Rectory Manor Hotel — Hotel in Babergh

An absolutely superb experience staying at Frank’s beautiful house. We were warmly greeted by Frank and given a guided tour of the house. It feels homely immediately and this is in part due to the fact it is Frank and his families home! For us this made a big difference as it didn’t feel like a hotel but rather like we were visiting a distant relative with a beautiful fancy house.

The room was stunning and decorated superbly with an array of fitting antiques as well as a very enticing drinks trolly with ample gin and scotch to boot! It’s such a quiet and relaxing place which is exactly what we were after too.

The grounds are perfectly kept as the swimming pool was immaculate. Frank has two beautiful dogs too who were so friendly; it made it harder to leave when they kept wanting to play with us!

Frank was a fantastic host constantly making sure we were ok and catered for whenever he saw us. He also gave us a very animated and interesting overview of many of the paintings and pictures of his fascinating ancestors which he proudly displays around the house. As a history buff this was very interesting. What was lovely is that despite it being his family home we never felt that anyone was being intrusive and had so much privacy throughout our stay.

I should actually say that I proposed to my fiancé on the stunning and very private balcony of the Hopkins Room overlooking the croquet lawn. It was perfect and we will be returning very soon as this place is now special to us. Thank you Frank and your staff / family for providing a great stay for us and we look forward to staying...

I can not say enough about this place - honestly. The property is immaculately maintained in the original style, and each room is uniquely designed to reflect heritage, but with modern cheeky touches. It's clear that great care has been taken here on all accounts, but especially in anticipating guest needs. Breakfast is delicious, Jade's service is top notch, recommendations are many, and Frank is a delightful host.

I booked this for my family group (6 people) and everyone loved it - that has to be a first. As the website mentions, a rental car is preferable here, owing to the remote location. That said, you don't get the benefits of going off the beaten track without...well - going off the beaten track! This is high-end English countryside at its best. The surrounding towns of Lavenham and Sudbury were adorable with much interesting architecture and history to offer, the walking trails were beautiful, and a day trip into Cambridge was very feasible for us.

They have very cute dogs onsite who will snuggle and beg you to throw the ball at every opportunity, a heated pool, and full tennis court, as well as manicured gardens. The drink selection in the drawing room was great. The in-room tea and coffee station was a nice touch, as was the fresh milk to go with it. We felt that Frank and the staff were never far if we had a question, but afforded us much privacy during our stay.

This is a Bed and Breakfast dream in the heart of Suffolk - I would not hesitate to recommend this property to my clients and will certainly be...

RUDE. AND POMPOUS MANAGEMENT ||||If I could give the owners/management a ZERO rating for customer service and care I would. They deserve a ten for pomposity and being stuck up. ||||I called to ask about a concerning email I had received from the hotel - an issue they have where it seems that despite giving the hotel your credit card details to guarantee payment, months ahead of time, what they don’t tell you, is that they are in fact, unable to validate most cards due to security issues. You cannot therefore pay on arrival! ||This was never mentioned when I booked, and the email and phone call implied that I was going to do a runner and not show up. It demanded immediate payment, when we had agreed for me to pay on arrival, with the card guaranteeing the booking.||Concerned that this was a scam I called with concern, as I wasn’t able to access my laptop, being packed up to travel elsewhere that day. ||I could barely get a word in to explain my concerns about the booking because my head was bitten off, and Frank spoke to me for several minutes as if I was an infant. ||||Never, in decades of travelling, have I been spoken to in the manner that Frank spoke to me several days ahead of what was supposed to be a 4 night stay, which we had reserved months in advance. ||Rude does not begin to describe his off hand manner and how he spoke down to me. ||Who needs this when you are working or going on holiday?||AVOID...