Whatley Manor

Location was great. Service was really good too - especially the hotel reception staff! Spa area was decent and hydro pool was a nice warm temperature. Beautiful building, rooms were clean and spacious with huge bed and good sized bathroom. Free bicycles to borrow for use around the property and further afield in the countryside. Lovely touch with a little cake in the room for a birthday celebration.

We stayed on a Sunday , my wife having won the 9 course tasting menu with wine flight ( super prize) so decided to splash out on an overnight stay.
We were not disappointed. The surroundings and service are superb, it seems there are more staff than guests and the experience is very special.
Our room was not over large but it had every facility imaginable including an enormous comfy bed, TV with all modern apps , Dyson fan and hairdryer and Nespresso coffee machine .
We visited the spa which was very nice , robes , towels & flip flops provided . There are only 23 rooms in hotel so nowhere seems crowded.
The off to bar for a pre dinner drink before being escorted to kitchen initially to meet the chef(s) and the start of our dining experience.
Then on to dining room where the magnificent food kept on coming , perfectly paced , accompanied by very fine wines , all explained by staff .
Steak , caviar , plum dessert , ice cream sandwich and yes the bread course were all highlights.
At the end we were appropriately full and a bit woozy , perfect.
After a great nights sleep we were wowed by breakfast, in particular the overnight roasted tomato and the trout and eggs.
Service again great .
Rounded off our treat with a stroll round the gardens which even in February were beautifully kept and very interesting. Would be marvellous in summer .
Then sadly back to real world after a truly unforgettable experience.

As usual, the good, the bad and the ugly of what is listed as a 5-star Michelin-starred venue, with an additional Michelin green star for its environmental considerations around its food use.
In this case there is no real ‘bad’, and certainly no ‘ugly’, just a few minor details that need attention.

So our stay was for a rather significant milestone anniversary which, on booking, was accommodated for, although do note that the three-nights-for-two offer does not apply on some days, even if wanting to extend a weekend into the early part of the week.

However, the hotel did work on an compromise deal, which I know places like Lucknam Park or the Chewton Glen would have just applied anyway. But still, we have wanted to try out Whatley for a while, so a compromise by me too.

Access and check-in:
Although country based, it is not narrow, single lane- tractor-laden farm tracks. It's on an accessible road, and has its own gateway and long drive typical of manor house or stately home style hotels.

The signage is a little confusing, as you immediately tend to just read the car park directions as the instructions to go straight through to the entrance courtyard (to offload luggage, etc.) aren’t that obvious. It might be an idea to include that in joining instructions so guests can avoid the joys of dragging bags from the guests car park.

Apart from that, the check-in was fairly faultless, and bags portered up to the room to save struggling with them further.

You should note that the registration card does contain the incorrect wording about marketing consent - a data protection matter - in that you have to tick to opt-out, whereas the regulations on this did actually change over 7 years ago. Pointing this out to the check-in staff was noted, but I wonder if the receptionist did actually care what I thought, even though he said he'd "feed it back". A small point maybe, but the hotel’s data protection adviser ought to get their act in gear before someone more pedantic raises a complaint under PECR and ICO directives.

(Also on that point, the consent and details gathering to allow access to the WiFi is also too nosey, and ought to be more in line with the data minimisation principle afforded under data protection laws. Again, it seemed like an exercise to harvest email addresses for marketing purposes).

Anyway, data privacy matters aside...

Accommodation:
We were upgraded to a suite at the time of booking - in lieu of the 3-for-2 offer not being applicable over a weekend - and it was very well appointed as befitting a five-star hotel.
Everything you would need is included, and the walk-in dressing area was very large with enough cupboards (auto-lighting... nice touch) and drawers to store clothing to last for months… plenty of hangars too.
Added to that is the usual safe, a small fridge with complimentary water and cordial, with room to house your own bottle if needs be. Complimentary tray included macaroons, clearly from the pastry chef's output each day, and a nice change from pre-packed biscuits.

The double-aspect room looked out over the gardens and wider grounds and, although single-pane leaded windows (it is Grade-2 listed after all) it was stillvery cosy, with full guest control over the radiator thermostats which do actually work by scale, and not just "off" or "sauna" settings.

The bathroom was well appointed with a huge lower-set bath and separate shower, ample towels (sheet size too), robes, slippers, etc., and all the normal accoutrements that such a hotel should offer to meet its 5* rating.
Overall, no issues at all with the room, and the housekeeping was both lighting fast, but also minutely inspected.

