A few days after Christmas, hubby and I decided we would go off on a
winter getaway. Just the two of us, with nothing or no one (read: puppy) to
disturb us.
We ummed and ahhed for ages, trying to decide where to go. Did we want
to escape to Rome and soak up some much-needed sun, sample the Craic in Dublin, or stay in
England and blow the cobwebs away?
Eventually, we settled on England. Or, to be precise, a Junior Suite in the beautiful Manor House Hotel, outside Bath. We got a fantastic deal through Rooms for Romance,
but it was pretty much the idea of the hotel’s Michelin-starred
restaurant and luxurious roll-top baths which grabbed my attention…
Anyway, a few days later and we were there...and boy was I impressed!
The hotel actually took my breath away as we pulled up. Nestled amidst
the chocolate box village of Castle Combe (the village itself was once named
‘Prettiest in England’) and set among acres of rolling countryside, it
really is the perfect retreat.
Pic: Castle Combe
In fact, I was so struck by this hotel that I failed to notice us
checking in next to Mr Nicholas Cage. Yes, really! I was wandering around, my
head completely in the clouds as I admired the décor, when hubby turned and poked me sharply in the ribs.
“Sam, it’s Nicholas Cage!” he yelped.
“Really? Where?”
“There, you moron.”
“Ohhh…you mean him with the messy hair? And the face full of wrinkles? And the very young looking wife?”
“Yep, that’s him…”
For someone who is so inherently nosey, this is a sign as to just
how beautiful this hotel is. How else could I fail to celebrity spot?
Anyway, seeing our room quickly made us forget Mr Cage. It was set in its own cottage, with
high ceilings, lots of rustic-looking beams and a beautiful iron-cast four
poster bed. The ceiling was draped with tapestries, while battered, old-fashioned books adorned the desk.
As I ran from room to room, I couldn’t quite get over the excitement. Look
at the bed! Look at the rose petals! Look at the mood lighting! Look at the PAINTINGS!
I was beside myself with glee. Dizzy with glee, in fact. I adore antiques and old-fashioned houses, and this had everything I could possibly need. Yet however good the bedroom was, nothing could quite prepare me for the luxury of the bathroom. The bathroom was a room to behold all in itself.
Pretty much the size of our
entire house, it was luxury personified. The bathtub could have quite
easily held an orgy (not that we wanted to, you understand…) while the walk-in
shower featured NASA technology rain bars.
It was a dream. Such a dream that Monty literally
had to drag me, kicking and screaming, away from the bath and to dinner.
Anyway, I’m glad he did. It turned out to be the highlight of the trip...
Suited and booted, we headed to the main hotel, ready for our Michelin-starred
grub. We were immediately swept away to a small, cosy bar, where we perused the
menu and sipped cocktails in front of a roaring fire. As the waiter came to us
with our delicious appetisers, I could happily have stayed there forever. But
the best was yet to come…
The meal was in a rather grand looking dining room. All high ceilings
and portraits. But nothing about it screamed pretentious. It was simply like
the rest of the hotel – warm and welcoming.
The food itself was divine. I had a winter truffle
risotto, with chicken oyster beignet and parsley puree to start (very posh –
very yummy!) and a gorgeously light pan fried fillet of Cornish turbot, with celeriac
and pancetta fricassee for main.
In between, we were
served an amazing treat to "cleanse the mouth". It was blackberry flavoured and full of popping candy, which really made me
smile! But it was the pudding that really stood out for me. While chocolate
fondants make an appearance on most menus, this one was truly orgasmic. I
couldn’t speak when I tasted it – it was that good.
I could happily have eaten there for life. It was delicious. We've eaten at a few posh restaurants, but this one really held its own.
I would also highly recommend the afternoon tea (£21pp). Stacked full of finger sandwiches and scrumptious cakes (we had clotted cream scones, mini trifles, mince pie crumbles, salted caramel chocolate rolls, mulled wine doughnuts...among others), it really is a delicious treat.
The Manor House Hotel is a beautiful, old-world country house. It is all
roaring log fires, tucked-away rooms, libraries and afternoon teas. Perfect for
anyone who is in search of a romantic retreat – I couldn’t recommend it more.
Sam x
Sam x
P.S Sorry for the poor pictures...I am an idiot and seem to have lost my camera charger. So these were all done on the phone.
