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★★★ Beaconsfield · Reading ★ 4.5 · 685
The Chequers Inn
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The Chequers Inn

Kiln Lane Wooburn Common, Beaconsfield, United Kingdom
from £147

Looking for a straightforward base in Reading? The Chequers Inn in Beaconsfield covers the essentials and sits near Basildon Park.

From here, Reading’s main attractions — including Basildon Park — are an easy walk or short ride away, so you spend less time in transit and more time exploring.

Because pricing is set live by the hotel and its suppliers, the figure shown here is a recent snapshot; check the current rate for your exact dates before booking.

Key facts

Class
3-star
Area
Beaconsfield
Guest rating
4.5 (685)
from
£147
Address
Kiln Lane Wooburn Common, Beaconsfield, United Kingdom

What’s included

Best time to visit Reading: month-by-month prices

Reading has two clear price patterns: business demand Monday to Thursday, and event spikes in summer. January and February are the cheapest months — town centre 4-star rooms often drop to £70-90 — but the weather is grey and the Thames Path is muddy. March to May is a good balance, with the Reading Half Marathon (usually early April) being the main weekend to avoid if you want value.

June and July are steady and warm; the Henley Royal Regatta in the first week of July doubles rates in Henley itself and pushes overflow demand into Reading and Twyford. August is the trap: the Reading Festival at Richfield Avenue over the late August bank holiday sells out every hotel within a 10-mile radius, and rates triple. September and October are the quiet win — mild, dry-ish, and business travel is the only pressure on midweek rates. November and December are cheap except for the two weeks of the Christmas market in Forbury Gardens.

Getting around Reading: car, train and bus

You do not need a car if you are staying in the town centre and using Reading as a base for London, Oxford (23 minutes by train), Windsor (change at Slough, 30 minutes) or Henley (change at Twyford, 25 minutes). Reading station is one of the busiest interchanges outside London, with direct GWR services to Paddington, Bristol, Cardiff, and the Elizabeth line running east through Slough and Ealing. Reading Buses covers Caversham, Tilehurst, Earley and Woodley from the station on frequent routes — the purple 17 to Tilehurst and the pink 22/23 to Lower Earley run every 10 minutes in the day.

You do need a car for Pangbourne, Sonning, Marlow, Ascot, Newbury and the villages around the Chilterns; buses exist but run hourly at best. The M4 (J10, J11, J12) rings the south of town, the A33 links the centre to Basingstoke, and the A4 runs east-west through Maidenhead to Newbury. Parking in the town centre is £3-5 an hour at the Oracle or Queen’s Road; most hotels outside the centre include parking, most inside it charge £15-25 per night.

How many nights in Reading and a sensible itinerary

Two nights is enough for Reading itself: one day for the Abbey Ruins, Reading Museum (which holds the full-size Bayeux Tapestry replica), Forbury Gardens and the Oracle, and one evening walking the Thames Path from Caversham Bridge to Sonning Lock for dinner at The Bull. If you are using Reading as a Thames Valley base, plan on four or five nights so you can day-trip to Windsor, Henley, Oxford and Marlow without repacking.

A workable shape: night one and two in the town centre for the sights and evenings out on Friar Street; move to Caversham or Sonning for nights three and four if you want river walks and pub dinners; add a fifth night in Henley or Marlow during regatta season if the budget stretches. Anyone coming for the Reading Festival should book three nights (Thursday to Sunday) and expect a 20-minute walk or shuttle from any hotel to Richfield Avenue.

Questions, answered

Where is The Chequers Inn located?
The Chequers Inn is in Beaconsfield, Reading (Kiln Lane Wooburn Common, Beaconsfield, United Kingdom), close to Basildon Park.
How much does The Chequers Inn cost per night?
Recent rates started around £147 per night, but prices are set live — check the booking page for your exact dates.
How many stars is The Chequers Inn?
The Chequers Inn is a 3-star hotel in Reading.
Is The Chequers Inn a good hotel?
Guests rate it 4.5 across 685 reviews. It’s a midscale choice for Reading.
What is the average nightly rate for a hotel in Reading?
The typical midweek rate for a mid-range 3 to 4-star room in Reading is £95-135, dropping to £75-110 at weekends outside event periods. Budget hotels like the Ibis and Premier Inns sit at £55-85, while the Roseate on the Forbury and Malmaison in the old station building run £170-260. During Reading Festival weekend, expect £280-450 for the same mid-range room. Green Park and Winnersh business hotels drop sharply on Friday and Saturday nights.
Is Reading town centre walkable?
Yes, the core between the station, the Oracle, Forbury Gardens and the Abbey Ruins is flat and walkable in 15 minutes end to end. Caversham is a 20-minute walk across Caversham Bridge from the station. Earley, Tilehurst and Lower Earley are not walkable from the centre — allow 15-25 minutes by bus or 10-15 by taxi. The Thames Path from Caversham to Sonning is about 4 miles and takes 90 minutes on foot.
Can I visit the Abbey Ruins and where is Henry I actually buried?
Yes, Reading Abbey Ruins reopened in 2018 after a major conservation project and are free to visit as part of the Abbey Quarter, open daily from the Forbury Gardens entrance. Henry I was buried in front of the high altar of Reading Abbey in 1136, but the exact spot is under what is now the Ministry of Justice car park next to the ruins — a project has been searching for the grave for several years. Reading Museum next door displays finds from the abbey and is also free. Allow 90 minutes for both.
What is the best area to stay in Reading for first-time visitors?
Reading Town Centre (RG1), specifically the streets between the station and the Oracle, is the best first-time base. You can walk to the Abbey Ruins, Forbury Gardens, Reading Museum and the Kennet and Avon canal in under 15 minutes, and the station gets you to London Paddington in 22 minutes. Friar Street and Castle Street have most of the evening options. Expect to pay £100-160 for a mid-range room midweek.
When is the cheapest month to visit Reading?
January is the cheapest, with town centre 4-star rooms often at £70-90 and no major events to drive demand. February is similar but half-term week (usually mid-February) pushes family-friendly hotels up. Avoid the first weekend if Six Nations rugby is on, as Twickenham overflow reaches Reading. November before the Forbury Gardens Christmas market opens is the other quiet window.

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