Mr A and I really wanted to have a memorable Christmas break in 2020: not just because we’d had a covid-restricted year, but also because my advanced cancer and unsuccessful immunotherapy treatment suggested that this could be my last Christmas.  Back in June I had booked for us to go to Sri Lanka for Christmas and New Year, hoping the virus would have run its course by then.  But that holiday had to be cancelled and with the prospect of no overseas destinations being available to us, we looked for something special in UK, specifically a small luxury hotel with a great restaurant.  I joined a ‘wait list’ for Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, and made a reservation at The Connaught in London’s Mayfair, through PK’s List, a luxury travel members club I joined.  In the week before Christmas London was put into UK’s highest tier of covid restrictions, so The Connaught had to be cancelled, and we started to prepare for a quiet Christmas at home.  Then, just a few days before Christmas, PK’s list informed me space had become available at Le Manoir, and I made a 4 night booking.  Only a day later HM Government tightened its restrictions further, which meant we were only allowed to stay at Le Manoir for 2 nights.  My view was “2 nights is better than none”, so we were still excited to be visiting my all-time favourite luxury hotel at Christmas time; a genuine bucket list trip!

We arrived just after 3pm on Christmas Eve and were taken directly from the car park to our 1 bedroom Garden Suite for the check-in formalities.  The suite, named L’Orangerie, was beautiful and just metres from the main Manor House.  Entry is through a private outside gate, which leads to the ‘garden’ which was a terrace with table and chairs and shaped shrubbery, and then an enclosed porch, leading onto the suite’s lounge area.

First impressions on entering our suite were “wow”; it was so spacious and bright, and so warm and cosy compared to the chilly outdoors! And what a delight it was to see our very own fully decorated Christmas tree!

We had a good-sized lounge area complete with a work table and leather ‘safari’ chair, a dining table and chairs, a sofa and armchairs facing a large wall-mounted TV. Between the sofa and TV was a rattan coffee table, and a copy of the Radio Times – a superb attention to detail because everyone wants to know what’s on TV over the festive period! Off the lounge was a ‘guest’ toilet room. Central heating came from underneath the tiled floor. Everything was spotlessly clean and had a lovely fresh aroma, courtesy of a Branche D’Olive branded diffuser.  Branche d’Olive products were also in the bathrooms.

Our bed was super-wide and super-comfortable; almost a ‘four-poster’, there was the opportunity to cocoon ourselves behind drawn curtains if we desired, and a fold-away TV set was incorporated into the bed ceiling.

The suite had plenty of clothes storage space, and places to set items beside the bed.  Our bedroom led into the bathroom, which was home to a freestanding bathtub, 2 wash basins, a very spacious shower cubicle, as well as a WC.  There was a wall-mounted TV to watch when in the bath.

Heavy weave towelling bath robes and slippers were provided for our comfort, as well as the most comprehensive collection of easily forgotten and left at home toiletry items.  We had a coffee capsule machine and a good supply of still and sparkling mineral waters, a bowl of fresh fruits, and a pretty chocolate sleigh carrying a selection of petit fours and shortbread biscuits.  Whenever I’ve stayed at Le Manoir before, there’s always been a decanter of Madeira wine in the suites, but this time (presumably for infection control) we had an unopened quarter bottle.

So that was our lovely, cosy and spacious suite.  But what extras were laid on as part of the Christmas package?

As well as a bottle of 2012 vintage Veuve Clicquot on ice in our suite, arriving guests were invited for Champagne and nibbles in the hotel lounge during the late afternoon of Christmas Eve. We had a relaxing time sipping the Veuve, with delightful salted almonds and very good quality olives, before we headed off to the next special Christmas feature – a cookery demonstration in the Raymond Blanc Cookery School, a purpose-built facility at the back of the main restaurant kitchen.

Arriving into the school for our 4.30pm pre-booked demonstration was a trip down memory lane for me, having completed a week long cookery course there in 2001. The space had been modernised since then, so the workstations now resemble a modern domestic kitchen more than a commercial one.  Just four of us sat at the centre island, with a glass of Champagne in hand, to watch chef Mark Peregrine (who began working with Raymond Blanc back in the early 1980s) and one of his colleagues make ‘financiers’ and a brown sauce. The latter was served with fantastic vegetable samosas which had been made earlier.  We had a lovely and informative time at this relaxed event, and left with recipes for the dishes covered in the demo.

