manoir_1 travel destinations Virgin Media
Recently voted the UK’s favourite leisure hotel, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons certainly delivers five-star accommodation and service with plenty of flair – but the real star of the show is the food. That's little surprise given that esteemed chef Raymond Blanc is the man whose vision has been the driving force behind this classy Oxfordshire escape for more than two decades.
Accessible from London in little more than 30 minutes, Le Manoir is a 15th Century Chiltern manor house whose architectural beauty and lovely garden setting will ensure you’re impressed as soon as you step out of the car park. The 32 rooms are spread through the main house, a separate converted stables complex and even in the original circular dovecote. The restaurant, proudly boasting two Michelin stars, is centrally located in the manor itself.
As the hotel's name indicates there’s a French theme in evidence – mainly where the cuisine is concerned – but each room or suite boasts unique décor, ranging from the traditional English styles of "Hollyhock" to a more contemporary feel in the stylish "Vettriano" room. In the superior suites, themes are even more overt; the "Lemongrass" suite has echoes of South East Asia with its dark wood and lime silk, whilst the entirely different "Provence" is all about rustic brown tones and a cosy fireplace.
Many rooms have their own semi-private outdoor space but if the sun is shining, afternoon tea and a round of croquet are both in order on the spacious lawn area, beyond which are a series of gardens that definitely merit some exploring. Here, not only will you enjoy tranquility and fine landscaping – the Japanese water garden is particularly impressive – but you also get a tantalising preview of your evening meal, much of which will originate just yards from the hotel. It’s clear from the endless rows of vegetable plots and greenhouses packed with herbs that Le Manoir’s restaurant ingredients take "locally-produced" to a new level; where food does have to be brought in from afar, house rules ensure it’s never travelled for more than a few hours.
You’ll agree such policies pay off when you settle down for an evening feast in the imposing new conservatory restaurant, where five or ten course menus will set you back £100 a person. There’s also an a la carte option if you prefer. As you’d expect from menus designed by someone of Monsieur Blanc’s calibre, the food is sublime both in taste and presentation; delights on offer at time of writing included main courses of squab with coco beans and Pan-fried icelandic cod served with a citrus fregola. Going to bed hungry is not an option.
The buffet breakfast is a French-themed banquet of fruit, cheeses, cold meats and dozens of delicious breads and pastries, but if you can somehow manage a full fry-up after the previous evening’s expansive feast, then that’s an option too.
At first glance you might think prices have been artificially inflated just to deter riff-raff, but by the end of your stay you’ll feel that Le Manoir genuinely merits these sort of rates (£435 per night, and upwards). As well as first-class accommodation, you get service that is faultless throughout. The small army of staff couldn’t be more helpful and polite but manage never to be intrusive either, and you’ll appreciate their enthusiasm to impart an encyclopaedia of info about each portion of food and wine they’re serving.
If you want to come away with an understanding of French cuisine based on more than just eating lots of it, then the hotel’s various cookery courses should be right up your street. Tuition options of one to four days will give you a fun insight that should increase your culinary abilities a little; courses range from instruction on how to plan the perfect dinner party to specialist focuses on bread, fish, Asian fusion and much more. There's even a class for kids.
Le Manoir is in no way a business stopover or a place to base yourself for touring purposes (if you did though, Oxford would be the nearest city of note). It’s an attraction in itself, somewhere to truly relax, enjoy the countryside, feel a little bit French and, above all, eat like a king.
More info: Le Manoir is in Great Milton, Oxfordshire. Visit the hotel website or call 01844 278881 for reservations.
Current offers: A £640 midweek package during September and October 2007 gives you overnight accommodation, superior bedroom (upgraded, subject to availability), five-course dinner and French breakfast. And a glass of bubbly upon arrival.