Franklin Lodge

Visiting Reading for a family wedding, a house for up to 8 with 4 en-suite double bedrooms was just what we were looking for and good value when compared to hotel rooms, even those in budget chains! Booked through *********** and was non refundable with an additional £200 damage deposit taken close to occupation and returned very promptly after departure. Early check in and late checkout (up to 14.00, if available) for £10 per hour. Managed by a company and communication was straightforward. Be aware that you need to provide photo ID for each occupant at least 24 hours before check in. Once complete, the company supply the key code on the morning of arrival. In a quiet street just a 5 minute taxi ride from the train station. Taxis charged us between £6 and £13, so do your research! CAMRA rated pub, The Nags Head (with beer garden) just around the corner, M&S Simply Food, Tesco Express within a 5 minute walk. Lots of takeaways close by. One bedroom on the ground floor, a dining room, well equipped kitchen with washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, iron and board. No lounge but we were aware of this and managed using the dining room and the very pleasant and private furnished yard - we had good weather! I’d add some solar fairy lights in the yard for added atmosphere on a lovely summer evening. No smoking arrangement suited us, there is an ashtray outside for those who need it. Three double en-suites on the upper floor, all different sizes, one being spacious and one rather compact. All had small en-suites with different sized showers. All the beds, linen and towels were spotlessly clean. Toiletries and hair dryer in each room. The stairs are steep and would really benefit from a handrail although my sprightly 80 year old Mum managed perfectly well. I have mobility issues and so the ground floor room was good for me. Vertical blinds and curtains in the bedrooms. Windows were easy to open and there was a large fan in each room, great for the ground floor room especially, where you may not want to leave the window open overnight. There is a movement sensor operated light on the stairs, hall and landing, this was useful. WiFi worked well and each bedroom had a wall mounted TV. Well equipped kitchen with all the appliances, glasses, crockery and utensils you would need. Arrived to find milk, chilled water, tea, coffee, sugar and individual portion boxes of cereals. There is also washing up liquid, pods for the washing machine and tablets for the dishwasher. A quick trip to the local M&S and we were sorted for our weekend stay. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this lovely property and would recommend without hesitation.