After a good night’s sleep in the extremely comfortable bed it was time to sample Hotel Indigo’s breakfast. As with the other Indigo hotels that we have stayed in there is a continental selection and a menu for cooked to order items. I chose the small vegetarian option which included crushed avocado. My instincts that this would not go with the other breakfast items were correct but at least I can say that I tried it.
Straight after breakfast we visited Exeter Cathedral and found it to have a lovely atmosphere. The Cathedral has lots of interesting features, far too many to take in on one visit. We also visited the treasury exhibition which is included as part of the ticket. Before leaving I purchased some books and an advent candle from the shop.
We walked to the quayside where we had lunch in the Riverside Café. We chose to eat inside due to the intense mid-day sunshine. I chose a toastie and Elderflower cordial to drink. It was served in an interesting way; the cordial was in a jug and served with bottled water. You could mix the drink exactly to your taste.
After lunch we visited the nearby Custom House which houses an exhibition of history of Custom House itself, smuggling and the quayside area of Exeter.
Back in town, Mr C dropped off his rucksack at the hotel before embarking on a shopping fix; Brook Tavener, Pro Cook and Lakeland. He bought a few shirts from Brook Tavener but couldn’t find ‘just the right’ gadget in either of the cookshops. We also visited Waterstones where I was able to pick up the latest book in a series that I am reading.
Back at the hotel we chilled out and freshened up for dinner. Again, we had a pre-dinner drink on the rooftop bar, although we weren’t able to secure a prime position for the best view. We dined in The Ivy which we had booked on our travels earlier in the day. I chose fish and chips, a first for me in the ivy. The service was attentive when we first arrived but became less attentive as the evening wore on. We even had to summon someone to pour the remainder of our wine (which is always kept in a cooler away from the table).
Walking back towards the hotel after the meal we could hear music through the open doors of the Cathedral from the Bowie concert that was taking place. We had intended to return to the Ship Inn for a nightcap but as we neared the venue extremely loud karaoke music was emanating from inside so we returned to the hotel instead and found it refreshing to fine the bar was open when it was supposed to be and didn’t shut earlier than stated. Even when the tills had been closed residents could order drinks to be billed to their room. Much more civilised than some of our other recent experiences.
