Review: Combe Grove

We’re lucky to have a whole host of great places to stay the night in Bath. However, just outside our city, perched high atop Brassknocker Hill, is a beautiful Grade II listed manor house, now known as Combe Grove. My wife and I were fortunate enough to stay the night and sample their incredible dinner menu. Read below to see how we got on!

Recently it was my birthday, which I also happen to share with my wife (I know, isn’t it adorable?) and we were looking for somewhere to go away for a couple of days to celebrate. Luckily enough for me, I was invited by the lovely team at Combe Grove to come and experience their beautiful a la carte dinner menu, plus a night in their gorgeous hotel. Noticing that the hotel was pet-friendly meant my wife and I could bring our four-legged friend - and occasional Total Bath office mascot - Austin the Miniature Schnauzer along for the trip, too! A plan was set in motion.

We set off on our journey around the beautiful surrounding countryside, the country roads offering us the odd glimpse of the rolling hills and the cityscape of Bath as we found our way to our destination. A small inconspicuous turning off the Brassknocker Hill road could almost go unnoticed and would set the tone for Combe Grove’s understated appeal. We took the turning and proceeded carefully along the long and winding driveway, through the seventy-acres of land the manor house is hidden within before we turned in to the main courtyard and were met with the most beautiful example of Georgian manor house architecture. We parked up and checked in.

As soon as you step in to the main house, in to the marble porch with the high ceilings, we were instantly transported from the chilly November afternoon in to the warmth and comfort of the house, instantly relaxing us. We were greeted by the smiling and gracious member of staff sat at the modest, yet perfectly in-keeping desk. The house remains a house. By that I mean that the huge, impersonal reception desks you see in chain hotels, with their cold and homogenous decoration and nowhere to be seen at Combe Grove. A simple writing desk, with an ornate chair for guests to sit on as they check in is perfectly in-keeping with the relaxing atmosphere Combe Grove brings.

The three of us were shown to our pet-friendly room, which was ideally located with a floor-to-ceiling window looking east across the Limpley Stoke Valley. Much to our excitement the room was beautifully decorated with high-end contemporary fittings and the cutest set of Combe Grove dog accessories! We certainly weren’t expecting a gorgeously soft dog bed, towels, food and water bowls and – ahem – those little bags you need when you’re walking your dog. These little touches made it easy for Austin to make himself at home. After the obligatory snoop around the room and throwing your bags down before leaping back-first on to the comfy bed, we decided to explore the grounds.

We walked back past the manor house, past the outside tennis courts and through to the manicured steps towards the fountain. We could pause there and fully-appreciate where we were. One way the stunning green vista, the other way the steps up to the manor house, with the huge windows of the orangery shining with the last few rays of sunshine for the day. We ambled back to our room, past other busy members of facilities staff which would all greet you with a friendly how-do-you-do.

As we got ready for our evening meal, we were able to set the dog down to relax on his new favourite spot and turned the lights low. The room stayed lovely and warm even though it was a brisk November evening, the heavy curtain in front of the thick sliding door to the outside doing a marvellous job of keeping out the elements.

We made our way back in to the main house and to the restaurant and were met with the maître d', who invited us to take a seat in the bar and enjoy some cocktails while we perused the evening’s menu. We were more than happy to oblige! The bar was a breath-taking space with its enormous high ceilings and decorated with huge mirrors, crushed velvet armchairs and low, copper tables. The impressive wooden bar was stocked with all manner of exotic spirits and watching the barman carefully crafting the cocktails was almost hypnotic. We decided to order our drinks, my wife opting for the Strawberry Fields; Bombay Sapphire gin, strawberry, mint and cucumber syrup and fresh lemon juice served in a flute of prosecco. I went for the Gintanamo Bay; Bombay Sapphire gin, cucumber, mint, fresh lemon and ginger beer, served long over ice. Neither of us are huge drinkers, but enjoy the odd cocktail on a special occasion such as this. The Strawberry Fields did a great job of cutting through the dryness of the prosecco with the sweetness of the other fruity flavours, and the Gintanamo Bay started fiery with the ginger beer, but mellowed with the mint and cucumber and went down really easily! We’d definitely have been happy there making our way through the cocktail list, but our table was ready. We had already placed our orders while we were in the bar, so the service was absolutely second-to-none. We went in to the main restaurant.

