Losehill House Hotel

Losehill House Hotel and Spa is an Arts & Crafts gem. Originally built as a walking hostel in 1914, it remained as such until 2004, when it became a hotel. But it only really realised its full potential five years ago as the vision of Paul and Kathryn Roden. Their stewardship has turned it into the only 4-star hotel in the Derbyshire Peak District, with 2 AA rosette dining and a luxury Thalgo Spa.

It occupies a secluded spot on the side of Losehill with stunning views overlooking Win Hill. Situated on the edge of Hope village, it lies equidistant from the Peak villages of Castleton and Edale in the midst of some of the best walking and outdoor activity countryside in England. The very essence of this hotel is its ability to help you relax and forget the pressure of modern living. Each of the 21 beautifully appointed bedrooms and suites offers flat screen TV, robes and slippers for use of the pool, sauna and hot tub and most have extensive views overlooking the National Park.

Paul and Kathryn have put together a skilled team of masterchefs, headed by Darren Goodwin, which has given the kitchen an air of permanency, team spirit and a strong motivation to excel. The menu served in the Orangery restaurant is based on local ingredients with proven provenance. Eggs are from the local farm, Bennetts, whom they persuaded to go free range; the meat is fully traceable from White Peak butchers and there is local Sheffield honey on the breakfast table. This attention to detail results in some regular favourites such as Elton Estate Venison Loin with Haunch Suet Pudding, Chervil Root, Chocolate, Kale and Beetroot Spelt, although the menu actually changes on a daily basis.

The owners were first introduced to Café du Monde at a trade show 18 months ago and were initially impressed by the Company’s bedroom beverage system, Service en Chambre. This features polished stainless kettle, cafetières, fresh coffee bags, Newby teabags and a range of ancillaries — all housed in an elegant, purpose-made faux leather bound flip-top box. Recently, Café du Monde has installed a new La Spaziale traditional espresso machine, to improve the quality of the speciality coffees served in the hotel.

“Café du Monde has the knack of finding innovative solutions to beverage service” says Paul. “We were initially attracted by their unique Service en Chambre system, the like of which we had never seen before and which we have since placed in all our suites. So, it was natural for us to turn to them when our old espresso machine needed replacing. Their advice and staff training proved invaluable. I would say they are very well tuned into the needs of the independent hotelier.”

Ellenbourough Park

The breathtaking beauty of Cotswold stone is encapsulated in the newly restored and renamed Ellenborough Park, now a 5-star AA accredited Country House Hotel. Situated barely a mile from Cheltenham Racecourse, this privately owned hotel has recently undergone a sympathetic renovation that preserves and celebrates a heritage that dates back to the early years of the 16th century.

The accommodation and service are most definitely modern with the overall design of the bedrooms and communal areas and soft furnishings throughout the hotel courtesy of Nina Campbell, one of the world’s most respected and influential interior designers. 62 rooms and suites feature Hypnos beds, feather duvets, iPod docking stations, en suite underfloor heating, Egyptian cotton bedding and luxurious bathrobes and slippers. Underlining the close association the hotel has with the Racecourse, there are four beautiful and individually designed suites named after celebrity thoroughbred legends of Cheltenham – Arkle, Istabraq, Kauto Star and Stormyfairweather. The complex also features a luxuriously appointed spa, heated outdoor swimming pool and is a much sought after venue locally for weddings and conferences.

There is a choice of two dining venues, the quality and ambience of which is in keeping with the character of the hotel as a whole. The Beaufort dining room features bespoke bone china specially commissioned for the hotel, with designs that echo the original features of the house. For more relaxed occasions, lunch and dinner is served in the Brasserie, which offers a flexible dining option in a comfortable and welcoming environment. In charge of the kitchen is Head Chef and proud Welshman, David Kelman, who has represented his country in many international culinary competitions and who is privileged to have cooked for the Queen, HRH the Prince of Wales and just recently for the Prime Minister as part of the Welsh National Culinary team on the eve of St David’s day.

Throughout the hotel, all the coffee systems are supplied by Café du Monde including cafetière service, espresso-based coffees, bulk filter coffee for banqueting and functions and Service en Chambre, their unique bedroom beverage service.

Operations Manager, Christophe Dumeige comments: “Having worked with them before, I had every confidence in appointing them as sole supplier of coffee to the hotel, which speaks volumes for my appreciation of their coffee quality, equipment expertise and customer service.”

The Manor House

Castle Combe, “The prettiest village in England”, where time has stood still since the Middle Ages, is the setting for a true jewel of English hospitality. A heraldic crest, embedded in a pair of unpretentious wrought iron gates at the end of the village, is the discrete entrance to a driveway, which winds alongside the river Bybrook and tantalisingly reveals The Manor House Hotel in all its breathtaking beauty.

Originally built in the 14th century to replace the dilapidated Norman castle, after which the village is named, it has seen many Lords of the Manor. The most famous is believed to have been Sir John Falstaff, immortalised by Shakespeare in Henry IV. The Barony of Combe continued for some 850 years until 1947, when it was sold and sympathetically evolved into a luxurious hotel and golf club, part of the acclaimed Exclusive Hotels group. Its grounds cover 365 acres of woodland, parkland and formal gardens and include the Manor House Golf Club, a championship course with daily hand-cut greens and manicured tees.

In their room, guests can expect a pillow menu, fresh milk, warm, homemade biscuits and the comfort of hand-sprung mattresses. Many bathrooms have huge walk-in showers, with heated floors and invigorating body jets. Some even have plasma screens so you won’t miss your favourite programme from the sumptuous luxury of your bath.

If you’ve never really considered a hotel restaurant as a dining venue before, the three AA Rosette Bybrook restaurant will surely change your mind. Executive Chef, Richard Davies, has vast experience with Gordon Ramsey and with running his own Michelin-starred restaurant, Sawyards, in West Sussex. The Manor House is committed to supporting Food Heroes, an Exclusive Hotels’ initiative to promote and work with local suppliers from in and around Wiltshire. Produce for the Bybrook restaurant also comes from the kitchen garden, where a family of hens and chickens range freely.

The coffee supply for the hotel, golf club and indeed the whole of the Exclusive Hotels group is in the hands of Café du Monde. That includes cafetière service, bulk brew filter coffee, a La Spaziale espresso machine using Fairtrade coffee beans and the innovative ‘Service en Chambre’. This is a deluxe gold embossed, leather bound in-room beverage service system, that includes cafetière coffee, tea bags and ancillaries for guests to enjoy a hot drink in their room.

Hotel General Manager, Paul Thompson, described the service he gets from Café du Monde: “For a prestigious 5-star hotel like The Manor House, the quality of the end product is paramount. With Café du Monde, that is a given. But other factors are important too. We need a single supplier for our diverse coffee needs from bedroom to lounge, from dining room to banqueting. They take care of that comprehensively. The icing on the cake is their service. They are responsive, personable and very efficient.”