insideKENT Magazine Issue 23 - February 2014 | Page 115

was my only motivation to stop me drifting into
a food coma. Served with a homemade
shortbread, this prized dessert did exactly what
it said on the tin and offered a delicious gooeycentred end to a wonderful dinner sitting.
Digestifs were enjoyed in the hotel's cosy
lounge area, as were a couple of rounds of the
fast talking description board game, Articulate.
A fitting end to a lovely evening, we soon retired
to the comfy bed waiting upstairs. I blame the
sea air!
As anticipated, the next morning brought
with it beautiful stretching sea views and a
window-side wake up coffee, prior to breakfast,
served again in the hotel brassiere.
Once downstairs, we enjoyed fresh fruit
juices and a selection of cereals to start, before
tucking into The Lion’s Share: Suffolk cured
bacon, Suffolk pork sausages, grilled tomatoes,
mushrooms, black pudding, fried bread and eggs
to your liking – a breakfast that clearly
acknowledged the hotel's pledge to serve locally
sourced produce. Alternative traditional items on
the menu also fared well, as did the continental
options.
What should have probably been a swift
run down the beach after that lot was in fact, a
slow leisurely stroll. A great way to awaken the
senses, we took the opportunity to track down
the Scallop – Suffolk-born artist Maggi Hambling's
four-metre high steel sculpture, in tribute to
one-time Aldeburgh resident and composer,
Benjamin Britten.

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In addition, the 16th-century Aldeburgh Moot
Hall is also well worth a look, as is The Red House
– the residence of Britten and his partner Peter
Pears for the majority of his time in the town.
Britten is also founder of the popular Aldeburgh
Festival which takes place in June each year.
Away from such historic spots, we opted
to check out the town's eclectic array of boutique
shops, eateries, galleries and quaint cinema that
has been showing films since 1924. Well...we
needed to work up an appetite for the awardwinning Aldeburgh Fish and Chip Shop that we
had heard so much about! A real must-visit if you
are in town.
A superb weekend away, Aldeburgh was
our traditional seaside escape, our coastal retreat!
What's more, we couldn't have wished for a
better base from which to enjoy it other than the
White Lion Hotel – a beachfront haven with
fantastic food, cosy interiors and impeccable
service.

The White Lion Hotel
Market Cross Place
Aldeburgh
Suffolk
IP15 5BJ
01728 452720
www.whitelion.co.uk