NEWS FLASH - ARCHIVE:

” ROOMS FOR SWINGING LOVERS”

February 10, 2002

The Hundred House Hotel has built its reputation around swinging, but not the kind that would force me to write 'at this point, our reporters made their excuses and left'. The big gimmick of the hotel, which is in the small village of Norton, Shropshire, is that seven of the 10 bedrooms have swings in them. In our room the swing was set up in such a way that anything more than a gentle effort and you clattered into the wardrobe. The point of the swing was lost on me but my wife Jessica found it very useful to sit on while drying her hair in the huge mirror on the wall behind.

Far more impressive than the playground apparatus is the herb garden. On a dank January afternoon it is not at its best but I'm told that in the summer its fragrances can drift as far as the Menai Strait. It is home to five times as many herbs as appear in the lyrics of 'Scarborough Fair' and is lovingly tended by Sylvia Phillips who, along with husband Henry, has owned the Hundred House for the past 17 years.

The Phillips family (their two grown-up sons are also involved in the business, one as the chef) are wonderfully potty. This can be seen in the decor. Our room, Angelica - named after the herb - had a gold ceiling, turquoise walls with gold hearts, flowery curtains and a patchwork spread on the Queen Anne-style bed. All bathroom furniture was pink. I'm told every room is different but only a dedicated swinger could confirm it.

Down in the bar and dining area the feeling is slightly cluttered due to the vast array of large wooden pieces that look as though they have come from a diocesan closing-down sale. According to Henry his wife is a bit of a collector. She clearly can't help herself.

But it is the eating and drinking that make the place. Half a dozen family-sized Irish oysters followed by pan-fried venison steak kept me quiet while Jessica kept the griddle busy by having scallops and a tuna steak.

People obviously discover the Hundred House and consider it their special place - a trip through the visitors' book confirms this. A bit like a bumblebee in flight, it shouldn't work but it does. Beautifully.

Oliver Owen