Following a £2 million plus refurbishment, The Bell in Ticehurst finally opened its spruced up doors on 11^th November, 2011, to show off a wealth of new features including a 50-seat restaurant and seven individually designed en suite guest rooms.

Located in the small village of Ticehurst in East Sussex, in the very heart of the Garden of England and only 90 minutes from London by road or rail, The Bell was the mainstay of this rural community for more than 200 years before it was forced to close in 2008.  Acquired by new owners and fully restored and enhanced, it will now not only welcome back the local community, but also weary travellers from further afield looking for a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of urban life.

The painstaking renovation of The Bell's old structure preserved the original beams and other features including a forgotten inglenook fireplace rediscovered along the way.  A contemporary but sensitively designed extension houses the new restaurant, as well as three additional bedrooms on the upper floors; the original bar has been left intact as locals will remember it.

The Bell's design is eclectic in the truest sense of the word - the building looks as if an eccentric nobleman has travelled the world and stuffed his house full of curiosities from his travels, from old typewriters and ancient novels to safari chairs, 30's-style suitcase and mismatched chandeliers. The result is quirky and utterly charming - Alice in Wonderland would feel right at home.

The seven guest rooms offer a highly individual design, with features including silver birch branches (a nod to the derivation of Ticehurst's name, which is 'the wooded hill where goats graze'), huge copper bath tubs, upside-down tiles, and randomly placed light features. Bathrooms are generously proportioned with little fragrant luxuries provided by 'love and more'.

Eschewing room numbers, each of The Bell's guest room has its own distinctive name, from 'The Benefit of the Doubt' to 'Smile of Memories', with some featuring open fires or log burning stoves.  The Bridal Suite, appropriately named 'The Then and Now', spreads over two floors with a seating area on the lower floor and a snug barn-style mezzanine bedroom. Guests don't have to forego modern life altogether however, as the vintage-feel of the building is offset by modern technology, including flat-screen Apple TVs in each room.

Quirky touches continue in the public areas, from bowler hat lights and a floor-to-ceiling book pile in the main pub area, to mismatched vintage-style wallpaper and French horns for urinals (!) in the gents' bathroom. Each room offers the curious visitor a feast of visual surprises including a fine collection of artwork. The neon sign in the aptly named 'Stable with a Table', a private dining room with a unique sunken oak dining area for groups of up to 22 feasting friends or family, fondly observes "I will always love you my friend", aptly summing up the sense of constancy yet originality awaiting visitors to The Bell.

From the outset The Bell will seek to establish a reputation not only for its unique design but for the quality of its hospitality, including food. The Bell's executive chef, apparently lured away from a famous London restaurant, has devised a menu rich in quality featuring intelligent ingredients that, in his words, 'show respect'; respect for the seasons, for livestock, for local producers and of course for guests. The wine list features 100 bins and embraces fine English vintages, many of which are produced in the area.