KENTSTAYCATION
chicken bites glazed in sticky gochujang, their gentle sweetness balanced beautifully by the sharp freshness of kimchi.
As both Port Lympne’ s 50th anniversary and our own anniversary deserved celebrating properly, we raised a glass of the estate’ s 50th Anniversary Signature Cocktail. Combining Grand Marnier, Cognac, sugar, Angostura bitters and Gusbourne Brut 2018, it offered citrus brightness layered over rich warming notes before finishing with elegant English sparkling wine. A glass of Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs followed, crisp and beautifully mineral with fine bubbles and delicate notes of green apple and brioche.
For mains, Mr R’ s beef burger arrived unapologetically indulgent. Smoked cheese melted over perfectly cooked beef while garlic mayonnaise and smoky barbecue pulled pork added richness beneath crisp butter lettuce and ripe tomato, all accompanied by delicious sweet potato fries with just the right amount of crunch.
My lamb rump showcased the kitchen’ s lighter touch. Perfectly blushing at its centre, the lamb was paired with silky leek fondue, sweet roasted cherry tomatoes and a vibrant green sauce, while a fragrant tarragon lamb jus tied every element together with quiet confidence.
Dessert continued the celebratory tone as a chocolate and caramel tart delivered deep cocoa richness beneath a perfectly crisp pastry shell, elevated further by the delicate crunch of a cocoa nib tuile. The Kentish Summer Berry Pudding, meanwhile, offered a fittingly seasonal finish. Soft berries burst with freshness beneath generous clotted cream creating a dessert that felt both nostalgic and unmistakably Kentish.
The following morning, as the estate slowly came to life beyond our windows to the background hum of lion roars and giraffes wandered the horizon once more, it struck me just how unique Port Lympne has become. Few places combine meaningful conservation, remarkable wildlife encounters and genuinely luxurious hospitality with such authenticity.
Returning a decade after our wedding made the experience deeply personal. Yet, even without that connection, the Mansion Hotel offers something rather special. It isn’ t simply a beautiful country house hotel set within a wildlife reserve. It is an opportunity to wake up surrounded by one of Britain’ s greatest conservation success stories, where every overnight stay contributes towards protecting some of the world’ s most endangered species.
For us, there could have been no finer place to celebrate where our own story began. For you, if it hasn’ t already, it should be your first Port Lympne chapter.
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