 The Friendly Lodge & Toby Carvery, Frimley
By Vaughan Humphries
Eager to head to Windsor Castle, my girlfriend and I were up early Saturday morning, despite the fact we were both tired from festivities the night before. It was a cracking good day with the sun out, the sort that brings the ragtops out of the garage, and the sunglasses to the ready.
Thankfully, Windsor is not too far from where I live, so we arrived at the right time of day, just before the invading hordes of tourists lay siege to the castle. Like much of the nation, I was devastated when fire ravaged large parts of the palace in 1992. The castle itself has been continuously occupied for nearly a thousand years, and each successive monarch has made their own mark upon the grounds. I think that the Queen has made her own mark by commissioning the faithful rebuilding of the damaged palace to ensure that the grandeur is preserved for generations to come.
It is the little things that make a visit, and three of the little things that made the trip memorable were the bullet that killed Nelson, original sketches by Leonardo da Vinci, and graffiti carved into the stonework in St. George’s chapel from centuries ago.
Rather than take the more direct route via the motorways, we elected to drive through the countryside and take in a bit of fresh air. Finding the hotel proved to be no problem, as it is located in a prominent position on the Portsmouth Road.
No sooner had we walked through the door, we were acknowledged by the hotel manager at reception, even though she was occupied with a telephone call. With a warm smile and welcome, we were given full instructions on the use of facilities. Breakfast is unusually served on an air bridge connecting the restaurant to the hotel.
The hotel is practically on the M3, but you would never know it, it was so quiet and peaceful. The recently renovated rooms featured the same excellent flat screen televisions as per our previous stay in Aston Clinton. Ironically, after such a good reception, we had our only qualm about the lodge ... which was poor reception on the television! After a welcome shower and change of clothes, we decided to make the most of the beautiful English spring day. We went for an extended walk into neighbouring town of Bagshot, and then took the bus back to Camberley.
Thirsty from our walk, we treated ourselves to a decent pint of Best, recommended by the knowledgeable barman, who was quite friendly and welcoming. We then had the first of our carvery meals at the Toby Carvery. Rather than be presented with bland and uniform Yorkshire puddings made by a favourite Aunt who shall remain nameless, we had what can be best described as 'mutant Yorkies from outer space' that were a joy to behold, and were the right consistency to hold a ladle full of proper gravy. We liked it so much; we skipped over breakfast in the morning, and had a second attempt! They do not take bookings for Sunday lunch, and the queue went around the corner for the scrumptious Sunday roasts. Despite all this, we were personally greeted by the carvery manager, and were well attended by the waiters and waitresses on both occasions.
The staff were more than happy to make recommendations for local attractions, to make our stay that little extra memorable. We were encouraged to visit nearby attractions such as Hampton Court Palace, or Legoland for the inner child (and children of course!). Had we stayed for another night, we might have had the time to see more. If you feel like a more leisurely drive through the country, you can take the A30 and pass through Virginia Water, a very popular destination for Londoners seeking a break from the big smoke.
More than anything, we were heartened by the warm reception and overall friendliness of the staff. Being a Toby Carvery, it is the sort of place that people with young families and perhaps the extended family could come when the daunting prospect of cooking for loads of people demanding some decent nosh proves to be too much. Off the back of the reception of the staff alone, I would not hesitate to stay there again. |
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