Laurels

The checkin was just bizarre. Trish made an officious performance of sitting behind her desk to tap our names into her laptop. And that set the tone for what was to come… Although we had booked all 3 rooms we each, in turn, got an induction / onboarding type lecture about how to use the shower, the rules of the room, etc. Such a pointless waste of an hour for him to deliver that three times when it could’ve been done just once. Whilst there is SO much more I could write I want to focus on the following points. 1. Stan made much of the fact that their cat loved egg yolk, and as he cleared one plate away he put it down in the utility room and the cat was heard licking the plate clean. Totally unhygienic. I suspect the Food standards agency would be interested to learn of their poor hygiene practices. 2. Stan offered to take some of our party in his Merc to the wedding 2 miles away. This was also offered in correspondence. As we were leaving he said not to forget we owed him £14 for the one way lift, a cost he’d never before mentioned. The wedding venue is less than 5 mins from The Laurels (as per Google maps). I’m sure Essex County Council will also be interested to learn that Stan is running an unlicensed taxi company. 3. Without permission Stan reached over me and took my mobile phone off the breakfast table and put it out of reach on their desk. Who the hell does he think he is? That was a mighty overreach. 4. They were rude, condescending, and laid down ridiculous rules and regulations that made us feel very uncomfortable. 5. By the time we were leaving I’d got the measure of him, so I made a point of telling him that there were no teaspoons left in our bedroom as I didn’t want him to think I’d taken them. His response was yes, if you hadn’t said I would’ve thought you were a thieving b!tch.

Homely atmosphere A private, luxurious house with upstairs rooms where guests and the owner sleep. The host is very friendly and will explain everything to you, including how to use the light switches. The neighborhood is quiet and peaceful. It's the perfect place for someone who enjoys a homely atmosphere.

We spent 6 amazing nights in Laurels under the loving care of Trish and Stan❤️ We were attending a wedding in Chelmsford and it was a very good option. We felt super comfortable since the first minute and the communication leading up to the arrival was top notch. You basically stay at their beautiful home in super comfortable rooms. As this is their home the attention to the detail is excellent. Room is cleaned everyday. Every morning Trish makes you delicious, fresh and homemade breakfast served to your liking. Stan was always on call for us to drive us around with very good prices. We honestly felt like we were visiting our parents house we were at home away from home. We really didn't want to leave :( will definitely visit again! Also a huge plus they have a super cute kitty Thank you so much for everything!

Great house with delicious breakfast! My friend and I had a wonderful stay! Great value with the large yummy breakfast cooked for us. Our only regret is that we didn’t have time to enjoy it more and chat more with Stan, but we had a morning flight to catch. They were very accommodating to our departure time. They also provided a great dinner recommendation where the locals go.

Read and believe any low reviews you can find on this site as well as other travel sites. The owner is arrogant and condescending, and will feel the need to explain how to turn on and use every single item in your room, which takes about 15 minutes. It is just part of the “ check-in” procedure as he calls it. When I checked in, he jokingly offered me to stay in his room when I asked for a quiet bedroom in the back of the house away from traffic. Unprofessional and creepy. He will stand over you at breakfast and stare at you, and if you move one of your dishes, he will place it back to where he wanted it as you are eating, and remove dishes you are still actively eating from and immediately start washing them and pots and pans while you are sitting in the kitchen, trying to enjoy breakfast. When I checked in, I set my camera bag down on a blanket on the bed, he immediately grabbed it and started putting it into a closet. When I left the first morning, he followed me to the door and asked me when I was returning, you have absolutely no privacy there. I had made a cup of coffee and set it in the small refrigerator to enjoy that afternoon, when I returned back to my room, I find all of my personal possessions had been moved, as well as a fan I had set up by the door to block all of the household noises, he had unplugged it, and put it where he wanted it, along with a box of tissues I put next to the bed, he returned it back to where he wanted it. When I opened the refrigerator to get my cup of coffee, it was gone. When I asked him what happened to it, he told me “he thought I had mistakenly left it in there so he dumped it” when I told him that was not acceptable, he changed his story to that he had to follow household procedures by disinfecting every cup and glass in each room. Absolutely unacceptable and bizarre behavior. He makes his guest feel unwelcome and uncomfortable, do yourself a favor and find another place to stay if you want peace and quiet and privacy.