Baronial Spendour - with food to match
Rushton Hall is a magnificent Grade I Listed Four Star and Two Rosette Hotel and Spa bordering the counties of Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. It's visually stunning. As you drive past the gatehouses and wind your way down the serpentine gravel driveway, you will get your first glimpse of the magnificent 16th century facade, so very much the 'grand country house' arrival experience.
From the inside it doesn't disappoint either with cavernous rooms adorned with art and tapestry and huge lead glass windows. From window seats the view is akin to looking out of a Cambridge college or a Royal building onto a green quadrangle and you can't escape that feeling that you are just another more recent visitor in the footsteps of a long drawn out historical drama. The place is steeped in history and atmosphere.
I attended here and ate here twice as part of an overnight visit by titled family friends, a Baron and Baroness, their daughter and a staff member. On the first occasion, on arrival we had a late impromptu 'lunch', well after the normal sitting. Eccentrically the entire party chose hamburgers, as a 'quick' option. These, when they arrived were superb, challenging in thickness and well presented with excellent standard potato chips or 'french fries' and salad garnishes, and better than most restaurants specialising in this menu item. The only drawback was the long long long wait, which was the longest I have ever waited for any food ever..!! and so much so that the head of the party had to go enquire as to whether they were flying the beef in specially from some exotic foreign location?
A later more formal dinner that evening was by contrast smooth and efficiently prompt, with two added family guests arriving took us to 7 persons in the main restaurant with the a la carte menu. All the food in a very varied order was of the highest quality, I ate Corn Fed Chicken & Foie Gras Pressing Truffled Brioche - Apple & Fig Compote - Pickles £12.50, followed by Fillet of '28 Day' Scotch Beef Oxtail & Nettle Tortellini - Fondant Potato - Nutmeg Spinach £29.00 and declined the beautiful desserts in favour of Selection of Artisan British Cheeses £12.00 which for once, unlike so many miniscule offerings from London restaurants, was generously portioned with an open selection from an abundant cheeseboard. With coffees in the vast comfort of the main seating hall surrounded by vast art canvases and mirrors this was an extremely fine dining and atmospheric family group evening. Wines chosen by the Baron were of exceptional quality with no doubt matching cost.
If you are looking for a family, friends or romantic treat experience or simply used to high quality lifestyles and want to stay in this area this is clearly the venue to choose. I didn't stay overnight as I live only 9 miles from here and the bill wasn't (fortunately) mine on this occasion but from my own menu choices estimate upwards of 50-60 per head for food alone plus wine, taxes etc...but with a very smart and efficient service level and superb atmosphere. I will definitely go back with a companion and review again.
Stayed January 2012, travelled with family read more
