The Spa Hotel

The grand Spa Hotel sits in 14 acres of beautifully tended grounds on the edge of Tunbridge Wells, and has been welcoming paying guests since 1880. It's been refurbished in recent years and today the interior is a pleasing mix of period elegance and boutique style. The Chandelier Restaurant is a large Regency-style room with (you've guessed it) chandeliers hanging from the ornate high ceilings, upholstered chairs and crisp white napery. It may be grand and formal in appearance, but the service is friendly and relaxed. The cooking is classically based, with an emphasis on quality locally-sourced ingredients. A May starter might be as simple as English asparagus with a soft poached egg and hollandaise sauce, or foie gras with malted bread crisps, anise, fennel, red onion port chutney and sweet elderflower onions. For main course expect the likes of roast fillet of Sussex coast cod with gremolata crust, saffron tagliatelle, broad beans, fresh cockles, lemon and parsley butter sauce, or mustard and herb-crusted rack of Bodium lamb with wild garlic potatoes, curly kale, fresh carrot, fresh mint syrup and a rich jus.