Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic! Just back from 2 nights at the Retreat Guesthouse in Portsmouth and we are just so impressed with what this couple have achieved. Beautiful room, sumptious breakfast and hospitality that goes more than the extra mile. Forget all the hotels in this area, if you are visiting the Portsmouth/Southsea vicinity this is the ONLY place to stay.Thanks again Sian and Mark

Faced with the prospect of booking somewhere for a weekend break for my husband and myself, I began the herculean task of trawling through respectable sounding B&B's in the New Forest area. Eventually I threw in the towel, unable to find somewhere that didn't have pictures of bedrooms with chintz quilts or where guests had written scathing reports of their stay. So I broadened the search to Portsmouth and almost immediately stumbled across the gem that is The Retreat.

Only in its fourth month of being open, the Retreat has already won rave reviews from it's clientele as well as excellence awards from Enjoy England. And quite frankly, it's not difficult to see why!

After spending ten minutes on the phone when we got hopelessly lost, being guided in by a completely unflustered Mark, my husband and I were given a warm welcome. I'd ordered champagne in advance, and I was absolutely desperate for a drink by the time we got there. So champagne was taken in the newly refurbished (and very uncluttered) lounge, with the delightful company of Mark.

The room was superb. We stayed in the Franklin room, with a modern four poster bed. The room was warm, with egyptian cotton sheets, a flat screen TV on the wall and an ensuite bathroom with a shower, whirlpool bath, and my personal favourite, a mirror that lights up when you wave your hand in front of it.

That kept me entertained for a good long while, until we hit the town. At this point I would suggest that if you haven't visited Portsmouth before, ask Sian and Mark what they recommend. A meal at Bar A and a drink at The Hole in the Wall (real ale!!) perfectly complemented our weekend. Incidentally, whilst in the locality, we had the opportunity to meet people who obviously know, like and respect Sian and Mark, which says an awful lot about them as a couple.

Breakfast was wonderful. Organic yogurts, beautifully presented fresh fruit, juice, cereal, hot toast and of course the full english. All made from quality products and served how you like them.

The whole house has been very thoughtfully redecorated and the attention to the smallest detail really showed. By the way, ask Mark to tell you the story about the picture in the dining room that depicts the Battle of Trafalgar!!

Vey sad to leave but will definately be going back. There were two other couples there on our second night, and both were making return bookings.

Go visit The Retreat - I promise that you won't be disappointed and Mark and Sian deserve all the success that they will surely get from this incrediably well run and beautifully thought out bed and breakfast.

From the moment we arrived we found Mark and Sian excellent hosts. The Guest House is an old property that has been restored to a very high standard of guest accommodation by the couple. its situation make it an ideal place to explore the many attractions of Portsmouth and Southsea. We were visiting from Plymouth for the 4th round FA Cup match Pompey v Argyle.
During our two night stay we left our car outside and walked everywhere. Again Mark providing us with a useful map of the area.
My wife and I stayed in "The Cooper Room" which though one of the smaller guest rooms was tastefully furnished and decorated and comfortable throughout our stay.
Mark obviously has pride in the work that he and Sian have done to the property and we were given a tour of the house during our stay.
Breakfast was served in a light and spacious dining room and again the quality of cereal, fruit, yogurt and cooked full breakfast was a credit to the owners and set us up for the rest of the day.
Again Mark and Sian provided us with very good recommendations as to where to eat and drink in the area. Indeed any visitor should go down to their local - "The Hole In the Wall" where you can try one of the many "real ales" on offer and probably have a pint with Mark, Sian and the locals.
The only thing to spoil our weekend was the football result!
However that said we would recommend "The Retreat" to anyone wanting a relaxing stay in good quality surroundings with very friendly hosts.
Thanks again Mark and Sian, good luck with the venture and hope to return soon...
Chris & Anne - Plymouth
270108

Fantastic!! This guest house alone is worth a trip to Portsmouth!! The owners Sian and Mark are unbelievably friendly and helpful without being intrusive!! My colleagues and I were there over a long weekend and we felt that we had made 2 more friends!! The rooms are unique and all are terrific -- they are comfortable, spacious, and elegant (but modern)!! The sitting room is also comfortable and enticing!! The breakfasts are a delight with lots to choose from -- there are even significant healthy (all natural cereals, fruit and fruit juices) options!!
The weekend at The Retreat was one of my favorite travel experiences in a long time!!