"Rachel and I decided to have a luxurious couple of days break in Norfolk, have a look around Norwich and then explore the beaches on the north coast so we booked a couple of nights in a Stately Pile that looked like it fitted the bill. On arrival we found that we were given a room in an annex which was distinctly not luxurious. And while the staff were excellent the hotel was tired. We had a Google of the best places to eat in the area to try and make something of the stay and found the Bedingfeld Arms and booked in for dinner. Following a dark and foggy drive we arrived at the pub and as soon as I walked in I knew I liked it. A proper old country pub with real ale and a roaring open fire. It is obviously loved by the proprietor as it feels cared for and there is noticeable an attention to detail. Andy, who seems to be managing the restaurant and bar that night, found us a table and got us some drinks. We stated chatting and told him about the Stately Pile and how disappointed we were. Andy said that the pub had nice rooms and showed Rachel around. She was suitably impressed. So impressed in fact that we left the accommodation that we had already paid for and moved into the Bedingfeld Arms and extended our stay by a further day. The room was large with a massive bathroom, very comfortable all in all, huge bed, much more luxurious and much closer to what we had hoped for. Dinner was fabulous. Andy talked us through the menu. I had chicken liver pate and venison for a main and Rachel had squid to start and then sea bass. Absolutely delicious. Great service, just a lovely time really. We had our young Labrador, Billie, with us and she was made to feel very welcome in this lovely dog friendly environment. Over the next three days we sampled pretty much everything on the menu between us and always had a good meal. After dinner we stayed in the bar for a few drinks and chatted with the other guests, and it was at this point that we were introduced to the lady proprietor, Catkins (known generally as Chatkins due to her garrulous nature). Now Catkins is a real tour de force of a woman, a walking party machine that fills the room with her ebullient and effusive personality. She made us feel welcome and included, and I for one thoroughly enjoyed her company. Just don't tell her that your name is Kevin. Breakfast was a massive full English breakfast that kept me going all day and the staff always managed to find Billie a spare sausage, much to Billie's delight. Across from the Bedingfeld Arms is a old, partially ruined church, St Johns, which makes for an interesting explore and right next to the church, about a minutes walk from the pub is the National Trust property the Oxburgh Estate. A beautiful old house and grounds well worth an afternoon of anyone's time. It might have been us or maybe we just hit the pub at the right time, who knows, but we had a lovely stay. Thank you Andy, Terri (the lady with the Newfoundland) and the rest of the staff for making our stay so pleasant. And you Catkins, you are unforgettable."
