Mention Summer Lodge to anyone who's visited and their eyes light up and a recommendation quickly follows. I was lucky enough to be taken to dinner
there one evening last winter so I can speak from first-hand experience. The atmosphere, food, wine and service were
all exceptional and definitely made it, for me, a Loving Dorset must have
post. With this in mind and being keen
to see the hotel in the full light of day I called to ask for a show-round. To cut a long story short, Kevin Reid,
Director of Sales at Summer Lodge, very kindly met with me at Summer Lodge this
week and gave me the full low down on what really is (and I hate the over use
of ‘unique’) a unique venue!
Some might expect a venue like Summer Lodge to be extremely
quiet on a damp spring afternoon but far from it. Alive, pleasantly busy and a haven of peace,
in equal measures, would be a more accurate description. I saw several groups of people enjoying mouth-watering
afternoon tea (which is served from 1.30pm), guests milling around and making
the most of the hotel’s spa, relaxing beside the swimming pool.
Part of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection Summer Lodge has an excellent reputation and very
comprehensive website but nothing compares with ‘seeing for
yourself’! Attention to detail, burning
wood fires (because it’s a bit cool outside), sumptuous quintessential British
country house decor with a quirky twist, fresh flowers and a warm and friendly
atmosphere make for the perfect setting for any occasion. I’m thinking weddings, anniversaries, christenings,
private parties, corporate meetings, product launches and events - but it would
lend itself to much more besides.
Summer Lodge
oozes tradition and history but the team of people running it are forward
thinking and on the ball. Innovative
packages include Adventures in Food where guests can rediscover
the ancient art of foraging with acknowledged expert John Wright - star of TV
show ‘River Cottage’. Here John introduces guests and diners to the joys of
these fascinating food adventures and the hotels award-winning restaurant uses
the produce collected during the day to create a sumptuous feast.
The
forages are free of charge to guests staying in the hotel on Friday or Saturday
night as well as non-residents with Saturday night dinner reservations. The next event is a Seashore Forage on Saturday 19th May 2012 – definitely worth checking out.
The Summer Lodge Wine Dinners are pretty exceptional too. They have been established for some time and
are held monthly. For these evenings Chef Steven Titman teams up with Cellar Master Eric
Zwiebel, recognised as one of the four best Sommeliers in the world, to create
a series of extraordinarily enjoyable dining experiences. The next date is 5th June and presents wines from
Yerling Station, Yarra Valley in Australia which looks sensational but I’ve got my eye on the 5
Sommeliers Black Tie Dinner on 19th September!
I have to
say the thing that really impressed me the most was the relaxed and friendly
atmosphere that greeted me throughout the hotel. I didn’t feel intimidated for a second. My experience was one of laid back luxury!
It also boasts some impressive awards – recent wins include ...
·
Dorset
Restaurant of the Year - Taste of Dorset Awards 2011
·
Best
British Cheese Board - The British Cheese Society Awards 2010
·
Sunday Times - Britain's Top 100 Restaurants 2010 - 2nd in the
South West, 27th in the UK, Top 10 Best Wine Lists
Conde Nast Johansens 2010 Awards for Excellence - Most Excellent Service in the UK & Ireland
Conde Nast Johansens 2010 Awards for Excellence - Most Excellent Service in the UK & Ireland
·
Recognised as Gold Standard Award Investors in People - the first
company to gain this award on a worldwide basis.
Thank you Kevin – I really enjoyed my visit and will be back soon! For further information please check out the
website www.summerlodgehotel.co.uk
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