Hurley House Hotel Reviewed

Hurley has a reputation for being one of the most beautiful villages in the UK, winning multiple awards in the process and rightly so! Thatched buildings, perfectly manicured gardens and chocolate box cottages. This historical Thames-side location makes for a show-stopping backdrop to the Hurley House Hotel. Home to 9 lavish suites, an extravagant bar and award winning restaurant (complete with an AA Rosette and listed in the Michelin Guide), this is a destination worth putting on your must-visit list for late 2021 and beyond. 

Quaint, idyllically set and aesthetically charming, the Hurley House Hotel is a destination fit for any occasion. Dark leather seating, combined with deep and rich wood accents, delicate lighting (almost evoking a hygge feel) all combine for what is a top-class dining experience. No stone is left unturned in creating an experience fit for the iconic Michelin Guide and an AA Rosette level restaurant. Luxurious, warm and opulent. 

Our experience, saw us enjoy a four course set meal with a bottle of wine, more details of which are here. The menu itself is an intriguing one, a blend of international dishes and a strong Japanese influence. In fact, with the latter, they boast offering “something different to the area with a Japanese menu, featuring the freshest sushi in Berkshire and Hurley House special dishes such as: Teriyaki Ribeye Steak, Crispy Fried Squid, Wakatori Grilled Chicken and Roasted Black Cod.” The a la carte options echo this international approach to cuisine, lending the dining experience a very distinctive feel.

For us, the food was (aside from a few elements), exquisitely executed. The Teriyaki Ribeye (below) had been carefully marinaded in a Togarashi blend, gave the mouth a punch of ginger, soy and Japanese aromatics. Wonderfully balanced, fully of flavour and a generous portion to boot. 

One element the Japanese menu fell down slightly was the Crispy Fried Squid – slightly under seasoned and lacking a dressing or sauce to lift the flavours. A solid dish but one that could do with some refinement. We’ll be sure to revisit though, as the dining room seemed to enjoy this local sushi hotspot and many had flocked for miles to have it.

Alongside this, there are also beautiful examples of British ingredients given a more recognisable twist, with Whole Grilled Dover Sole, Truffle Mushroom Tagliatelle and one of the best roast dinner’s we’d ever experienced. The Traditional Roast with 30-day-aged Beef Sirloin, served with Yorkshire Pudding, Roast Potatoes, Root Vegetables and Bone Marrow Gravy was nothing short of superb.

Again, we noticed that many locals had come specifically for this dish and we can see why, it was wonderfully executed, with beef that melted like butter, fluffy yorkshire puddings and more. If you think a roast dinner cannot be high-end dining, then you need to try this. Outside of our set menu, this dish is listed as £34 and worth every penny. 

Once again, taking inspiration from around the globe, dinner finished with a Hurley House Tiramisu and a Chocolate and Raspberry Gateau (above). Each dish for this course executed to aplomb – rich, indulgent and balanced to perfection. We just wish we’d had more more to finish it off.

See our menu for the day below.

The meal was superb. In a nutshell, the levels of service were outstanding, the setting sublime and, overall, the food was excellent (albeit with a few tweaks here and there). Would we return? Most definitely!

To find out more about our experience, courtesy of Red Letter Days, please visit here.