HIDE FROM THE
REST OF THE WORLD
AT L’ENCLUME
THE FOODIE RETREAT
Set in the charming village of Cartmel, on the
southern edge of the Lake District, the Michelinstarred
L’Enclume Restaurant with Rooms is a cosy,
countryside retreat that offers an out-of-this world
culinary experience for couples who love fine dining.
L’Enclume is a medieval, 800-year-old
forge brimming with character and stuffed with
retro furniture and modern sculptures, with 12
individually designed bedrooms, and another four
offered in L’Enclume House, two minutes’ walk away.
A helpful porter showed Stylist to its charming
room which combined traditional decor with
modern design. After our icy journey we were
delighted to find fresh milk, tea, coffee and
homemade cookies waiting for us. However, the
main event was undoubtedly dinner – concocted by
award-winning chef and proprietor Simon Rogan.
You can choose
between eight, 13 or
a stunning 17 courses,
costing £55, £75 and £95
respectively. We had the
17 (can you blame us?),
and every mouthful was a
delight. Highlights included
hake fillet wrapped and
AT THE L'ENCLUME,
EACH DISH IS
A WORK OF ART
baked in chicken skin;
baby beetroots
accompanied by fennel
snow that seemed to fizz
on your tongue as it
melted, and sticky toffee pudding. The next morning
we walked the stone’s throw to Cartmel Square and
holed up in one of its two traditional pubs. Perfect.
A bed-and-breakfast package costs £299 per couple per
night and includes a bottle of champagne on arrival plus
an eight-course dinner (lenclume.co.uk)
THE IDYLLIC HIDEAWAY
Valentine’s Day can conjure up a gloomy image:
battery-farmed couples sitting in rows, dining
from an over-inflated menu. And who wants that?
Romantic evenings should involve a good laugh
with a great man, delicious food and tasty wine
in a chic off-the-beaten track location. Cue Russell’s
of Broadway: the perfect romantic getaway.
Billed as a restaurant with rooms, Russell’s
of Broadway sits on the high street of the idyllic
Cotswolds village of Broadway. This
is an understated gem of a hotel
that used to be the workshop of British
furniture designer Sir Gordon Russell.
And with just seven rooms in total,
you need to book fast.
The main suite is where you want to be
– it’s the perfect cosy attic hideaway with
exposed beams, original brickwork, a gigantic
four-poster and state-of the-art bathroom
with a contemporary tub for two. After you’ve
taken advantage of the super-luxurious Ren
products during your long soak, you can laze
on your sofa, spotting church spires from
your window.
But it’s really the food and the charming,
personable staff that makes Russell’s of
Broadway a retreat you’d return to. The awardwinning
restaurant really delivers – we tucked into
melt-in-the-mouth risotto, crispy fishcakes, and
a spectacular pigeon and walnut dish. Breakfast
didn’t disappoint either, with fruity muesli, warm
croissants, and poached eggs cooked to perfection.
We left feeling deliciously relaxed, a few pounds
heavier, and
with not
a batteryfarmed
couple
in sight.
A bed-andbreakfast
package costs
from £165 per
couple per
night until
10 March
and includes
dinner
(russells
ofbroadway.
co.uk)
RUSSELL’S OF BROADWAY: AN
UNDERSTATED RETREAT IN THE
HEART OF THE COTSWOLDS
ENJOY A ROMANTIC
ATTIC HIDEAWAY
AND SEASONAL FOOD
THE
BOLTHOLE
WITH A
BUTLER
CITY ESCAPES
FANCY BEING COUNTRY
FOLKS FOR THE
WEEKEND? THEN INDULGE
Slap-bang in the
middle of Norfolk’s
quaint Burnham
Market, with its
winding roads,
tempting delicatessens
and boutique shops,
is The Hoste Arms
– an inviting pub with
an open fire and
conservatory that’s the
locals’ choice for a pint and a natter. It was here
where Stylist collected the keys to Room 54 of
Vine House – The Hoste Arms’ boutique hotel
sister property across the road.
Vine House is a Georgian terrace with seven
bedrooms that from the outside makes you feel like
you’re visiting a well-to-do aunt. Inside is a cosy
study and elegant drawing room – adorned with
portraits and scattered with newspapers – that
shout ‘sit down, take a load off’.
Stylist stayed in the Divine suite – two floors
of luxurious pastel upholstery and exaggerated
drapes, upstairs lounge area and an ensuite
that boasts a stand-alone bath beneath
a twinkling chandelier.
Interiors aside, the best thing about Vine House
is the staff – especially the butler service between
6pm and 7.30pm. Settle in the drawing room and
you get drinks and canapés brought on (polite)
demand to your open palm. Alternatively, on warm
nights you can enjoy country living in the hotel’s
garden. Aside from a hamper-style, room service
breakfast (you can order an in-room
massage, champagne, flowers and
chocolates too), food is served in the
intimate setting of The Hoste Arms,
where for dinner we indulged in
spicey Thai salmon, partridge roast,
Brussels sprout mash then Grand
Marnier crème brûlée. Although we
can’t promise you’ll get the same
– the menus change every two
weeks! Guess you’ll have to go.
From £137 per room, per night
(vinehouseboutiquehotel.co.uk)
GO FOR FULL-ON
RELAXATION WITH
THE DIVINE SUITE
WWW�STYLIST�CO�UK����
To view a Ceros magazine you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser and have the flash player 8 or higher installed. To install the latest flash player, click the icon above, install the flash plugin and then click here to refresh this page.