There are some places you stay where everything is perfectly fine, and then there are places where you find yourself thinking, I’d come back here.
The Ropemaker in Emsworth is one of those places.
We stayed for a night and it was exactly the sort of little South Coast escape I like. Comfortable without being stuffy, friendly without being over the top, and quiet enough that you actually feel as though you’ve gone away.
The first thing to mention is the bed.
A really, really good bed.
Big, comfortable and the sort of bed that makes you realise just how tired you were once you’re actually lying in it. The room was warm and welcoming, and there was none of that slightly anonymous hotel feeling you can sometimes get. It felt more like somewhere you could settle into. A portable AC unit because it had been unbearably hot in the previous weeks. More than one teabag, instant coffee, and a fancy pod machine. Fresh milk in the fridge and a dairy alternative should you want one. Fancy toiletries and big fluffy towels. Dressing gowns and slippers. Macarons and fudge with a welcome note. Honestly after having a minor meltdown in the morning about not knowing what we were doing or where we were going this was exactly what I needed even if I hadn’t worked that bit out yet.
And then there was breakfast.
I am very easily won over by a good breakfast, and this was a proper super breakfast. Good coffee, plenty of choice and the sort of start to the day that makes you want to sit there for a while rather than rush off. No buffet, this is a menu and table service with top class ingredients. Well it is co owned by Raymond Blanc so you know, food is important.
The staff were lovely too. Warm and genuinely friendly, without that slightly forced hotel friendliness. Everyone we came across was happy to chat, help and make us feel welcome.
And if you’re travelling with a dog, The Ropemaker is particularly good. Dogs are genuinely welcome rather than merely tolerated, with dog-friendly areas and rooms available. There are dog treats and meals on the bar, and a doggy wall of fame you are welcome to add your pet too. If you are staying with a woofer, ask for a patio room on the ground floor as then you have direct access to the garden.
It is also just a very peaceful place to stay.
Which brings me to Emsworth.
I’m not quite sure why Emsworth doesn’t seem to get talked about more.
It feels like one of those little South Coast places that has somehow been overlooked while everyone else has been busy discovering the bigger, louder seaside towns.
And I rather like that about it.
Emsworth sits at the top of Chichester Harbour, with the harbour, mill ponds, little streets and old buildings all making it feel much more like a proper old coastal town than a seaside resort. There are lovely walks, independent shops, cafés and plenty of places to stop for a drink and watch the world go by.
It isn’t flashy.
It doesn’t need to be.
We wandered around for a few hours, took a walk by the water, looked at the boats and generally did very little. And sometimes that is exactly what you want from a little break.
Emsworth feels like a place that has been quietly getting on with being Emsworth while the rest of us have been distracted by somewhere else.
So perhaps it is a forgotten gem.
Or perhaps it is just quietly keeping itself to itself.
Either way, I think it is well worth an afternoon.
And if you fancy making that afternoon into a night away, The Ropemaker makes a very good base for it.
A big comfy bed, a super breakfast, lovely people, a quiet night’s sleep and a little town by the water that doesn’t seem to be shouting for your attention.
Sometimes those are the places I like best.