Hotel facilities:
The main lounges and guest areas are large, non-cluttered, and the main sitting areas also made more homely with open fires, which add a nice atmospheric touch.
The interior decor is good, and kept tidy, and it's clear that a lot of thought went into the choice of the pictures, object d'art and furniture which helps the hotel keep its manor house feel, and not a sterile and homogenous feel of bland cheap design that more modern boutique style hotels go for.
There are many outside areas (patios, terraces, etc.), and looked well-appointed for non-winter days on which to enjoy al fresco drinks and dining, all looking out over pristine grounds and well-attended gardens.

The spa is, simply, superb. One of the best in the UK that we've ever experienced in terms of the numerous facilities on offer, surrounding the main feature of a very good multi-function hydrotherapy pool with well-spaced areas for all users. There is no actual 'lap pool' as such, but the hydro pool does boast a big enough setting to able to gently swim around, including to the outside area where further hydrotherapy features are available.
Whoever designed this quite large extension, really thought about making it seem openly expansive and light, and not just a few bolted-on rooms that many locations seem to apply. However, we did visit in January when the hotel was much quieter, so cannot vouch for busier months or whether children are permitted at all hours... another personal bug bear for us, when hotels advertise themselves for “grown ups”.

The spa is also clean and well-maintained... no loose tiling, peeling paint, or hidden-corner mould problems that we've seen in some other prestige hotels.
There is ample room in all the treatment rooms, saunas, etc., and the changing rooms are huge in comparison to many we've seen, and offer large lockers that actually lock.
The spa also benefits from its own bar and dining area and drinks can be served to you whilst you decompress on the loungers in the main pool area.

Dining - The Tasting Menu at The Dining Room:
The tasting menu experience starts differently than most we've seen, with the first dish being presented to you by the head chef in a dedicated area next to the actual (very organised and clean) kitchen.
It was interesting to see the kitchen team at work where it's obvious that they take an enormous pride in their work.

It's easy to see how the head chef has picked up his Michelin star.
The taste experience is quite exceptional, and chef clearly knows how to layer flavours in food, without being overly-ostentatious. The technical construction on display is just very clever and has been thought about properly, e.g. the SN16 Honey dessert is just technically clever, as well as tasting sublime.
The preserved plum dessert must be one of life's 'must eat this before you die' experiences, and it's easy to see why Ricki Weston lists plum as his favourite ingredient. The very gods could not design a dessert any better.

We chose the paired-wines which all went with each dish quite well. However, we tend to prefer paired wines that can also be drunk on their own, regardless of having to taste with the food, e.g. finishing up the glass after the final mouthful of the tasting dish. To that extent, some of the whites were a little flowery or perfumed then we prefer and very much to a more personal taste. Some tasted too similar to others too, so maybe a refresh on the flight might be an idea to mix them up a bit more. But, that's personal taste and others might be totally happy with the sommelier’s selection.
However, overall it was certainly a tasting-menu experience that ought to be tried by patrons or non-resident fine-dining fans, and the service and attention to detail for this experience was very good.

Dining - Grey's:
This is an interesting concept for a five-star hotel, i.e. provide a menu of tapas style dishes for guests to choose a combination of different dishes.
When I say tapas style, Whatley Manor call it "small plates", and I don't mean red-hot mini-skillets of sizzling garlic prawns or patatas, etc., I mean Michelin-expertise dishes where flavour-layering has been designed into each. The technical skills are clearly evident even though they are small plate style.
The whole concept works, as you get the opportunity to try top-quality dishes, instead of having to regret not having tried one particular dish as you would on a 'normal' menu.

There were several winners that we particularly enjoyed - the beetroot gnocchi (the beetroot sauce was almost like a rich savoury jam), trout rillette, lobster ravioli, and pea/hispi and chestnut fricassee to name a few. All well designed and executed.

However, the cod arancini just missed out on full marks... it needs a touch more seasoning or spicing-up to lift it. A pity, as the coating was crisp and light, the texture spot on and otherwise perfect.

So, the only thing to watch out for in using Grey's is repetition if you are staying for say a week or so, as the menu might seem limited after a few days of exhausting the dish choices.
Personally, I’d also like to see a minimum dress code standard in the restaurant’s for evening dining. I’m not talking black tie, but at least shirts that have a collar and buttons (for gentlemen), shoes – not trainers, and no hoodies, etc. … smart casual would be good to not make it feel like you’re amongst those who are there to collect a fast-food takeaway.

Grey's – breakfast service:
No faults here. An extensive self-serve continental buffet with the extra option of cooked food to order. Try the locally-sourced Bibury smoked trout and scrambled eggs, which is a nice change from smoked salmon.
The wife did comment on the vegetarian sausages which were, admittedly, a little dry and grainy in texture, but I might put that down to not having the advantages of big food company tech options (e.g. Cauldron Foods, etc.) and utilising kitchen-garden grown or local producers (and low food-miles produce) for which Whatley holds a Michelin green star. So, that's a mass-produced well-tested taste/texture product versus a likely homemade option. But, an area that maybe the kitchen could look at when it comes to vegetarian options.
The cooked breakfasts offer the overnight-baked tomato... a small detail, but it's quite a brilliant way of turning a humble breakfast item into a whole new taste sensation. It works, and it's definitely worth trying out.

