Country Escape: Hurley House, Berkshire
For the ultimate country pub stopover between Marlow & Henley…
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We head to Berkshire to stay at the newly-renovated Hurley House Hotel, and sample the delights from head chef Michael Chapman, formerly of Michelin-Starred The Royal Oak.
Hurley House
Where?
Henley Road, Hurley SL6 5LH – in the heart of Berkshire between Marlow and Henley.
What?
Hurley House is a newly-refurbished boutique hotel with 10 beautiful bedrooms and an excellent restaurant. Think cosy country English pub styling with a luxe twist. Free-standing baths, worn leather armchairs and room one even has its own terrace for afternoon drinks in the sun (or, you know, English drizzle).
The food
Michael Chapman, formerly head chef of Michelin-Starred The Royal Oak at Paley Street, is at the stove for Hurley House.
Whether or not you’re booked in for the night, this bustling, cosy restaurant is well worth a country drive for. The heritage beetroot salad with innes goats curd and hazelnuts and Cornish brown crab with blood orange, cucumber and watermelon radish are flawless to start your meal with. For an indulgent main, opt for the Herefordshire beef fillet with Jacob’s Ladder and Roscoff onions, should the seasons allow.
Don’t forget to save room for dessert; the rhubarb crumble and sticky toffee pudding are both excellent, but if you can stomach it, the cheese board is well worth expanding the waistband for.
The drinks
The extensive wine list features over 130 bottles; find your match with the help of tasting notes, or allow your waiter to pick for you.
Head to the bar for after-dinner drinks, the salted caramel espresso martinis are the perfect way to finish a seriously indulgent evening.
The crowd
Family-friendly and a mix of locals and the city crowd escaping for a night or two.
The verdict
With a chic but cosy clean country vibe (think Babington on a smaller scale), Hurley House is an easy-to-reach country escape that’s the perfect stop-over for a day in Henley, Marlow, Oxford and more. The food is hearty, English indulgence with a wine selection worth writing home about.
The info
Rooms start at £170 per night. Visit hurleyhouse.co.uk or call 01628 568500
