The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
HOTEL OF THE WEEK
THE WESTMINSTER London
WHERE AND WHY
Set near the banks of the Thames next to MI5 headquarters, The Westminster is the perfect place to experience London.
A recent £30million refurb saw the Hilton venue embrace its location with a theme of intrigue and espionage. It is tastefully evident everywhere if you look close – from mysterious artwork on the walls, right down to the carpets and their pattern of secret soundwaves.
Each uniquely tailored room has the feeling of a miniapartment, with furnishings and flourishes fit for James Bond.
ON THE MENU
STK steakhouse on the first floor is a destination in itself. Darkly seductive decor, excellent music, attentive staff and first-rate food made for a memorable meal.
As delicious as they were Instagrammable, I tucked into Yellow fin tuna tartare (£18) and braised beef short rib (£30) from an impressively expansive menu.
The hotel’s breakfast options were plentiful in a relaxed, selfservice set-up. Bao Yum restaurant – found in a cafe space adjoining the lobby – is open all day for Asian stylestreet food.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE
The Westminster has its own private bowling alley, plus a 13th-floor gym with panoramic views for users to marvel at between reps.
Several sunlit function rooms are available to hire for business or personal events – all named after a famous British spy.
Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Tate Britain are all close neighbours, with many more cultural hotspots just a short tube ride away.
WAKE-UP CALL
Rooms from £165 per night. hotelwestminster.co.uk
By Sean Bradbury
bines on our way to Harrington (another 15-minute drive away and full of long winding roads and pictureperfect cottages) to try the award-winning fare at the Tollemache Arms (thetolly.co.uk) pub.
Portions are enormous, service is wonderful and the food is great. The perfectlycooked hanger steak kebab with roasted veg, chimichurri dressing and flatbread (£16) is worth the indulgence, but big enough for two, especially because the layered fondant-like ultimate posh chips (£4.50) are an absolute must. And leave room for pudding – both the peanut butter creme brulee with choc chip cookie (£6.50) and lemon posset with forced rhubarb and Chloe’s shortbread (she’s the head chef, £6) are to die for, as is the homemade mango and passion fruit lemonade.
Back at the farm, we head over to Avalanche Adventure (avalanche adventure.co.uk), set up by Jasper’s late son and his best friend Robin, where we watch 4x4s wheel-spinning through muddy mounds as they whizz around the off-road tracks, and wait for our clay pigeon shooting slot.
Robin gives us the lowdown before we don ear protectors and attempt to shoot clay pigeons and rabbits (£35 for one hour). Suitable for anyone over 12, Rosie gets sized up before chickening out, I take a couple of shots with a 50% hit rate and James ends up firing solo. Poppy eyes up the quad bikes (£55 per hour) but she might need to wait a couple of years to test those out.
After working up an appetite, we brave the chill in the air and head over to the lake for our first family picnic of the year. We gobble up the cheese, charcuterie meats and freshly baked bread that was delivered in our hamper (the local honey, homemade jam and marmalade and buttery croissants were all devoured at breakfast) and while the time away chatting, as the ducks waddle around our feet.
On our final morning, we learn all about the 12 on-site hens from Mary. Rosie and Poppy scatter seeds for them to peck at, as we tiptoe over to their hen house in the hope of finding some breakfast.
Sure enough, after opening up the back, one chicken is laying an egg on cue. Poppy reaches in and picks out any already laid and Rosie carefully lifts the freshly-popped egg, surprised that it’s still warm.
As we wave goodbye to farm life, we all agree it’s the perfect weekend escape and a real chance to slow down. The same can’t be said for poor old Jasper who’s certainly being kept busy – but Brook Meadow is a credit to him and his family, and we can’t wait to see Boris and his babies again soon.
...Funky retro shapes meet modern designs and cosy textures; there’s a real effort to make the space a joy to live in.