Tucked away in the heart of Leicestershire you have a striking former family home surrounded by thirty-eight acres of beautiful woodland which is now a grade II listed hotel- Kilworth House…
As you park your car and enter the grounds of Kilworth, the first thing you notice is a beautiful archway dripping with fairy lights, the grand statutory of the family home and how well the land is kept. The woodland is perfect for an afternoon stroll with your loved one, explore the set routes and spot the wealth of wildlife that moves beside you. From the off, it is clear this is a Hotel to be cherished.
Kilworth house: The Hotel
As you enter the hotel it presents itself with a real tradition and class, the lounges are all well decorated and have a roaring fire for you to sit back, relax and enjoy some traditional board games. The cosy smell of soft burning wood drifts throughout the lobby and immediately entices you in, where a concierge is waiting and available to relieve you of your luggage and help you to your room. Kilworth is home to a number of individually designed rooms and suites for you to stay in and pride themselves in their uniqueness that no two rooms are the same. We were in one of the more traditional “garden rooms” but the rooms decor varies from the more contemporary to four poster bed rooms or Garden rooms which come with a view of the knot garden or estate.
Our Estate view brought plenty of light in through the window. The room itself was spacious but the decor a little too olde-worldy for my liking. (Remember each room is different at this hotel!) The bed was a king size and very comfortable, the pillows fluffy and soft on your skin – the ideal recipe for the perfect sleep. The bathroom was an adequate size which included a bath (With an attached shower) and complimented toiletries. A trouser press, iron, safe and tea/coffee making facilities come standard in the garden rooms as well as a TV.
Kilworth house: The Theatre
Theatre is a passion by the owners of Kilworth – so much so that they decided to open their very own open-air theatre in the grounds. It is situated within 38 acres of beautiful woodland and seats 550 guests (on comfortable padded seats) with an on-site bar facility for snacks and drinks whilst you watch. The shows run come rain or shine (thanks to the sail-like canopy which provides protection for the audience and stage area) and have been compared to West End shows for their excellent production. Even if you don’t stay at the Hotel it’s worth coming for a visit and organising a pre or post-show lunch or dinner in the Hotel’s restaurant.
Kilworth house: The Restaurant – The Orangery
We had our dinner in the orangery which is a beautiful feature to the building. Built in Victoria times, it allows you to sit and dine beneath a glass, timber and ornate wrought iron ceiling which fills the room with plenty of light during the day and gives you a perfect view of the stars twinkling in the sky at night. In the background you can enjoy the charm of a grand piano playing classical songs -a lovely accompaniment whilst you feast on fine cuisine.
The menu offers a variety of dishes both for meat lovers and vegetarian. I opted for Pigeon Breast which was cooked very well and was soft and succulent, perfectly complimented by its accompaniments of confit beetroot, orange and arise jelly.
The menu for the main course offers a selection of seven dishes making it very difficult to choose (I was torn between three different dishes!) In the end I opted for the Rump of Lamb with ratatouille flavours and Jersey royals. The lamb wasn’t too fatty and fell apart when the knife glided through, the sauce which accompanied the dish wasn’t too strong and went well with the Lamb, and the jersey royals were cooked just how I like them. My Partner on this occasion went for something other than her regular “Chicken Dish” which she normally opts for and instead chose the rump steak, which comes with Worcestershire sauce mushrooms, tomato, parsley butter and fries. Having asked for this dish to come out medium rare, the steak was tender and juicy. The flavours of the Worcestershire sauce complimented the steak and the fries were a nice added touch.
Desserts wise we opted for the chocolate brownie with salted caramel ice cream and a Passion fruit mousse with toasted meringue. We both have a sweet tooth and were fully satisfied by the desserts which were as aesthetically pleasing as they were delicious.
Breakfast was included in our stay which was a traditional English breakfast (this went down a treat) or a selection of pastries and cereals which were displayed in the middle of the orangery along with a variety of juices, teas and coffee. It’s well worth indulging yourself as a real treat.
Kilworth House: The Summary
Overall the food at Kilworth house was good, the surroundings beautiful, the theatre incredible and we really enjoyed our stay. We were a little disappointed with our room but having seen the other rooms available; this room didn’t do the hotel justice. On a price point the cost to have food and see the theatre show is very reasonable and having spoken to other guests they loved their stay as well. We wouldn’t hesitate to return.
Seen in the City was hosted by Kilworth House Hotel – a member of the Pride of Britain Hotels collection (never more than 50 hotels, to guarantee quality and exclusivity). Set amid 38 acres of landscaped parkland in Leicestershire, Kilworth House Hotel is a Grade II listed Italianate country house with 44 luxury bedrooms. The hotel is also home to a fantastic outdoor theatre, with performances held each summer, and winter events are held in the hotel’s beautiful orangery. An overnight stay costs from £200 per room (two sharing) including full English breakfast. To book call Pride of Britain Hotels on 0800 089 3929 (www.prideofbritainhotels.com).
