About Us
A question we are often asked is what made you choose to have and run a bed and breakfast? The simplest answer is hospitality. Prior to having a Bed and Breakfast we visited lots of hotels. Many were lovely but the hospitality was often not quite right. We started to visit more and more Bed and Breakfasts and realised that the best of those certainly had cracked this, hence our decision.
Why Derbyshire?
Derbyshire is a wonderful place for rest, relaxation and for those that choose some exhilarating outdoor activities. It has so many wonderful spaces and of course the Peak District National Park – the first national park to be established. When we came across Glendon in 2011 we could see the great potential. Soon after we bought the house we set about a large-scale renovation and we opened Glendon in 2012. Since then we have received wonderful guest feedback and our most notable achievement was being voted in the 25 best Bed and Breakfasts in the world by TripAdvisor in 2015.
Helpful and Hospitable
We enjoy our space when away, but it is also nice to know someone is there to help if needed, with suggestions of places to visit, with the local knowledge to answer questions and generally be interested in knowing if you are enjoying your time. That is what we aim to do – be helpful and hospitable, seeing our guests as individuals but also being respectful of their space. We know how busy life can be and a few days away makes a big difference. And that is why we see hospitality as so important, as it can help to make a good stay a great one.
The History of Glendon
We also wanted to offer Bed and Breakfast in a building with interest and we think that is what Glendon does – a classical Victorian villa built in 1857, that history is evident both inside and out. Knowleston Villas (now Knowleston Place) was built between 1857/58 and consisted of 4 properties. John Knowles and his wife Sarah lived in the property known as “Glendon” which had 8 bedrooms. The properties were described as beautiful villas with ornamental and rock gardens opposite laid out by Joseph Paxton at a cost of £6000. There is a bridge over the river into Knowleston Gardens. The gardens were sold to the local council in 1899 and include a lamp-post, a gift from Knowles to the parish of Matlock Green in 1867.
Knowles was a church warden at St. Giles Parish Church in Matlock. In 1859 he contributed to the re-building of the church and after his death his wife paid one quarter of the cost which was completed in 1870. In 1882 a three light window was placed in the church in his memory. His grave is in Matlock within sight of “Knowleston Place” and describes him as “A known railway contractor”. Knowles was described as humble, had been born illegitimate but not into poverty. He was a hard but generous man and was known to provide food and drink for his workers when the weather was harsh.
Glendon is nestled in the centre of Matlock, overlooking the brook feeding into the river Derwent, and next to Hall Leys park. Our individually-styled en-suite bedrooms provide a restful ambience and exceptional standard of accommodation and service. Breakfast is served in the traditional Victorian dining room with all menu items cooked and served to order. Glendon is ideally placed for walking and exploring the Peak district if you are visiting for leisure and offers a personal, restful base for those visiting for business. Whatever your reason for visiting, we pride ourselves on providing exceptional hospitality with outstanding guest reviews. We look forward to welcoming you.
And the other member of our team…
Meet Jasper, the B&B dog who has a love for Instagram. He is our Springer Spaniel and luckily a calm and quiet one. He is a dog with a liking for ‘s’ – sausages, sticks and sunshine and of course walking and exploring in Derbyshire and the Peak District. He can sometimes be seen sat just the right side of the sun and shadow line outside in the courtyard. And always has a wagging tail when someone arrives.
And what do our guests say about us?
