insideKENT Magazine Issue 86 - May 2019 | Seite 130

GETAWAYS
ASHDOWN PARK HOTEL CONT.
It’s this unwavering dedication to service – and to
the more formal ‘affable but attentive’ style of service
that underpins traditional hospitality, that defines
the whole experience at Ashdown Park. The hotel
is by no means stuffy, but what makes a stay here –
in our case a much-needed ‘post-baby moon’ break
from the demands of a new baby – so restorative is
the air of calmness that pervades throughout. The
bells and whistles of modern, fast-paced life are left
at the door, so it’s a little like stepping back in time
– technologically at least – but without wanting for
anything more.
In this vein, the rooms may not open with iPad palm
scan and everything on the two AA Rosette
restaurant’s menu may not be deconstructed, but
that’s the point. As befits a country house hotel, no
two rooms and suites are alike, but many benefit
from views of lakes, lawns, or parkland excepting
the Fairway suites and studios which overlook the
hotel’s scenic 18-hole golf course – the single reason
why many come and stay here. Our room was a
tranquil blend of stained-glass windows, rich cream
and dusky pink furnishings with oak-panelled walls
and a four-poster bed heaped high with plump,
feather-filled pillows; the stuff of dreams for a sleep-
deprived parent.
Although room service can be ordered, it’s well
worth donning your finery and heading to the hotel’s
two AA Rosette restaurant, The Anderida, for their
seasonal à la carte menu. Classic British cookery
prepared and presented with the flair of French fine
dining, you can expect innovative dishes such as
roasted turbot with blue cheese ravioli, confit garlic
and pear fondant, or monkfish and ham hock with
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spiced granola, gem, pumpkin purée and chicken
jus. The standout dish of the night for me though
was the beef fillet ‘surf and turf’ with smoked oil,
anchovy burrata, spinach risotto and celeriac; a
brilliant combination of earthy, salty, rich and sweet
with a hint of bitterness.
Work off the cheese trolley with a stroll around
Ashdown Park’s 186 acres of impressive grounds.
Set in the midst of the Ashdown Forest, a relatively
well-kept secret among Britain’s forests that was the
inspiration for A.A Milne’s Hundred Acre Wood no
less, the sprawling heathland includes lakes,
manicured gardens and woodland where by day you
can often see deer roaming freely. Anyone looking
for a weekend of effortless relaxation sprinkled with
some foodie indulgence, an intriguing history and
a great night’s sleep should look no further than the
Ashdown Park Hotel.
Ashdown Park Hotel
Wych Cross
Nr Forest Row
East Grinstead
RH18 5JR
01342 824988
[e-mail]
www.ashdownpark.com
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