A couple are retiring from running a grand Norfolk house after making it a “home from home” for guests.

Eastern Daily Press: The Durdans, Mundesley, for sale. Pic: Coast & Country/The DurdansThe Durdans, Mundesley, for sale. Pic: Coast & Country/The Durdans (Image: Archant)

John and Irene Davies, originally from Lancashire, moved to Norfolk to take over the Durdans, in Trunch Road, Mundesley, four years ago. And although they are currently fully booked they have reluctantly decided to retire.

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Eastern Daily Press: The Durdans, Mundesley, for sale. Pic: Coast & Country/The DurdansThe Durdans, Mundesley, for sale. Pic: Coast & Country/The Durdans (Image: Archant)

The house was built in 1911 for a wealthy clergyman and later became a children’s home in the 1940s-1970s. The couple fell in love with its elegant, arts and crafts features and the fact it felt like an inviting home.

“My wife and I were tired with commuting round the M25 into London where we worked. It felt like we were caught in a rat race. We came to Norfolk and just loved the elegance of this house and the locality and it’s been a really successful bed and breakfast, getting a 9.6 rating on Booking.com,” said Mr Davies.

They restored the property, made improvements to the first floor rooms, each of which has a different decor, and developed a luxury ground floor en suite bedroom. They took over the second floor where they currently live.

“We wanted to make it a home from home for people and to do it with love without chasing reviews,” he added. They plan to retire but stay in the local area, possibly taking on a small Airbnb.

Eastern Daily Press: The Durdans, Mundesley, for sale. Pic: Coast & Country/The DurdansThe Durdans, Mundesley, for sale. Pic: Coast & Country/The Durdans (Image: Archant)

The Durdans has eight guest rooms, seven with en suites and one with a private bathroom, as well as private bedrooms on the ground and second floor and more than 7,000sqft of accommodation. Outside, the property is situated in more than two acres and there is planning permission to extend it further.

Agent Coast & Country, selling the property for offers in excess of £975,000, said: “The current owners, though new to the hospitality industry, have enjoyed their time at The Durdans and have had a successful four years as proprietors, gaining much returning business. Having relocated from out of the county, they feel grateful to have come across the hidden gem that is the village of Mundesley and are happy to discuss their experiences of their relocation and the business to any potential new owner.”

TripAdvisor reviews include: “We stayed here for four nights to celebrate our Golden Wedding. The room we stopped in was The Sunset which was huge and beautifully decorated with a lovely view of the garden. The owners John and Irene were excellent hosts and nothing was too much trouble. We stayed on a B&B basis and the choice at breakfast was very good and beautifully cooked.”

Eastern Daily Press: John and Irene Davies, who are selling the Durdans. Pic: Jon Wood PhotographyJohn and Irene Davies, who are selling the Durdans. Pic: Jon Wood Photography (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: John and Irene Davies, who are selling the Durdans. Pic: Jon Wood PhotographyJohn and Irene Davies, who are selling the Durdans. Pic: Jon Wood Photography (Image: Archant)