Cotswolds – Restaurants

The Seafood Restaurant by the River. The Old Passage, for centuries the site of the ford across the River Severn, is now better known for its seafood restaurant with rooms. Set at the end of a peninsula on a great ox-bow bend, it overlooks the River and on the far bank, the small town of Newnham-on-Severn with the hills of the ancient Forest of Dean and the iconic May Hill offer a dramatic backdrop.

Restaurant of the Year Awards 2009 The Old Passage was one of just three finalists in the Restaurant of the Year category of annual Cotswold Life Food & Drink Awards. They are predominantly a seafood restaurant and many years ago much of their fish would have come from the Severn. Salmon and elvers are now sadly in short supply and rarely feature on the menu but whenever available, they source their produce locally, for instance fresh water crayfish,

However, Mark Redwood, the chef, takes pride in using sustainably sourced fish and shell fish. There is always lobster fresh from their own tanks coming predominantly from Pembrokeshire but on occasions from Cornwall. Freshly shucked oysters and their famous Fruits de Mers are a particular speciality of the Old Passage.

A superb Palladian mansion set in one of the West Country’s most romantic estates, Ston Easton Park exudes elegance, warmth and comfort. Log fires burn, comfortable antique furniture and exquisite paintings beckon, evoking memories of a more leisured age and providing a welcome you might associate with a magnificent private country house. There is little that can compare with the well preserved classicism of Ston Easton Park.

The Library and the magnificent State Rooms are always greatly appreciated by guests, including one of England’s earliest surviving Print Rooms with its reminders of the grand tours undertaken in the 18th Century. The Palladian Saloon has been described as ‘one of the finest rooms in Somerset’ and for luxury accommodation near Bath or Wells, Ston Easton Park cannot be equalled.

Guests often delight in going ‘below stairs’ to the Edwardian Kitchen, still preserved as it was in its Georgian heyday, complete with sparkling copper pans and cooking facilities of the period.

Set in the idyllic surroundings of the Mendip Hills, the house is surrounded by thirty six acres of classic parkland, the stunning Victorian kitchen garden which produces much of the organic produce served in the restaurant, and the cascading River Norr.

The Greenway in Cheltenham has seen a wonderful transformation in the Main House. All of the eleven bedrooms have undergone a full refurbishment. The designs have succeeded in capturing the historical spirit of The Greenway retaining its historic features and charming character, taking its name from the pre-Roman path running beside the building which dates from its construction in 1584. Set in gardens of national renown, The Greenway is less than 10 minutes drive from the M5.

The restaurant, lounges and bar are cloaked with an air of dignified style and sophisticated elegance creating a warm ambience and welcome as soon as they step through the front door.

The Greenway was the late Queen mother’s favourite base for many years during Cheltenham Gold Cup race week. A fine example of a beautiful Elizabethan manor house nestling in the golden glow of the glorious Cotswold Hills, it is perhaps Cheltenham’s finest country house hotel.

The Montpellier Chapter is located in the heart of Montpellier, part of the Regency town of Cheltenham. Opened in late November 2010 after a two-year refurbishment, the Hotel coninues its 60 year old history with a new contemporary outlook.

The restaurant, headed up by head chef Tom Rains, features British favourites and classic dishes created around the best ingredients. The open theatre kitchen takes the true essenz of cooking even closer to our guests.

For everyone loving time to relax, the in-house spa has four treatment rooms to offer. Partnered with the award winning Aromatherapy Associates, who believe in the combination of aroma and massage to enhance the mind, body and emotions, making this experience extra special.

Sophisticated, calm & contemporary with a style and energy in tune with Cheltenham’s idiosyncratic spirit - The Montpellier Chapter.

We dine in elegance in this outstanding 18th century building. The Royal Crescent, designed by John Wood senior & junior, and built between 1767 and 1775, provides us with an appropriate backdrop in which to savour the delights of the world famous Royal Crescent.

The world’s finest crescent is one of the great set-piece masterpieces of European architecture, the most breathtaking feature in one of the world’s most elegant and enchanting cities. It’s hard to imagine a more splendid setting for a supremely elegant hotel that harks back to a time of extravagant luxury and exemplary refinement…and the stunning gardens are Bath’s best kept secret!

The Royal Crescent luxury hotel in Bath occupies the two central buildings in the entire crescent. Both are Grade I listed, and were built by John Wood the Younger himself. Behind the crescent is the beautiful and completely secluded hidden ‘secret’ gardens, perfect for a sumptuous afternoon tea, leading to what would have been the coach houses, which are now occupied by individual bedrooms and suites, the exclusive spa and the new Dower House restaurant and bar.

As you arrive at The Royal Crescent Hotel, you will immediately recognise that the stunning setting and magnificent architecture have remained unchanged since the 18th century.

Kings and queens have stayed here. Courtiers have flirted with ladies-in-waiting in the ancient yew-hedged gardens. Serving girls have chattered in the stone-flagged courtyard. Today, Thornbury Castle still resonates with history and is the only Tudor castle in England to be open as a hotel… and it’s only 15 minutes from the M5.

However, step behind the heavy oak doors and you’ll find a magnificent hotel with roaring fires, delicious modern cuisine and sumptuous bedchambers – a truly special setting for an overnight stay, a weekend away or for more formal occasions.

Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn once walked these rooms and grounds. Today, the 500 year-old castle-palace with its beautiful oriel windows, Tudor hall and historic parkland is yours for the duration of your stay. There has even been a vineyard within the castle walls for over 500 years, from which Thornbury Castle wine is still produced.