After the cookery demonstration we returned to our suite to freshen up, and then joined the other guests in the lounge area for aperitifs before our Christmas Eve Dinner, which was a set menu and included in the Christmas package price.  A live band (duet) provided entertainment.

Unlike on our previous visits to Le Manoir, canapés were served at the dining table, not in the lounge, and what canapés they were!  Two utterly delicious, light and fresh Japanese-inspired concoctions which really got our palates salivating for the meal ahead. 10/10

Tables were dressed simply – no gaudy tinsel or other Christmas tat, just a pair of Christmas crackers and a modest winter flower arrangement.

A selection of artisan breads was offered, along with English salted and French unsalted butters, which were very good, but I was cautious not to eat too much! 10/10

The first course was pumpkin soup with roasted chestnut and a butternut squash agnolotti. Comforting and bursting with flavour, this was a very good soup course! 10/10

Our second course was awesomely fresh Scottish langoustine tails with Jerusalem artichoke (fondant, puree and crispy skin) and lots of Perigord black truffle.  Beautiful. 10/10

Next we had a wild mushroom risotto with alba truffle (shaved at the table).  The risotto itself was very good, but the mushrooms included an orange type I wasn’t familiar with, and which was a touch rubbery. 9/10

The fish course was seared John Dory with scallop, celeriac and celeriac puree. Delicious, but at this stage I began to feel unwell and began hiccupping, so I realised it would be a struggle to finish the meal. 9.5/10

I had to pass on the main course, spiced Norfolk quail with red cabbage and beetroot terrine, but I had a couple of mouthfuls from Mr A’s plate. I’d had the beetroot terrine on my last visit; it’s so delicate. But that was as far as I could go with my worsening physical state, so the staff kindly offered to bring the dessert courses to our suite.

The first dessert was a terrine of fine apple slices, served with a bramley apple sorbet.  This was followed by one of Le Manoir’s signature desserts: a tempered chocolate ‘espresso cup’ containing coffee parfait topped with latte espuma (an earlier iteration of this dish was even on the syllabus when I was at the cookery school 19 years ago).   But all I could manage was the crisp and refreshing sorbet. 9.5/10

Before the Government’s tightening of covid restrictions it had been planned for guests to pop over to the village church for Midnight Mass, and then back to the hotel for mince pies and mulled wine. But this was no longer possible, so Mr A and I retired to our supremely comfortable bed.

Breakfast could be served en suite, but we chose to eat in the main restaurant space, which, like our suite, is called L’Orangerie.  On this visit there wasn’t a cold buffet, I’m sure due to covid, so everything you might want for is now a la carte.

Both mornings I had freshly squeezed OJ, Greek style yogurt with honey and house-made granola (10/10) plus my go-to hot dish of Eggs Benedict.  Le Manoir’s version is perfect, and the benchmark against which all others should be compared. 10/10. Everything was rounded off with a good, strong cappuccino.

Outside, in the beautiful grounds and under a clear blue sky, Clive Jones and his assistant Ruth from Wheatley Birds of Prey set out a collection of hawks and falcons onto their perches and introduced us and a few others to his beautiful birds.  Clive and his birds regularly come to Le Manoir throughout the year to deter avian pests from the plots of vegetables being grown for the kitchen.  Once the birds had become acclimatised to their environment, Clive let a couple have a fly around, and we were invited to put on a thick handling glove with a tiny piece of minced meat on the top, so the birds would come to our hand.  Mr A and I had this amazing experience with a beautiful little American kestrel and also a larger Harris hawk.  BTW this socially distanced treat replaced a Christmas Day family service at St. Mary’s Church.

Towards the end of the display Clive let a Peregrin falcon take to the air, but he wasn’t in the mood to perform and Clive had to catch him again before he decided to try a break for freedom. It’s possible that a pair of high-flying red kites overhead made him nervous.  But for Mr A and I it was a wonderful treat to meet Clive and Ruth and to see the birds up close. 10/10

Mr A and I then went on a short walk to see some alpacas which are kept in a field just along from Le Manoir’s entrance.  We had come prepared with some nuggets for horses, but although the four alpacas were very curious about us, and came very close, they were too timid to take a nugget from our hands. But at least they didn’t spit at us!

