2016-04-15



Last year I remember reading in the Sunday Times that Foxhill Manor had taken the accolade for the hotel of the year as well as being the most romantic hotel this decade within the UK. Since then, at wedding events throughout the year, the name Foxhill Manor kept popping up more and more as the latest favourite for planners as an exclusive venue in The Cotswolds. And then it won awards through Mr & Mrs Smith. So before our stay there last Sunday, expectations were already very high. This can be a danger, my husband always says that one of my biggest flaws in life is setting my expectations impossibly high and then feeling disappointed when they can’t be met. But fear not, Foxhill Manor came out higher than I could have ever imagined, and that’s coming from me! It really was on a completely different level to anywhere else we’ve stayed in the UK. Champagne on tap anyone?! Meeting the chef to discuss what you want for your Michelin standard dinner? Only having eight rooms so you feel like it’s your very own Manor House? An award winning spa? This dreamy place has it all and more.

Our visit started in Oxford early on Sunday morning. Foxhill Manor is set in the heart of the Cotswolds just outside Broadway which is incredibly gorgeous. There are chocolate box villages and fields for miles. Remember this post on our mini guide to the Cotswolds and where to visit? We then stopped at Daylesford for lunch before checking in for the star of the show.


We actually got lost getting into the hotel. It’s set on the Farncombe Estate and my damned car sat nav took us up a long private lane only to discover we had to back track. So if you’re visiting, use the directions from the website rather than rely on the postcode in your sat nav! Arriving was of course more than worth the slight detour. On reaching the proper entrance, there are cute signs along a track like ‘oh deer! Be careful of the livestock’ and ‘nearly there’ as you wind your way around the country estate. Foxhill itself is an arts and crafts Manor House set overlooking miles and miles of countryside. We could see across to Wales from the ground floor, as we got higher up the views kept getting better.

Our car keys were taken and we were immediately greeted with a glass of champagne and given a tour of the manor. Some ground rules were quickly laid down, namely make yourself at home and help yourself to whatever you want. There was interior inspiration everywhere you turned, window seats filled with plush cushions, inspiring artwork. Everything had been put together so perfectly.

Our room was the Willow, with its own private corridor to make it feel like our very own wing of the house. The room itself was gorgeous, centred around the comfiest bed, a desk area, a sinkable bean bag to snuggle up on and a dual aspect view. Nothing beats looking out over the Cotswolds countryside. There was a rolltop bath in the bathroom and fluffy towels and gowns. We had our own sky box, which Ben was impressed had sky sports {priorities..} and an in room tablet for hotel info and a very special ‘feeling peckish’ button.

You’ll quickly learn with Foxhill Manor that there’s a huge emphasis on not being hungry at any point. On being shown to our room we were guided to the pantry on the landing, a glorified mini bar with mini candy bags for filling with snacks and a fridge topped up with bottles of Peroni, colas and fizzy fruit cordials. All unlimited and open at any time, imagine going out in your dressing gown for a midnight feast! The feeling peckish button had the same purpose, whatever you want and whenever you want it if you press the button, you’ll get a call from the chef asking what you’d like! We asked for some savoury olives and within a few minutes a knock on the door produced a board of not only olives but flavoured nuts and freshly made cheese straws. Matthew our server said ‘sorry you had to wait a few minutes, the chef was making the cheese straws fresh for you’. The whole thing was insane! You could ask for a bacon sandwich at 3 in the morning if you desired or whatever else you fancy. There were cookies left in our room that got topped up when we’d finished them. Where else does that?! Without charging you a hefty sum for the privilege??

In addition, there are no menus at all at Foxhill manor. On arrival we were taken down to the kitchen, which is open all day for you to wander past and see what the chefs are up to. There’s even champagne on ice in here in case you want a drink while you ponder over your options.  For dinner the chef will ask what you do/don’t like and give you a couple of ideas for what he’s cooking. However, if you don’t like the sound of any of it just ask for whatever you feel like, no questions asked! For the main Ian said about suckling pig, we said we really felt like lamb. And off he went to source some estate lamb and cooked it with Spring vegetables for us.

It was the best lamb we have ever had! We started with cocktails and canapés in the drawing room before being taken through to the dining room for our supper. Ian had cooked us crab for a starter followed by the special lamb and then we finished with sharing two puddings. A rhubarb deconstructed creme brûlée and a version of a snickers with chocolate, salted caramel and peanuts. Oh my god it was amazingggg. We declined the cheese course feeling stupidly full but then went to the lounge for petis fours! Mini candy floss flavoured with rose water alongside sherbet lollies and truffles. Later after we’d got into bed we felt like some cheese after all and sure enough the magic feeling peckish button delivered it to our room. Definitely the very best food we’ve had for a long long time.

It wasn’t just the food though that won us over. The whole hotel just has this feeling about it of pure indulgence. I think because there are only a few rooms you’re looked after so much better than anywhere else but also because it’s so relaxed. It sounds like an oxymoron but it’s a hard balance to get a top level of service without being full of pretence. This place has it nailed.

We were shown the Oak room which is the bridal suite for weddings and would make for a very special anniversary or minimoon night away. There’s a four poster bed and two freestanding baths facing each other looking out over the countryside. Definitely a room with wow factor. It’s also dog friendly, there was a lucky black labradoodle staying in there the night we were there. For dogs a comfy bed and treats are provided.

There are six other rooms/suites all with unique interiors. The whole house was cleverly designed so that all parts of it face out overlooking the sweeping view, being on the very top of the hill.

After you’re done stuffing yourself silly, chilling out or watching a film in the media room on comfy bean bags there are miles of walks to explore. You’ll find a gate at the bottom of the garden leading to walking trails across the Estate, up to Broadway tower or down to the town. You’d never run out of cute villages to visit. Make sure you factor in time to go over to the award winning spa over at Dormy House hotel, Foxhill’s little boutique sister just two minutes across the estate. As residents you can use the facilities including a gym and book in for treatments. If we’d have had more time I’d loved to have spent longer there to use all the pools. I only had time to squeeze in a treatment but the Repose Facial I had left me in an almost trance like relaxation and my skin has stayed glowing from it everyday since. I walked in and floated my way out.

If you were with a group of girlfriends the champagne and nail bar would be fab for all booking into together. I just want to steal alll this interior styling too.

Breakfast was again a dream. After the pink forced rhubarb we’d had the night before I was craving some more and down we came to a bowl full of poached rhubarb. I think that’s one of my favourite ever breakfasts with granola and yogurt. The eggs, smoked salmon and avocado were pretty damn good too.

We were so sad to have to leave and wish we could have stayed on for a lot longer {or even a few weeks while our house is getting rebuilt!}. The service carried on right until we said goodbye and were handed a little bag with bottles of water and cookies for the journey home!

You really do have to go and visit. But be warned, I don’t think anywhere else will compare after this. Seriously seriously indulgent. It’s perfect for weddings too as you can hire the whole house exclusively for around 70 guests. And handily there are two slightly cheaper, but still super stylish, hotels on the estate with lots of rooms for guests to stay, Dormy House and The Fish Hotel.

You can find more on staying at Foxhill Manor on their website here.

And all about their weddings here.

R <3 xx

{I was a guest of Foxhill Manor but as always would never ever promote something that I didn’t truly love to you all}

The post Foxhill Manor, The Cotswolds | UK WEDDING BLOG appeared first on So You're Getting Married.

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