Sitting in 66 acres of countryside near Hook, Hampshire, Tylney Hall Hotel & Gardens is a grand Victorian Grade II listed house with the longest uninterrupted view in Hampshire, lined by giant Redwoods.
Tylney Hall served as a hospital for soldiers in the first World War and eventually became a school before opening as a hotel in 1985.
The Gertrude Jekyll-designed gardens are a real highlight, with striking water features and lakes, an Italian Garden and a wild orchid meadow plus azalea and rose gardens.
There are walking and jogging trails, and garden tours in the summer months with Head Gardener Paul Tattersdill.
Guests enter the hotel via Tylney Hall’s Great Hall, panelled in exquisite Italian walnut.
The hotel has 112 individually-designed bedrooms and suites – all decorated in traditional style, in keeping with the hotel’s heritage – with some dog-friendly rooms available.
The hotel’s Health Suite features an indoor pool, five treatment rooms with a Manicure & Pedicure studio plus a gym.
There is a superb outdoor heated pool (May-September) set within a private walled garden, plus croquet, a hard tennis court and a snooker room.
Archery, clay pigeon shooting, and even hot air ballooning can all be arranged and there is a nearby golf course too.
Afternoon Tea (from £29 per person) is served in front of a roaring log fire in the elegant Italian Lounge.
The Italian Laounge features an ornate ceiling that was originally designed for The Grimation Palace in Florence and which was carefully relocated, piece by piece, at Tylney Hall.
Dinner is a grand affair in the 2 AA-Rosette The Oak Room Restaurant. Overseen by Executive Head Chef Mike Lloyd, feast on signature lunch and dinner dishes with a British twist plus seasonal specialities such as Cornish Scallops or Châteaubriand.
A carefully-chosen wine list complements each menu; expert pastry chefs enjoy creating celebration cakes such as White Chocolate & Raspberry Ripple gateau (advance booking required).
Our Dinner in The Oak Room began with a delightful selection of bread to start the evening. Butter was scrumptious but the different breads would have gone well with the addition of a flavoured butter.
Seared Cornish Scallops were divine. A good sized starter with 4 scallops. The leek and crab puree had complexity, the kohlrabi and spring onion salsa added texture and the lemon shards freshness. A well thought out dish.
The Chicken and Confit Duck Terrine was paired with a truffle aioli, pickled shimeji mushroom and curried cauliflower “fritters”. For those who don’t normally choose duck, this is a good starter to introduce duck to a new palate. We let our young child try it and it nearly got as animated an applause as he gave to the pianist Paul who was a charming addition to the evening. Although he didn’t know the song requested, he did perform it wonderfully and really added to the whole experience.
Slow Cooked Belly Pork is a must to order. Rarely do I choose a pork dish but this one jumped out of the menu so I took a chance on it. Dry aged for 28 days and served with caramelised Jerusalem artichoke puree, scorched pear, potato, pickled kolrhabi with a splash of apple jus to give that traditional flavour pairing amongst the next level complexity of the dish. Absolutely scrumptious.
For those who want a slight crispy twist to onion fries, we highly recommend super crispy Paprika Onion Rings. The paprika adds a lovely dimension to this side.
My dining companion also went out of his comfort zone and chose a vegetarian dish as it was recommended and what a recommendation. Previously this dish had constructive feedback and the chef took some on board and tweaked his dish which resulted in an abundance of compliments which were well deserved. It is a truly comforting and warming dish. A must dish for truffle or risotto lovers. Pure perfection.
Desserts had a good selection. There were quite a few well-behaved children in the restaurant and they were able to choose from a lovely menu designed for them with lots of choice. The Brownie got a thumbs up from our little one.
The Pistachio Financier with blackberry & fig was a delight for the adults.
Stay overnight at Tylney Hall Hotel & Gardens from £225 (two sharing a Deluxe Bedroom), including a wide range of breakfast options. They also offer half-term breaks.
Tylney Hall
Ridge Lane, Rotherwick, Hook RG27 9AZ
+44 (0)1256 764881
www.tylneyhall.co.uk
