Table manor
DEVELOPS A TASTE FOR FINE DINING AT A TOP HOTEL
MY guilty pleasure is watching TV’s The Hotel Inspector, Alex Polizzi, tear into the failing hoteliers who have reached out to her for help. Often, it is clear these ignoramuses are wholly unsuited to the hospitality or catering trades and launch their business simply because they can’t stand not being the boss. So how refreshing it was to meet James Hill, owner since 2008 of the very well-regarded Hampton Manor, a five-star hotel in Warwickshire that’s captured the foodie market.
James was hosting the daily 4pm wine tasting, stepping in for one of his busy sommeliers that day, and it was clear from the off that he’d never have to give The Hotel Inspector a call!
He displayed the passion and personality that’s required to be a success in the hotel industry, with plenty of humour and stage craft to boot (watch out Alex, I say!) We learned that, to his credit, he fills his cellars with handcrafted, natural wines and that he champions emerging British wine-makers. The wine tasting was part of the complimentary and daily ‘‘backstage pass’’ to Hampton Manor’s community of creatives, which includes a 45-minute behind-thescenes tour of its restaurants and bakery.
As part of the package, just after checking in, we joined other new arrivals for ‘‘Sweet Sounds’’ – a welcome drink and cake in the library, served with an hour of curated vinyl.
It’s all part of what makes Hampton Manor a destination hotel for adventurous or curious eaters and drinkers.
The Gothic manor has 15 grand, individually designed bedrooms, each named after someone who once owned the estate, from queens to musicians.
My wife and I stayed in Henrietta Maria – the Frenchwoman who was gifted Hampton Manor on her marriage to King Charles I in 1625.
It was a sumptuous affair, with William Morris wallpaper, fresh coffee to grind, home-baked cookies, natural botanical toiletries, a walk-in shower and a roll-top bath (with plenty of bubble bath).
Whilst Henrietta Maria isn’t one of the rooms with views of the gardens, it does have its own octagonal tower, letting light flood into the
spacious ensuite. The manor was proving to be the perfect amuse bouche ahead of the ‘main course’ of our stay – dinner in one of two award-winning restaurants in the grounds.
Tasting menu restaurant Grace &
Savour earned a Michelin star less than a year after opening in early 2022, and last year topped SquareMeal’s list of ‘Top 100’ restaurants. But we were dining at Smoke, which is set in an old furnace house next to Victorian greenhouses on the edge of the manor’s walled gardens.
It was opened in 2021 by Stuart Deeley, the former head chef at The Wilderness in Birmingham, who rose to fame when he won MasterChef
The Professionals 2019. Birmingham born and bred, Stuart celebrates seasonal produce in his relaxed, 32-seater eatery, often taking inspiration from the walled gardens.
My wife and I chose from the £85 three-course a-la-carte menu, with snacks and bread to start, and marvelled at the creativity of the flavourfilled dishes.
Cooked over coals, the Michelin Guide is right when it says: “On first sight, dishes may appear to be simple, but they have a hidden creativity and a host of bold, punchy flavours.’’
Stuart had the night off on our visit, but he would have been proud of how his team – both in the kitchen and out front – enchanted a full house.
From 9am until 12pm, Thursday to Sunday, Smoke becomes The Bakery, specialising in stoneground UK-grown grains, sourced from farms with a regenerative and organic ethos.
We had already sampled its cakes, and at breakfast the following morning we tucked into its loaves and signature cinnamon buns. You can make your own on the manor’s regular bun and bread-making courses (there’s a two-hour hot cross bun workshop on March 29). Breakfast was served in the manor house, in part of what was once Peel’s restaurant, which held a Michelin star for seven years until its closure at the end of 2022.
Having three restaurants on site did seem a little excessive, and, just three months later, it was revealed Michelin reviewers were just as enamoured with Grace & Savour. After our weekend excesses, we felt a walk was in order and leafed through the various countryside routes illustrated in a guide in our room. But as it was February, and wet underfoot, we opted to explore the quaint village of Hampton-inArden, in which the manor stands. We departed in the certain knowledge that James’ aforementioned qualities were shared by all at Hampton Manor, making its near perfect score on Google reviews easy to understand.