I realise it is a bit of a sweeping statement, but my Husband and I dined at one of my favourite places on the planet last Saturday night…The Chewton Glen. I have lived down in this particular lovely part of the world (The New Forest) for almost 10 years now and I remember my first introduction to the CG, almost as long ago. I also remember feeling at the time it felt a bit like a stuffy old gentleman’s Conservative club with a ‘child catcher’ policy on the side ie they were not allowed. How times have changed…or maybe we have both improved a little with age (and families are now welcome). There is an air of being ‘very comfortably confident in it’s own skin’ these days about my favourite hotel. The traditional classic decor but with a clean and smart contemporary twist always inspires me to start redecorating our study in my head… …home from home…. albeit a very aspirational one!

I love the way when you first appear in the foyer there is always someone making their way down the marble hall to greet and show you through to the bar for a pre-dinner drink. Now, much as I don’t like to feel I am sitting in an old gentleman’s Conservative club eating my supper, I do like that slightly illegal feeling of sipping champagne dressed in my smart Karen Millen dress in this quite masculine, plush dark red and wood, snug of a bar. …and so through to the dinner. There are local whispers that there are changes afoot in the lovely conservatory dining room area, but actually other than the cunningly placed white board and vase of flowers at one end of the dining room you would barely know….l look forward to seeing what lies behind those lovely lilies when all is revealed.

I am one of the worlds lovers of dressing up and so am always happy abiding to the Chewton Glen fairly smart dress code, although I noticed Mr Evans at the table behind us had forgotten to put his socks on that evening, but no one seemed to mind and other than hearing the odd familiar sound of his radio voice, he was left to the happy process of enjoying his evening like the rest of us without much of a stir…which is I suspect one of his reasons for relishing spending time there.

On arrival at our table we were given a little espresso sized cup full of delicious chilled asparagus soup before I got on with my Tian of local crab and then a loin of Jurrasic Coast veal. All of that sounds vast, but actually came perfectly and deliciously proportioned. Husband as usual opted for the fois grais and then the fish, we do lots of sharing of forkfuls though so I am always grateful when he plumps for something different. Pudding and then cheese.

My only grumble was the cheese. It is a patriotic decision to serve only English farmhouse cheeses at a hotel that does English gentle luxury in perfect spadefuls but personally I feel there is something missing from the groaning CG cheese trolley without that certain strength and depth provided by a smattering of a few examples of French cheese…and to make matters worse I believe on deeper delving with our friendly waiter, the decision to keep it strictly English Farmhouse was made by a Frenchman. However all was forgiven, coffee and freshly prepared truffles back in the bar and I was easily seduced back!

I suspect I am trying to overanalyse here, but I was trying to work out why this hotel feels so warm, chic comfortable …and fun. I think a lot of it is down to the staff, lovely as the décor is I have visited many beautifully decorated hotels in my day and the CG rates highly but there are others. Partly of course it is just on our doorstep and therefore there is a bit of ownership about it but I think a lot is down to the soul of the place, there is a genuine friendliness that abounds, without overstepping boundaries. As we sipped our coffee in the lounge, my husband commented on how solid and dependable the place is…and you know he is right.

My next official date with the Chewton Glen is in March when my sister and I are there for a day of spa…bliss! We have done Spa days there in the past, I shall be reporting back…..