While we were waiting for our first course, we were offered warm bread and butter for the table. However, this being Combe Grove, even this was an opportunity to amaze us. I was afforded my first experience of cheese and pickle butter. An absolute revelation to me, which was the perfect blend of the three iconic ingredients. It was a job not to get carried away with our tasty pre-starter selection, but I had a job to do. Our starters arrived.

I ordered the Seared Scallops, which were served with crispy ham hock, black treacle, cauliflower, granny smith and curry powder. How the chef – who I am convinced is a genius – came up with this I will never know, but I’m glad he did. As a lover of seafood I was instantly drawn to the scallops, but each addition was expertly included and complimented the flavour perfectly. The melt-in-your-mouth scallop, the crunch of the ham hock, the sharpness of the apple, everything was so simple, but would be impossible to replicate. Perfect.

My wife started with the Pressed Chicken, Mushroom and Leeks, which was accompanied by artichoke, winter truffle and hazelnut brioche. I’m tempted to describe this dish as a terrine, but to do so seems too simple. The chicken was moist, juicy and soft, full of flavour and was again perfectly paired with its other ingredients. I was only afforded a small sample as it was simply too good to share! The hazelnut brioche was a particular hit, too.

On to the mains. Ever the carnivore, I ordered the Pork Fillet, which came with prosciutto ham, braised cheek, blue cheese and broccoli. In my experience, it’s easy to get pork wrong. Sometimes it can be a bit fatty and look unappealing. Needless to say that was not my experience at Combe Grove. My dish came out and looked like a masterpiece; the pork wrapped snugly in the prosciutto which was sat on the creamy broccoli. The blue cheese was housed in what I can only describe as a ‘tube of deliciousness’. Again, it’s easy to run out of superlatives to describe how expertly put together this meal was. I can say with absolute confidence that this is the best pork I’ve ever eaten due to it’s rich, full flavour, perfect texture and artful accompaniments.

Mrs Hardy went for the Crisp Hen’s Egg, served with butternut squash, pickled mushrooms, gran padana, sage and potato gnocchi. Another triumph of taste and texture, this dish was her favourite of them all, so much so we decided to celebrate with another couple of glasses of wine!

We had a moment of reflection and decided the we did, indeed, have enough room for a dessert. I liked the look of the Poached Pear, pistachio cake and white chocolate sorbet and my wife ordered the Chocolate and Popcorn, which was set popcorn custard, dark chocolate sorbet, hazelnut, milk puree. We were taken by surprise when our desserts came as the chef had taken the time to beautifully pipe ‘Happy Birthday’ on both of our plates. The service and presentation made us feel truly special and was a fantastic little touch to what was already one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had.

My dish was a soft, warm pear served with a pear puree which gave the dish a creamy texture, punctuated with the cold sorbet and moist, light cake. The popcorn and chocolate was as delicious as this quirky sweet sounds! Everyone loves popcorn, everyone loves chocolate, but you wouldn’t necessarily put them both together. Combe Grove do, and it’s an absolute must try!

After we finished our meal and leisurely drained our glasses, we retired to our room where the dog was snoozing exactly where we left him, clearly calm and cosy. The beds were beautifully soft and comfortable, and paired with the full bellies made for a cracking night’s sleep! We woke the following morning and pulled back the curtain to what was one of the more beautiful sunrises I’ve been witness to.

After another trip round the grounds with the dog, we went in for our breakfast. We were met with a delicious array of cold breakfast options, but opted for the cooked-to-order menu from the kitchen. The array of food on offer that morning was a million miles away from the cold, uninspiring buffets you’d expect from other hotels, but we’d become accustomed to just how beautifully every detail seemed to have been considered at Combe Grove, so weren’t surprised in the slightest that this may have been the best hotel breakfast we’d eaten!

I ordered a toasted bagel with egg, bacon and brie, which was cooked just how I liked it; a poached egg with a nice runny middle. Coupled with a great cup of strong, black coffee is my perfect way to start the day. I was a little jealous to see my wife’s breakfast of eggy bread, caramelized banana, yoghurt and home made Nutella. The breakfast tea with see-through teapot and quirky leaf diffuser was a nice addition and the views beyond the hills were very calming to look out on as we said goodbye to the hotel.

My only regret following our stay was that we weren’t there longer. With the tennis courts, golf course and full country club including gym and swimming pool just waiting to be enjoyed, I wish I’d have had the opportunity to make the most of it. It’ll definitely be on my to-do list when I return for my next visit. I’d urge you to do the same!

For a restful night away from the city, Combe Grove is the perfect place to go and enjoy some world-class food, cocktails, service and scenery.