The Dabbling Duck

Large comfortable rooms at the back of a busy pub. Very friendly staff. Despite how busy the pub was we got a great nights sleep. Food was (mainly) excellent.

The property is gorgeous. Has been sympathetically renovated to a high standard retaining the charm of its original period. Quality of food is extremely high and service from all members of staff also very high. Village is beautiful, quiet and relaxing.

Great location in picture-perfect English village, comfortable room with view over village green, good menu - not cheap but reasonably priced for the area and the quality. Loved the free home-made vodka sample! (NB: I was walking the Peddars Way, which was not too easy to "stage" as it doesn't pass through too many towns/villages. For a three-day journey, Great Massingham and Watton seemed to be the best two stops, so the DD is excellent from this perspective.)

Everything! I honestly cannot fault this place. I went there based on the photos and the fact I just needed a night away somewhere and unwind. The building is wonderfully maintained and decorated. The ambience is very welcoming and relaxing. The greeting at reception was excellent and check in easy, I was even shown to my room rather than ‘it’s that way, you’ll work it out…’ The room was perfectly sized for a couple. Comfy, warm, well decorated and maintained. Very high quality throughout. I had a separate little room with a chest of drawers and the tea and coffee, so the bedroom was just a bed room. Which was nice as it didn’t feel like a hotel room. The tea and coffee. With everything top spec I was surprised to see the usual everyday brand coffee sachets. For 30 seconds I was disappointed until I saw the cafeteria and a jar of fresh ground coffee. It even had home made vodka in bottles…This is a quality establishment The bar. It was BUSY. They had a function on but the service was clinically efficient. They were so fast but they all still smiled, chatted, were welcoming. It wasn’t just a sausage factory. It was proper service. I’m sure it was Adam (it’s been a week, sorry if it’s not!!) was on his A-game. The beer selection was top. Dinner was EPIC. Had the special (Grouse) which was advertised with buttery mash. I don’t like butter so chef did new potatoes which I think were probably a better choice. Pudding amazing. Had breakfast next morning and again, service could not be faulted. Quick, but not the quick where you think they are trying to get rid of you. Just professionally quick. All this and it was not expensive. If you think it is, just give this place a go and reassess that assumption when you have experienced it. And if you are worried about noise from the pub then you need not worry…the ducks are noisier…

Nice room was comfortable and had a lovely view of the village green and duck pond. Food was excellent, a small menu where i suspect just ablaut everything was cooked from fresh, and some interesting specials.