GETAWAYS
Timeless elegance at
CHILSTON PARK HOTEL
AN OPULENT BUILDING STEEPED IN HISTORY , MY GUEST AND I WERE FIRST WOWED BY CHILSTON PARK HOTEL WHEN WE TURNED OFF OF THE QUIET COUNTRY LANE FROM LENHAM , A SMALL VILLAGE BETWEEN MAIDSTONE AND ASHFORD , AND INTO THE WINDING TREE-LINED DRIVEWAY . BY SAMANTHA READY
Our arrival at the tail end of the icy cold ‘ Beast from the East ’ meant the 22 acres of parkland that are home to the beautifully restored country house hotel had an even more magical , whimsical feel . Crisp snow underfoot , the grand lake a giant mirror of ice , and the fountains at the top of the driveway utterly still save for the glimmer of sun reflecting off their freezing wonder . The gallery of images of Chilston Park on the website are beautiful enough , but seeing it like this was breathtaking .
Check in was smooth , friendly and courteous and we had the pleasure of staying in Gilt , one of the seven feature bedrooms found in the main manor house reached via the grand split staircase . It offered stunning views across the grounds , courtyard and lake from its original feature windows , a wonderful canopied four poster bed , original fireplace and dark wood and gilt furniture .
Settled in and after an exploration of the grounds , lounge and bar , we had built up an appetite suitable for experiencing Culpeper ’ s , the hotel ’ s 2 AA Rosette restaurant . We perused the evening menu in front of the roaring open fire while supping a classic bellini and a rather apt Chilston Old Fashioned , choosing to upgrade ( which can be done per course or for the whole menu ) from the classic table d ' hôte menu to the alluring à la carte offering .
Warmed by the hearty root vegetable soup amuse bouche – the perfect start to dinner on a cold , spring evening – we were ready for our starters of breaded risotto ball – sticky rice , crisp crumb and hints of wild mushroom offset by charred cauliflower – and seared South Coast scallops accompanied by a delicious sweet red pepper jam .
For mains , the roasted rack of lamb – perfectly cooked and generous , the braised shoulder croquet full of soft deeper tasting meat and the pomme anna offering a enviable crisp potato side – and the grilled fillet of dry-aged English beef with fondant potato and braised oxtail , which added a rich meaty flavour to the dish .
A pause between courses meant that we had room for dessert , but just missed out on the evidently popular banana tarte tatin , and so opted instead for the white chocolate parfait , which was smooth , sweet and moreish with honeycomb ice cream .
Retiring up the grand staircase sated by wonderful food and good clean country air we slept like babies in our four-poster bed roused only by the promise of breakfast – an appetite whetting mix of fresh pastries , cereals , continental buffet and wholesome freshly cooked options .
Chilston Park Hotel Sandway Lenham ME17 2BE 01622 859 803 enquiries . chilston @ handpicked . co . uk www . handpickedhotels . co . uk / chilstonpark
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