With all the manicness that goes with planning a wedding, it’s a good idea to take a deep breath and take yourself away for an overnight pre-moon with your fiancé to just relax, recharge your batteries and remind yourself why you fell in love in the first place.
Stoke Place is perfect for this, a beautiful 17th century Queen Anne Mansion house that was built by royal chef Patrick Lamb in 1690 after hosting his legendary coronation feast for King James II. After being extensively refurbished, this charming country house now effortlessly combines modern luxury with classical style, creating a truly elegant and unique hideaway.
Stepping into the lobby it immediately has a soothing effect, with its grey and stone colour palette, soft music and a real fire to greet you, you can already feel the stresses slowly drift from your body, leaving you ready to embrace a couple of days of just the two of you.
Our room The Alexandra Suite was just lush, perfect for a little romance, a free-standing bath took centre stage in front of the large windows that looked out over the stunning grounds, just add bubbles of both varieties and your pre-moon can begin.
A King-size four poster bed, with luxury bedding, neutral tones of greys, greens and stone, along with the floor to ceiling windows gives thisalready spacious room a light airy feel, bringing the outside in without us having to even step outside – and as for the bathroom, double sinks – what a treat!
There are 39 rooms, plus a small annex of garden cottages in total, all completely differentwith their own individual style and personality.
After relaxing (well unpacking really, I always bring far too many clothes!) we headed down to the Butterfly Bar where we decided to try out the signature cocktail ‘Howard’s Muddle’ named after Field Marshall, Sir George Howard, whose family owned the Stoke Place estate for 200 years. A muddle of Brokers Gin, elderflower, lime juice, mint leaves and soda, a light refreshing cocktail that we liked so much we had to have another!
Wandering back to our suite it’s easy to get lost, the house is like a maize, with corridors and staircases leading to charming rooms you didn’t know were there, including a large lounge that is good enough for Royalty dotted with regal sofas and chairs, a large chestnut chesterfield, original wooden floor and of course a large feature fireplace, the perfect place to enjoy afternoon tea, a good book or just the peace and quiet.
Dinner is served in the hotel’s King & Lamb Restaurant, named after legendary royal chef Patrick Lamb who cooked for the likes of Queen Anne and King James II.
The restaurant is a real treat with lavish fabrics, stunning hand-crafted lighting and antique ornaments that combine seamlessly with hardwood floors and modern fixtures to create an eclectic and ambient setting that offers simple and traditional British cuisine with French flavours and cooking methods.
After perusing the menu over a glass of champagne we enjoyed starters of salmon soufflé with horseradish mayonnaise and charred cucumber, this was delicious and literally melted in the mouth. Hoisin duck breast with mango and sesame compote was literally the tenderest duck I’d ever tasted, the mango compote gave a fruity tang to the strong meaty flavours.
Mains for both of us was the traditional 28-day dry aged Hereford beef, served with hand-cut chips and roasted vine tomatoes, the meat was so tender and flavoursome, and the vine tomatoes so sweet and juicy, definitely the right choice.
Predictably after two delicious courses I was full, but I was gently persuaded by our fabulous waiter Mark to just refresh my mouth with a serving of mint ice cream. It was divine, just like eating freshly picked mint leaves, which incidentally the mint leaves to make this ARE picked fresh from the garden. Hubby had no such qualms of being full and he chose banana sticky toffee pudding with a hazelnut praline ice cream, a delightful mixture of texture and taste that just got better with each mouthful.
Each item on the menu has been carefully thought about, prepared and then cooked to perfection to give the utmost quality and experience to your dining experience.
After dinner, we retreated to our room,where after a blissful night’s sleep we returned to the restaurant for breakfast. As well as a breakfast buffet there were hot dishes to order from the menu, and just like the food the night before the full English breakfast and Eggs Royale we chose were both faultless.
After breakfast there’s still time to explore, so why not grab one of the hotel’s bikes and cycle round the lake, enjoy a romantic walk exploring the stunning parkland, or just sit by one of the windows looking out over the vast scenerybefore you get in your car and head back to the real world.
Stoke Place really is the ideal place to escape to. A traditional, tranquil country house hotel in a beautiful setting, perfect for a pre-moon, mini-moon or even your actual wedding!
BOOK IT
A date night package for two people staying in a junior suite, starts from *£231 per night and includes an overnight stay, 3 course dinner, breakfast and wine and chocolates on arrival.
*Prices may vary from those quoted.
For more information or to book please visit www.thecairncollection.co.uk/hotels/stoke-place
