Stock Hill Country House Hotel and Restaurant is a late Victorian mansion set in eleven acres of mature and beautifully nurtured, wooded grounds on the borders of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. Many attractions are within easy reach, yet this Dorset country house hotel exudes calm and tranquillity as soon as you turn into its beech-lined drive. From the moment you arrive at the entrance, you can start to relax and begin to experience the comfort and hospitality once afforded only to the privileged few.
Chef/Patron, Peter Hauser and his wife Nita have spent twenty years refurbishing the Victorian house and gardens to exacting standards. Today, Stock Hill's serenity and acclaimed cuisine is internationally recognised by many reputable hotel guides as one of the finest country house hotels in England, including Condι Nast Johansens, AA (3 red stars, 3 rosettes) English Tourist Council, Michelin (3 red houses) Which? Guide to Good Hotels, The Good Hotel Guide ,The Good Food Guide and Karen Brown Guides in the USA.
Bedrooms
The 8 bedrooms are individually decorated and mirror the style and elegance of the house. Each room is complete with en-suite facilities and furnished with comfortable beds, interesting antiques and occasional furniture. All rooms have a remote controlled TV and the usual facilities you would expect from a Country House Hotel.
Interior
Nita Hauser devotes a great deal of time and energy to the care and attention of the eight bedrooms, two restaurants and the front of house management of Stock Hill. Many guests compliment her on the meticulous attention to detail. The lively period decor brings out the 19th Century feel and contributes in part to its seductive charm. The many unusual and varied antiques displayed all around the house add great interest and bring pleasure to those that love to browse and enjoy such things.
Restaurant
Peter Hauser's food is an interesting blend of classic French and English cuisine highlighted with an underlying influence of his native Austrian upbringing. Peter trained in Austria at the Hotel Schwechaterhof in Linz. He is an innovative, creative chef who enjoys experimenting with unusual combinations that tingle the taste buds. The result is both original and different. His kitchen philosophy is to prepare dishes using the simplest, freshest ingredients including fine local produce, such as game and meat from the surrounding countryside, freshly caught fish and shellfish from the nearby Dorset coast along with home grown vegetables and herbs from his walled kitchen garden. Peter's refreshing view on his culinary skill is, "I don't cook like anyone else, I cook like me".
When you have visited Stock Hill you will understand just what this means. Take a look at Peter's recipes and you'll see what he means. To complement the food, Stock Hill's restaurant features fine wines and the immaculate service you would expect from a highly acclaimed, award winning Country House Hotel; but there is a difference, there's anticipation in the atmosphere and an excitement as the food is served. There are no particular events that bring about this ambience - it's simply there; the staff, the decor, the house, the view of the gardens, the atmosphere of calm and true relaxation, coupled with friendly people and an air of knowing how to make your visit really enjoyable.
Breakfast time
Of course, no stay in an English Country House Hotel can be complete without the vital experience of a truly inspiring full English breakfast, though of course a full continental selection is also available. Stock Hill will certainly not disappoint. Its extensive breakfast menu is the perfect start to the day and is presented in the Lancaster Room, named after the famous cartoonist Osbert Lancaster, whose Grandfather once lived in the house. An original Lancaster cartoon adorns the wall.
And if after a day of exploring the Dorset countryside you are desperately in need of a cup of tea, then on your return to Stock Hill you are offered a freshly brewed pot of a tea of your choice and home made cake, either to be served in your room, or in the comfort of one of the lounges as part of the service. |
