Langshott Manor, Sussex – Review

A mile`s drive down a little lane by the Surrey-Sussex border lies a stunning country retreat of fairy tale magnificence.

Langshott Manor is a luxury 16th century boutique hotel surrounded by three acres of private gardens and an ancient moat. It is a grand Elizabethan building, architecturally stunning and packed with original features.

There are genuine oak beams round every corner and splendid thick oak doors welcoming you into almost every room.

As I walked into my bedroom, I was hit by the `wow factor` of. A four-poster bed stood proudly in the centre of the room, boasting beautiful ornate carvings. Beyond the bed was a door to a private decked balcony, hanging over a moat. What a perfect way to start the evening, a glass of champagne while watching the resident ducks take a lazy dip in the moat. When I checked the bathroom, I was momentarily in disbelief as I noticed the four-poster bath. Yes, a four-poster bath!

The Mulberry Restaurant at Langshott Manor has recently undergone a facelift, combining existing elegance with contemporary class. For my evening meal, the seven course tasting menu (including a different wine with each dish) sounded too good to resist and I wasn`t disappointed.

I started with a White Asparagus Velouté, a dreamy tasting starter with a velvet smooth texture. The second taster showed the chef is not only highly skilled but also has a sense of humour. The Red Mullet was presented as a seascape, a perfectly cooked tender fillet served with a succulent prawn and presented on a bed of edible sand crafted from olives- a description that doesn`t do this unique dish justice but tasted very special.

The course I most eagerly anticipated was the Ballontine of Pigs Head with Scratchings. The actual pork was as succulent as you could possibly hope for and the accompanying Bernaise Ice Cream was a genius addition that really made the dish, creating exciting contrasts in taste, texture and of course temperature. The 2007 New Zealand Pinot Noir Rose was sublime choice to accompany the food.

The remaining three dishes were Poached Wild Turbot, Chocolate and Pistachio and Muscovado Savarin. All the dishes showed what a technically accomplished and creative Chef Philip Dixon is. There is currently an offer of a 2-course lunch and glass of wine for £15. This price is a snip for the quality and I urge anyone who enjoys great food to try this.

A post-dinner evening stroll in the private gardens made me even more relaxed than I was already. This really is a must for anyone looking for an impossibly romantic break or just to relax and enjoy the finer things in life.

Click on the following link for more information www.alexanderhotels.co.uk/langshott/