Michael Wignall at The Latymer

The original house, built in the 19th century for a high-flying man of business, remains the heart and soul of the Pennyhill estate, and it's a fair bet you will have stayed in hotel rooms elsewhere that are smaller than the devilishly swish en suite bathrooms here. The 123 acres of lush and wooded Surrey parkland that surrounds Pennyhill adds to that sense of escape and there is enough going on here to entice even the most reluctant of sybarites - nine-hole golf course, shooting lodge, a gym equipped to the gunnels with all the latest stuff, and a spa that could wash away the troubles from all but perhaps the Greek Finance Minister. And then there is the food. There are a number of eating options (see entry for The Brasserie), but the main attraction, le gros poisson, summo canis...is Michael Wignall at The Latymer. As the five Rosettes attest, this is contemporary cooking of the highest order. The action takes place in a room with oak panelled walls and stained-glass windows, the space given a high-end contemporary feel with its burnt orange, rust and pale green colour palette. In the kitchen, a dramatic bubble-glass chef's table sits amid onyx walls, a glass mosaic floor, and an LCD screen for close-ups of the action. The service team are top-drawer, too, with nary a step out of place. Michael Wignall's food is creative and majestically-crafted stuff, with modern culinary thinking warmly embraced but never allowed to detract or overwhelm the ingredients (and what ingredients!), whilst presentation is beautiful without being frivolous. An amuse-bouche of an open ravioli with pork loin, crab and bergamot sets the bar about as high as it can go, the flavours and aromas leaving a lasting impression - wow. The technical abilities on show are phenomenal: the attention to detail in a starter of Cotswold white chicken, for example, has the meat poached in an aromatic consommé and served super-thin with its crispy skin, a 'cigar' of smoked eel, ponzu jelly and a horseradish emulsion. Next up, main-course Lakeland roe deer is a superb piece of meat, the loin soft and packed with flavour, served with Hereford snails, parsley cream and salad, sprouting broccoli, bread and bay, or from the 10-course Tasting Menu might be cassoulet of razor and palourde clams with cuttlefish gnocchi, free-range Farnborough quail's egg and cuttlefish crisp. The skill, craft and creativity continues through to desserts such as iced yuzu mousse with dehydrated yoghurt, Alphonse mango sabayon and coconut sorbet. The breads are all freshly made in the hotel's in-house bakery, including your morning croissant if you're lucky enough to be staying over.