delicious UK – April 2018

hungry traveller.

GREAT ESCAPES

MICHELIN-STARRED

COTSWOLD CHARM

Oysters with

seaweed are on

the tasting menu

createdbychef

Niall Keating –

aboveinthehotel

kitchen garden;

ourwriterhailed

the bed ‘the most

comfortable ever’

WORDS: HUGH THOMPSON. *OFFER

VALID UNTIL END OF JUNE

2018

Whatley Manor:

luxury in the Cotswolds

WHYIT’SGREATFirst impressions count,

they say, and the manor’s long drive

andgrandgatessetexpectations

high.Whilethebagswerequietly

whiskedoff,weweregivenaquick

tour: private cinema (£40 to hire,

withpopcorn);anew12-seater

GreenRoomfor‘foodadventures’;

andaluxuryspawithhydrotherapy

pool. Expectations fulfilled.

THEFOODBITExecutivechefNiall

KeatingtookoverTheDiningRoom

restaurant at the start of 2017 and

soonearnedaMichelinstarforhis

12-course tasting menu (Wed-Sun

eves).There’snoàlacarte,soifyou

don’tfancydowningadozenlittle

courses,optforthemorecasual

Grey’s Brasserie for steaks, pasta,

fishandthelike:threecourses,£35.

TheDiningRoommenuis

fashionably terse: ‘Tortellini, black’

was a single tortellini (tortellino?) of

squid ink pasta filled with minced

pork and black garlic; it burst in the

mouth releasing rich gingery broth.

Some of the courses were exquisite

(smoked eel tempura; aloe vera

sorbet with pickled grape and citrus

oil beads); some very good (oyster,

seaweed mignonette; kohlrabi, wood

ear);andothersabithitandmiss

–the‘eggwhitecustard,noodles,

chicken broth’ didn’t work for me

texture-wise,andonecoursewas

simplythelightestsourdoughroll

withthecreamiestbutter–it was

good bread, but strange.

Thematchingwineflightveered

towardsthebiodynamicandnatural,

and head sommelier Daniel Davies

poured with wit and charm. Adding

tothetheatricality,chefssometimes

brought the food to the table and

talkedyouthroughthedishes.Bythe

endIwasexhausted–Idon’tthink

I’ve ever concentrated so hard and

forsolongonnuancesofflavour.

THE ROOMSLarge and luxurious. The

biggest,mostcomfortablebedI’ve

eversleptin.Icheeredthedead-

simple ‘all lights out’ button by the

bed – complicated lighting systems

drive me insane (ditto shower taps).

WHAT’S NEARBYThe hotel gardens are

prettyinspring,butifyouloveplant

life make a beeline for the stunning

Abbey House Gardens nearby – and

don’tforgettolookinonthetombof

Athelstan,thefirstkingofEngland,

inthe12th-centuryabbey.Prince

Charles’s gardens at Highgrove are

also within striking distance as is

Westonbirt Arboretum. But, to be

honest,you’llbedoingwellifyou

manage to drag yourself from your

comfybedasfarasthespa.

WHAT’SNOTSOGREATNo kettle in the

roomfortea,onlyapodcoffee

machine. Breakfast was fine – lovely

Yorkshire Dales yogurt with healthy

choices alongside the usual full

English – but lacking the wow factor.

COSTFrom £325 per night including

breakfast; £110 for 12-course tasting

menu (not including wine).

SPECIAL

OFFER

delicious.readers get a

complimentary cocktail

duringtheirstay*.Quote

delicious.magazine when booking.

whatleymanor.com.

122 deliciousmagazine.co.uk