A Cosy Birmingham B&B With Homestay

There’s nothing like an English breakfast. Admittedly, the Americans do their best, bless them, but they get the bacon all wrong, and have a strange obsession with syrup. Also, from what I can tell, a phobia of baked beans in the morning, a staple of the classic English breakfast.

The Europeans (I am aware the UK is in Europe, but we often gloss over this with us vs them comparisons) really don’t get breakfast. Who ever turned up for a hotel breakfast, ecstatic with delight at the thought of a continental breakfast? Not me, that’s who.

No. You want bacon. Sausage. Egg. Beans. Mushrooms. Tomato. Baked beans. Black pudding. Toast! To be honest, the list goes on. The key thing is that it’s hot, there’s lots of it, you won’t want to eat for the rest of the day, and your arteries are going to be Very Upset. That is what a Full English Breakfast is all about.

And a Full English breakfast is what we got when we stayed in Birmingham with Eunice and her husband Steve in their B&B which we booked through Homestay. Every morning in fact, for six days, and it never got old. And it was magnificent, with Eunice creating the feast, and Steve serving it, in between a bit of singing along to the radio, smiling happily, and enquiring as to our plans for the day. It was hard not to be excited about going out and exploring with this level of cheer to bolster us. And the food of course.

This homestay was a little bit different to the previous ones we’d experienced, what with it being a more formal Bed & Breakfast. This meant it was a little less like a traditional homestay, and a little more of a hotel experience, in that we weren’t sharing a whole house, rather, we had our own en-suite room and then there was a dining room where breakfast was served.

This was lovely – Jess and I are both big fans of Bed and Breakfast’s – they usually offer excellent value for money, friendly hosts and a homely feel – and this experience was no different. Situated in Solihull (10 minutes train ride into central Birmingham), it was perfectly located for us to explore the city, whilst enjoying quiet and relaxing evenings.

As mentioned, our hosts were friendly and welcoming, and lovely to chat to as well. They knew plenty about the local area, and gave us a bit of insight into the history of the property, which was the first to be built in the area – for a time, there were nothing but fields all around. Hard to imagine today, in the suburban landscape of Birmingham! Also, interestingly, they believe that the property was visited by Winston Churchill, back in the days when it was in the hands of a wealthy landowner. Which is pretty cool.

Steve and Eunice have been there for almost two decades, raising 11 kids in the place, and it definitely feels like a family home. They’ve got three rooms they offer out to guests, and the prices are very reasonable. We were welcomed on arrival with a choice of tea or coffee, there were chocolates on our pillow, biscuits by the bed, and that ever essential room ingredient – a kettle, mugs, and tea and coffee making equipment!

The location was excellent, with on site parking, a five minute walk from the train station, and with highlights of the area including Birmingham, Warwick, and Royal Leamington Spa all within easy driving distance.

We spent most of our time exploring the area, and had a great deal of fun. We also visited the UK Photography Show, which is held in the National Exhibition Center or NEC – this is a ten minute drive from the homestay, so really convenient if you’re in the area for a show or meeting.

Overall, we had an great experience at this homestay, and are happy to recommend it. I really love the flexibility of the Homestay experience – there are loads of options to choose from when you come to pick a place to stay. If you do decide to book this homestay, or any others on the site – you’ll get an automatic 5% discount applied when using this link!

So you know: Our accommodation in Solihull was provided by Homestay as part of our ambassadorship with them. All opinions remain our own. Check out our code of ethics for more information on who we choose to work with!