Drinks and beverages:
Always served well and nice to see spirit-based cocktails with one giant ice cube, to avoid them watering down.
Not everything is in the bar though. I was initially surprised at no Southern Comfort or Canadian Club for mixed aperitifs - but the bar staff managed to conjure up an alternative drink to compensate, which was a very good imitation.
Whilst SC and CC might not be considered the most refined drinks in the World, I do know what I like before dinner.
The drinks list includes Gusbourne wines - a Kent wine estate - including a very good rose sparkling number, which makes a great alternative to the branded - somewhat drier - branded champagnes. A punt that paid off.
On the hot drinks front, the tea blends are provided by Char Teas in Winchester, who supply some of the best blends there are. The loose leaf Assam (no chemically-tainted tea bags here!) is probably one of the best served anywhere, and available all day.

Service:
Very good. Nothing seemed too much trouble if asked, and the staff did all make the effort of returning greetings when walking around the hotel - you'd be surprised how many don't in some venues.
If you do visit, then swat up on your general knowledge as Harry will tend to get into conversations which ultimately end up as quiz master banter, but all with good intent. His manner of waiting and conversing with patrons is polite and jovial without being patronising.

Check out:
Having sussed the procedure for the large portcullis-sized main gates to open, bringing the car into the courtyard for loading cases is a lot easier.
The billing seemed correct, but my old favourite of "service charge" was added to the total bill... not just the individual restaurants tickets.
In our case, this ran to many hundreds of pounds, which I always find curious when you are already spending thousands of pounds on a hotel of which "service" is the primary deliverable... is it not?
Again, if I am non-resident and just visiting for dinner, I would have no hesitation in paying a tip for all the meals and drinks that we experience. But, for residents, this is surely what the headline hotel tariff is all about. Isn’t it? Or, am I missing something?
I did mention that I would be happy to do what we do on cruises... i.e. leave an envelope of larger denomination notes to go into a general staff box, but expecting guests to pay on top of the quoted tariff - which is, effectively, what it boils down to - is, I'm afraid too American for me.
Curiously, when I offered to provide an "add on tip" for the staff, it wasn't taken up. I would have gladly added it to the credit card payment, but the point seemed to have been missed. Anyway...

Summary:
The questions I always ask myself is "Would we stay again?" and "Would I recommend to my friends and family, or business contacts?". To that, it is a resolute yes, and without hesitation. Each element scored well over 90% across the board - there was no noticeable failure in any one aspect - and 100% in some aspects.
There were just a few minor points that we felt could be adjusted to bring it to 95-100% overall, as befitting a hotel of this grading and status. And they are easily adjustable points.

It is for that sole reason, that it lost an overall star in this review... which is a pity as I so wanted to give it 5. If it was possible to give 4.5 on TripAdvisor then I would have done so. So a top-end 4 and easily a 5 with that last touch of polish.

But, don't take that as any form of criticism not to visit or stay... as the staff are a credit to the industry, the hotel is beautifully appointed and laid out, and offers an exceptional spa facility for people like us who want to just unwind from business matters.

We have visited Whatley a number of times (Winter,Spring, Autumn) over the last 8 years since discovering it. It has never failed to disappoint us regardless of the time of year. We treasure our time there; the atmosphere and ambience is quiet and peaceful, with excellent friendly and professional service on each visit. There are so many gorgeous public areas within the hotel to take advantage of. We especially enjoy the spa and local walks from the hotel. Every room we've had from Classic to Suites have been superb. Any special occasions have been recognised and much appreciated by us. The cleanliness is of exceptional standard. the deals Whatley offer are in our opinion superb value making it more accessible to those who might not otherwise be able to visit. We have been fortuante in meeting some lovely, friendly guests either staying at the hotel and local spa/gym members which along with professionally friendly, approchable staff makes it all the more memorable. This is our 'go to' hotel for a very special few days away from the mayhem of work and life.

We were so excited to stay at Whatley Manor. Sadly we left feeling a little disappointed. The hotel itself is faultless, however the dining experience at both dinner and breakfast wasn’t the best. We want for the small plates dining room, with the plates being very small and lacking any taste. Our waitress forgot 3 of our order. The plum crumble was just awful, the crumble was like rocks.
Breakfast service was very slow, our toast arrived after we had eaten our breakfast! Breakfast included 2 eggs, one small field mushroom, one small tomato, one veggie sausage and a spoonful of baked beans.

.

Absolutely glorious Afternoon Tea.

