time.
Breakfast is normally my favourite experience at any hotel but as I had an interview for a job that day and so wasn't in the mood for a good gorge. They lay on a good spread at the Casterbridge, the usual range of fresh fruits, juices and cereals etc. As for cooked food I had the BEST scrambled eggs I've ever tasted there with a sublime sausage on the side. Had my stomach not been doing somersaults with the thought of the impending interview I think I would have ate them out of house and home.
I was very impressed with this place and the next time I'm in Dorchester I would probably stay here again. As for Dorchester itself it looked like a wonderful little town/city from the brief glimpse I gave it. If a Waitrose is a suitable indicator of a town's status then Dorchester fits the typical bill of 'country town with a Waitrose'.
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