Michelin-starred food and comfort galore at Hampton Manor
Fjona Adams takes a trip to the Midlands and discovers a heavenly hideaway...
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to own your own country estate, complete with walled gardens, a statement lawn overlooking rolling countryside and top-notch gastronomy on tap, then scour your diary for a free couple of nights and head to Hampton Manor, near Solihull.
Just a couple of hours from London up the M40, Hampton Manor sits in the pretty village of Hampton in Arden and was once the country home of Sir Robert Peel, former prime minister and founder of the police force.
The village dates back to the Domesday Book and history is certainly oozing from every pore of the manor.
Now run by James and Fjona Hill, the 45-acre estate is a family-owned boutique hotel boasting 15 unique rooms with the softest pillows, darkest curtains and comfiest beds imaginable.
Add to this two pamper rooms and a Michelin-starred restaurant, and you can – I’m sure – begin to imagine that a two-night staycation here is something quite special.
From the moment you arrive, there is a warm welcome; the mantra is very much for guests to relax and treat Hampton Manor as if it was their own home.
Luggage is whisked away and jackets hung up and there are assurances not to worry about formality, stuffiness or a pressure to be decked out in suit and tie.
‘Wear shorts and flip flops if you like,’ urges Fraser, James and Fyona’s brother-in-law who gives us a whistle-stop tour of Fred’s bar, a peak in Peel’s restaurant and a quick chat about the ‘rules’ of the parlour: i.e have fun, play board games, sink into the squashy sofas and pop some vinyl onto the record player if the mood takes you. With Fleetwood Mac already belting out on the Friday afternoon we arrive, some guests were already taking Fraser at his word.
We headed straight for afternoon tea at the Nyetimber summerhouse where after a cheeky glass of English fizz (why not?) we tucked into sausage rolls (meat and veggie), scones with cream and jam, delicate strawberry tartlets and chocolate brownies, washed down with pots of tea.
Fjona hill
The brownies almost defeated us but luckily we could take them back to the room in a goodie bag.
Later, after a lie-down and with just enough space for dinner, we headed over to Smoke, a BBQ restaurant tucked away in the grounds, where diners enjoy their first-night dinners in amongst the tomato plants and vines growing in Victorian-style greenhouses.
A quick tour of the walled garden had already shown us where many of the chef’s ingredients were found and it was a joy to experience them on the plate in a beetroot and goat’s cheese salad, blade beef with roasted potatoes, tenderstem broccoli, black garlic puree and barbecue sauce, followed by a beetroot cake with cherries and crème fraiche.
We chose the wine flight to accompany our dishes – three wines selected by the hotel’s sommelier – including a surprising Austrian white by Judith Beck, which was a perfect match for our starter.
The pièces de resistance were giant marshmallows, served with chocolate digestives, so we could make our own s’mores around the restaurant’s two huge fire pits.
My waistband was under some strain by this point!
On our second day, after a lovely wander around the grounds and a trip to nearby Stratford, we girded our loins for dinner in the Manor’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Peel’s, where local boy Rob Palmer, who joined at the tender age of 23, is the head chef.
A lot of time, effort and research has gone into perfecting the menus with the Hills going as far as consulting a former Michelin inspector to nail flawless simplicity.
Fjona hill
As expected, the evening was sensational.
To kick things off we savoured an oyster prepared with cucumber and borage served with a glass of Nyetimber 1086, England’s first prestige cuvée, and then chose the four-course tasting menu, with matching wines (there was also a six-course option available).
Who knew courses entitled as sparsely as ‘tomato’, ‘potato’ or ‘lamb’ could be packed with so much flavour and finesse? I was blown away by the fish course – ‘halibut’ – alongside leeks, mushroom and Champagne.
It is no exaggeration that I savoured every last morsel and smear of sauce on my plate.
Fjona hill
A two-night staycation can be taken either Tuesday to Thursday or Friday to Sunday and includes dinner, bed and breakfast for two nights plus a wine tasting.
James and Fjona, along with other members of the family, are very present and the staff – without exception – were knowledgeable and friendly.
James takes a wine tasting in the Tomato House and Fjona gave a tour of the vegetable garden and was keen to engage with guests about their thoughts on future developments.
The couple’s devotion to independent winemakers, high-quality ingredients and the happiness of their customers is obvious throughout.
Fjona Wei-ling Photography
After two days of comfort, superlative service and gorgeous food, it was time to drag ourselves away.
Hampton Manor had really felt like a perfect oasis away from the grisly reality of the world.
We had snuck off to bed each night, making the most of the peace and the darkness, but others had stayed in the bar or parlour after dinner, playing games, records and making new acquaintances.
As we said goodbye, James Hill was chatting to many of the departing guests in the foyer – it was obvious that everyone was putting off the moment when they finally had to leave – and there’s no better testament than that.
A two-night foodie staycation includes dinner, bed and breakfast for two nights plus a wine tasting. Dinner is served in Smoke on the first night and Peel’s the second night. You can book Tuesday to Thursday or Friday to Sunday. From £800 for two.
Visit: hamptonmanor.com