We go out for Afternoon Tea monthly, varying our location, but we go to Whatley at least every few months. It is wonderful.

Lovely Sandwiches (tip - choices should aways include Coronation Chicken, and Cream Cheese with cucumber!!). Excellent cakes and pastries and yummy scones

The staff are efficient, professional and friendly - they aren't afraid to stop and converse with you for a while. (I absolutely hate places where the staff are obviously terrified to linger for a moment to be friendly and polite to clients fearing a reprimand for 'wasting time'!!)

The drop in the star is purely due to the lack of a crisp white tablecloth on our very large coffee table. A lovely Country House Hotel really does need lovely linen!!
.

The building and facilities were excellent and the food quality exceptional deserving of the hotels superb reputation, rooms are very comfortable and very well sound proofed giving a very peaceful experience.

Stunning location, the ambiance is amazing inside the Hotel building. Stunning with all facilities. Food is superb.
Everything perfect.👌🏻

Having enjoyed this gorgeous hotel before we decided to stay for their NYE house party and what a great decision that was! We were welcomed like old friends and felt completely spoilt for our whole stay. Nothing is too much trouble for the well trained, warm and friendly staff. The slight issue we had with our delightful room was resolved with charm and efficiency - our thanks for that. The spa is delightful and well managed - never feels overwhelmed and is a totally relaxing space and the gardens an absolute joy. Our food was excellent - every meal was superb. The NYE party went like clockwork and the jazz band and DJ were perfect for the sophisticated and fun evening. Fireworks at midnight were astonishing! Very impressive. All round an excellent stay.

Whatley Manor is a beautiful Manor house in an exquisite setting. Our room was very spacious with a lovely big cosy bed. Unfortunately although there was a hairdryer the only plug socket near the desk was very inaccessible and there was no mirror above.
The bathroom was good with a large bath but quite a small shower for the size of the room and with lovely Molton Brown toiletries. As our room was above the kitchen we had a lot of noise between 10 and 12pm on our first night, although this was addressed by the Reception Staff so it was reduced on the second night. We had lunch in the bar on the first day, which was good but there are limited dining tables so on the second day had to sit in the lounge area at a coffee table which was not really comfortable, especially if having to use a knife and fork, so we had sandwiches.
We dined in Greys restaurant in the evenings, rather than go for the tasting menus in The Dining Room as the menus lacked detail and we felt were overpriced. We dine at a Michelin star restaurant regularly and the prices are not nearly so high. Greys Small plates menu was ok with some of the plates good, some not so good. Breakfast was really good.
The staff were very pleasant and helpful. It would be good to return in the summer to take advantage of the gardens and outdoor seating areas.

Absolutley stunning venue and 10/10 service! We had an amazing time and will be back again next year. Thank you to everyone who made our stay so fantastic.

Absolute dream experience! Beautiful place, immaculate service and lovely room. Please keep it up!

I work in schools as a therapist with children with special needs so this was a gift from my husband. What a world away it was! Our room was spacious and comfortable, the tea room downstairs was like walking into a Jane Austen novel. We loved the fireplace and the afternoon tea! The highlight was the tasting menu dinner. Hands down the best food we've had! Harry in particular made us feel so welcome. What a star! He needs his own channel!

The service was throughout brilliant. Yasmin and Daniel went out of the way to be so friendly and courteous. The ladies at the reception desk - sorry missed their names - were so helpful and wonderful too!

We loved the spa too and got the best massage with Adriana.

Only suggestion would be to offer some de-caf tea in the rooms. Otherwise, it was all prefect.

Overall, a memorable and fantastic escape and couldn't ask for more!

Awesome place with impeccable surroundings, facilities, and cleanliness. The staff is great and lovely, careful regarding all the little things and details. Beautiful rooms, slept like a baby in those sheets.
The location was perfect for my trip.
I'm looking forward to returning soon.

We had a two-night Culinary Experience stay at Whatley at the start of Dec 25. The beautiful old building was superbly supported by the whole team from front-of-house through to restaurant and cleaning staff.

The hotel has thought about all sorts of small details, from a warm welcome through to practicalities of staying in a hotel. It shows a dedication and passion to provide top-tier service.

The food throughout was excellent, eating in small plates restraunt, Grays, and The Dining room. The evening in The Dining rooms was an incredible experience with knolwedgeable matire D' and waiting staff, as well as world-class food and an incredible wine list.

The spa, whilst small, is very exclusive with very few other users at any one time. Outside space in Summer would be an amazing place to have a cocktail, though December is not the time to do that.

If you're looking to do something a little special, in a beautiful part of the world, we'd highly recommend.

A beautiful well cared for hotel with attentive staff.

The best service we have experienced for some time. All the staff across the board were excellent.