Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa

From the moment you pass through the grand entrance gates and begin the long approach up the sweeping drive to the main house - with 130 acres of golf course and parkland falling away on either side - you just know you're in for something special. And when the 18th-century mansion that is Chewton Glen comes into view, that sense of anticipation is heightened even further. It really is a chocolate box English manor house, surrounded by pretty flowers in summer and immaculately turned out. Friendly staff will greet you at the door and welcome you warmly, for this place may be posh, but it's not the slightest bit stuffy (children of all ages are positively encouraged for a start). In fact, Chewton Glen is trying hard to shake off perceptions of formality and stuffiness and has completely refurbished and relaunched its restaurant to make it more flexible and accessible. Renamed 'Vetiver', it has a new, more contemporary look, with black and pale-grey patterned wallpaper, black-velvet covered chairs and lime-green leather banquettes, plus a light and airy summerhouse extension to the existing conservatory overlooking the grounds. Executive chef Luke Matthews remains at the helm in the kitchen, but he has a new head chef in the form of Daniel Phippard, formerly of London's Kensington Place. Gone is the set-menu format, and in its place is an à la carte menu designed to encourage diners to choose anything from just a starter or a main course to the full works - in short, to make Chewton Glen feel less of a special-occasion-only venue. The cooking is firmly rooted in classic techniques but takes inspiration from around the world, and everything is based upon top-notch seasonal produce, mostly from within a radius of just a few miles. Starters run from foie gras ballottine with Pedro Ximenez jelly and toasted brioche, to roasted heritage beets salad with young Salisbury goats' cheese and hazelnuts. For the main event you can go Far Eastern with the kaffir lime steamed whole sea bream with coconut broth, or stick to a more classic roast rump of spring lamb, rosemary polenta, baby onions and morels. For dessert you'll be faced with a tricky decision: whether to go for the richly indulgent Maralumi chocolate delice with (delicately flavoured) coffee ice cream, or the summery and light Sicilian blood orange cake with lemon thyme ice cream.