Pensons Hotel

England

Straddling the Herefordshire-Worcestershire border, the slice of quintessential rolling English countryside that is The Netherwood Estate has a history dating back to medieval times, making for an idyllic backdrop to a considered two-bedroom restaurant with rooms. With arable crops, cider apples and sheep, it’s an appropriate setting for this most sustainable of gourmet boltholes, which is what helps makes Pensons unique.

While many of the fruit and vegetables are grown on the estate – either in the kitchen garden or fields beyond – the restaurant also forages locally, and then use hand-selected suppliers to fill the gaps to fuel a menu that’s earned a Michelin star.

Chef Chris Simpson runs the kitchen at Pensons, which sits on the edge of the estate, and he does justice to the quality produce at his disposal. There’s a three-course lunch for £48 and a five-course dinner for £95, with dishes like venison with onion, bacon, parsnip, celeriac sauce, and plaice with watercress and cauliflower, pickled apple and crab butter sauce. In short, comforting and creative at the same time, allowing for substance to be delivered with no small amount of style.

Just off the courtyard garden, you'll find bedrooms with super-king size beds and the essential trimmings, but should you want more room, they also have two historic houses for rent on the estate. They also offer sustainable, seasonal cookery and foraging courses.

Doubles from £485 including dinner and breakfast. 01885 410333, pensons.co.uk

Words by Alex Mead.

This review was taken from the Christmas 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.