After freshening up it was time to return to the main building’s lounge area for an aperitif (a lovely negroni) prior to our Christmas Day Luncheon.

Once again we made our choice from the fixed menu (there was a choice of main courses; turkey or Wagyu, and desserts; Christmas pudding or pistachio soufflé.) before we were shown into the L’Orangerie dining room.

Our three canapés were delicious and appetite inspiring. From the photo above, near to far, we had a crabmeat-filled chou bun with lemongrass (9/10), a chicory/endive leaf with clementine orange and walnut (8.5/10), and a fine strip of fried sourdough topped with woodcock terrine, quince and quince gel, which was awesomely good (10/10)

We skipped the optional oscietra caviar starter (£280 for 50g) and went straight into Norwegian sea trout confit, which you can see in the photo had lean, orange flesh unblemished by lines of fat.  It came with cucumber, watercress, potato salad, watercress creme fraiche and a dollop caviar.  This was a great starter. 10/10

Next we had truffled hen’s egg with wild mushrooms and a mushroom tea. I liked this dish: my favourite bit was the sweet tea, but I found the egg a little salty. 9/10

Our fish course was Cornish brill topped with a poached oyster, caviar and a Champagne sabayon.  A lovely dish, perfectly cooked, especially the oh-so fresh tasting oyster. 9.5/10

Mr A and I had both chosen to have the beef main course. We had a delicious and tender wagyu steak from Wales, accompanied by a selection of winter vegetables. It was really good, but my health issues worsened and it was the final course for me. 8.5/10

Only Mr A was served the cheese course; Colston Basset Stilton with port and juniper jelly and celery salad, but I managed to snatch a small mouthful and found it lovely. 9/10

The waiting staff offered to bring our dessert course to our suite, but warned us that the pistachio and dark chocolate soufflé might collapse in transit.  We’d watched the impressive soufflés being served to other guests in the restaurant, and in our suite ours had indeed fallen a little, but they still had an acceptable height, though maybe 1″ lower than when they left the kitchen.  The taste was phenomenal, and amazingly a quenelle of dark chocolate sorbet in the centre was still set!   This soufflé could not have been bettered – it was perfect. 10/10

Le Manoir’s Christmas package didn’t include a Christmas night meal, but we were invited to a cheese and wine tasting in the hotel’s lounge area.  Luckily, a little rest after our lunch had helped me start to feel better physically, and I gently re-entered the Christmas Spirit.

Le Manoir’s Fromagier and Sommelier talked us through each of the 5 cheeses and 5 wine pairings and they also answered broader questions about cheese and wine parings, making this a very enjoyable and interesting (roughly) one hour session.  The wines were particularly good (including a biodynamic Champagne and a 50 year old Madeira) and guests were offered top-ups until the bottles were empty.  This was a delightfully relaxing and pleasurable session to round off our Christmas Day. 10/10

On Boxing Day (26th December) we again took breakfast in the restaurant and then packed up for our departure, in accordance with Government orders.  We had enjoyed a wonderful short break in what I regard as one of the best luxury hotels in the world.  Le Manoir always has a fantastic attention to detail across its whole operation, and the extra lengths they’d taken to ensure a superb traditional English Manor House Christmas were spot on.  And for the hotel to do this at very short notice of Government covid restriction changes is truly commendable.  I want to note that over Christmas neither chef/patron Raymond Blanc, nor Executive Head Chef Gary Roberts were working, but the kitchen brigade really stepped up to the mark to serve us dishes of the highest quality, fully consistent with the restaurant’s 2 Michelin star rating.

Of course it was very disappointing that my chronic health problems meant I ate less of the fabulous food than intended, but overall I was very happy to have spent Christmas at Le Manoir.  10/10

This two night suite, food and event package cost me £5800 and I spent just under £400 extra for the wines with our meals.  Not cheap by any means, but I would never expect Le Manoir to be ‘cheap’, and in terms of value it was well worth it!