Exclusive review of 1772 at The Retreat at Elcot Park

Brought to life by Hector Ross – the co-founder of the Signet Collection and formerly of the Beaverbrook – The Retreat at Elcot Park is newly opened and boasting 55 renovated bedrooms, alongside a number of new restaurants including the Atlas Room (cocktails and afternoon tea), (pan-Asian) and 1772 – a bistro named after the year The Retreat was first built and the reason why we are here.

Stay Updated
Get the latest updates on new restaurants, food guides, local events and more.

Restoration

Hector Ross keeps his eyes open for tired, unloved hotels in need of some TLC. His group’s first address, The Mitre, opened on the Thames at Hampton Court in summer 2020. A few years before that though, he came across Elcot Park Hotel while taking his toddler son to swimming lessons at the pool there, and fell in love with the place.

Located midway between Newbury and Hungerford in the Kennet Valley, this redbrick house is planted in grounds amid oaky countryside and walled gardens. Surrounded by farmland and small villages, partly linked by the chalk stream of the Kennet and the Kennet & Avon canal, Ross decided to write to the owner.

He kept writing to the owner, who eventually agreed to sell, and Ross was able to start transforming the early-19th-century house. The result is a relaxed bolthole that keeps one foot in its historical past and one Vans skateboard shoe-clad foot in the present; staff get to choose their own Vans footwear as part of their uniform – any colour so long as it’s checkerboard.

Team

Speaking of staff, the team here is extraordinary. Aside from looking cool in their modern, stylish uniforms, they’re attentive, smiling and very approachable. There’s not a single air of pretension – in fact quite the opposite – laidback charm and enthusiasm.

The team is led by the warm and welcoming Vinny. The General Manager is originally from Ile-de-Ré and came here from Chelsea FC.

Vinny and his team did an excellent job of making us feel at home on arrival and looked after throughout our meal, on-hand to answer any questions or to make recommendations.

Food and drink

Seated at a table by the window, a glass of Bordeaux in hand, we took in our surroundings. Lush green countryside dotted by the odd rabbit nibbling away at the grass. It was a gorgeous setting for our meal.

There is an element of fusion in the menu, with Asian influences coming in from Yü. The Crispy Tempura Prawn Sushi Roll starter was superb. Eight pieces of delicious sushi creatively demonstrating skilful contrasts in textures and taste. With the wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce, it was heavenly moreish.

The Burrata and Tomato Caprese Salad, meanwhile, was wonderfully seasonal, fresh and colourfully presented. Again, it offered creative plays on the plate with peas, crispy onions and balsamic.

For mains, the Chargrilled Ribeye of Hampshire Beef was hard to turn down. Juicy and well cooked, it was incredibly satisfying. Especially when you added truffle fries and sauce béarnaise into the equation.

The Lobster and Crayfish Tortellini further demonstrated the fusion elements of the menu, following on from the Caprese salad. With sun-dried tomatoes, a hint of chilli and basil, it was perfect for the season.

Save room for pudding – you won’t be disappointed. Especially if you choose the Dark Chocolate Crunchie with crushed honeycomb and cocoa nib tuile.

Escapism

The Retreat at Elcot Park is only 40 minutes by train from Paddington to Kintbury (down the road), so this is an ideal London escape for city-dwelling foodies seeking a countryside fix. There are colour-coordinated wellies you can borrow from the boot room if the weather’s drab and plenty of brisk hikes around the Kennet Valley to take (there is an in-house spa if you’d rather not venture out too much).

Locals love it already with the hotel and its restaurants set to become a social hub for the Newbury community.

Book in for yourself to see what the fuss is all about this summer.

mobile app promotional banner