Is the Black Boys Inn a small hotel with a restaurant or a restaurant with a hotel? Either way, this 16th Century property is a lovely place to eat, and the whole experience can only be completed by a night upstairs.
The restaurant is reassuringly small while the food is satisfyingly generous. The menu moves in and out of the seasons, with fresh fish from the warm gulf streams of Devon and the Cornish coast, while meat is supplied by a Portuguese purveyor, who ensures it is at a continuous peak of excellence, with stunning Devon lamb, pork, poultry and game vying for attention. The staff are knowledgeable and take care to ensure that guests make the right choices.
Many of the rooms retain original features and genuine wooden beams. Looking out from the hotel, you can feast your eyes on sweeping views of the Chilterns and you may even catch a glimpse of the red kites. All bedrooms have power showers or baths with water from the Inn's very own well.
The hotel is beautifully positioned for Henley, Maidenhead and Reading with historic houses such as Greys Court and Stoner Park, and charming villages like Ewelme, Marlow and Hambledon not far away.