le Manoir aux 4 seasons

[evo4a]

Thinking about booking a night and meal at the above, very expensive but it's a big birthday for the Mrs.
Anyone done it, or any other recommendations, i'm in herts and don't want to travel more than 100 miles if poss.
Looking for end of August, beginning of sept at a weekend.

[bsdnazz]

Did it in 2003 when some merchant bankers friends had their wedding reception there the day after our 5th wedding anniversary.

My wife and I had supper a ducks on the Friday night and did the wedding thing on Saturday afternoon and night. We had a great time and really enjoyed it. Great food and wine, great service and top fun.

Until we win the lottery it's a special occasion place...

[nej606k]

Spent a night there for my wife's 50th in 2008. Stunning location and accommodation but the food was unremarkable. Worth the money? No.

[MDJ]

We stayed there for my 40th. Wonderful experience right from walking through the front gates. We were made to feel very special. It's expensive but worth it IMO. I'd definitely go back (if I had the spare cash!)....

[sleep envy]

Fabulous place, well recommended.

Mrs envy loved it and I booked her on one of the cookery courses for added brownie points.

[Bullett]

Good luck getting a booking. It's our 5th Anniversary in November - Fully booked.

[grumbledoak]

Did a meal with a cheaper night nearby (I forget which, but they'd probably recommend it if you asked - it seemed a common way of doing it). Absolutely fantastic from start to finish. Well worth it. I just wish I could afford it more often.

[tomw2000]

I've been a few times and have always been impressed with the food and service. We go around 2-3 times a year.

So I'd say the food and service are worth the cost. It's the room prices that I find offensive. But they don't seem to struggle to fill them - so I don't blame them.

[Puggit]

Bullett said:

Good luck getting a booking. It's our 5th Anniversary in November - Fully booked.

Recessions don't effect rich people (negatively!).

[RESSE]

sleep envy said:

Fabulous place, well recommended.

Mrs envy loved it and I booked her on one of the cookery courses for added brownie points.

We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary at Le Manoir (just the 2 of us) and it made a special day even more so. Fantastic day.

My wife attended the 'Blanc Vite Cookery Day' a few years ago and she loved it.

100% recommended.

Sod the expense - we are here for a good time not a long time.

[tomw2000]

RESSE said:

Sod the expense - we are here for a good time not a long time.

Well said. My new mantra after two deaths in the family last year.

[Pothole]

nej606k said:

Spent a night there for my wife's 50th in 2008. Stunning location and accommodation but the food was unremarkable. Worth the money? No.

Won't have changed a bit in 5 years, will it?

[Pothole]

Puggit said:

Bullett said:

Good luck getting a booking. It's our 5th Anniversary in November - Fully booked.

Recessions don't effect rich people (negatively!).

They can do, but they are somewhat less likely to affect them, of course...

[RYH64E]

It's a fantastic place, worth staying overnight to get the full experience, it's not cheap but then again it isn't something most of us do very often.

The only thing I regret was letting the sommelier choose the wine without checking the price, ouch, I could have booked a nice hotel and dinner for two for less than the cost of a bottle of wine, had I known we would at least have finished the second bottle...

[MDJ]

Ah yes the wine list. Truly something to behold.

Hands up those who didn't play the 'what's the most expensive bottle on the menu' game?

<hands go up>

Liars one and all! :-)

[Puggit]

MDJ said:

Ah yes the wine list. Truly something to behold.

Hands up those who didn't play the 'what's the most expensive bottle on the menu' game?

<hands go up>

Liars one and all! :-)

Me - we had the wine tasting menu

[FurtiveFreddy]

We did an overnighter and meal there in January. Had the tasting menu and let the Sommelier choose wines for us by the glass.

Food was top notch. Wines were not chosen to be the most expensive (most of them would have been about £50 a bottle), service was excellent.

There were a few minor issues with the admin of the booking, but that didn't really affect the actual experience and I wouldn't hesitate to go back again.

Not cheap, but just look at the standard of the surroundings and the staff/guest ratio and you soon appreciate why.

Not many other places I would choose in that part of the country for a room/meal for a special occasion.

[jamiebae]

Stay at the Crazy Bear just down the road to save a few quid on the accommodation without feeling like you're skimping.

[nej606k]

Pothole said:

nej606k said:

Spent a night there for my wife's 50th in 2008. Stunning location and accommodation but the food was unremarkable. Worth the money? No.

Won't have changed a bit in 5 years, will it?

Don't know , will it?

[Pothole]

nej606k said:

Pothole said:

nej606k said:

Spent a night there for my wife's 50th in 2008. Stunning location and accommodation but the food was unremarkable. Worth the money? No.

Won't have changed a bit in 5 years, will it?

Don't know , will it?

Quite possibly, yes.