Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons

This place is perfect.

I was lucky enough to spend some time here and didn't want to leave.

The dining experience is wonderful but if you're ever lucky enough to stay here - try and make it as long as possible.

Everyone who works here seems to be absolutely over the moon to be there and to show you this wonderful part of the world. The food was delicious...where do I even start...

Wines a plenty, somelier knowledgable, not pushy.

This place is heaven for foodies. The kitchens are beautiful (try do a cookery class here too).

The gardens are fab (even in winter), fireplaces super cozy. Rooms stunning, bathrooms even more stunning.

I just don't know what else to write down because nothing I say will give it enough credit.

This is just an experience you have to make for yourself.

You will not be disappointed.
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LM
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, December 07, 2006

Saved up mega bucks to stay overnight with breakfast and then lunch at Halloween, usuing a special deal.

As soon as me and hubby walked up to the main house we felt welcomed. Stayed in our own house ' The Dovecote' which was lovely and secluded.

During the afternoon we retired to the Champagne Bar and Lounge where we sipped our cocktails before a roaring log fire carefully attended by the gracious staff. They all have such pride in working in this establishment that it is quite humbling, and Mr. Blanc does set high standards.

Our tasting meal (in the conservatory) was exceptional - especially the pumpkin risotto. Our wine sommelier was wonderful - we asked if he could write down the wines we had that night and he did more than that, he went off and steamed off the labels and applied them to a Le Manoir postcard - what service eh!

The Breakfast we decided to have in the Dovecote - only a light one cos dinner was quite rich, and we ate it over 4 hours.

After walking round the grounds which are stunning and along with the vegetable gardens we again retired to the log fire and awaited lunch - more eating I hear you say - well that's what we paid for! Well needles to say we left utterly stuffed but thoroughly relaxed and rejuvernated, felt like we'd been away for 2 weeks - fantastic!!!
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Mrs Charlie Rutherford
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Saturday, December 02, 2006

Superb food, service and ambience from start to finish! Great location in idyllic Oxfordshire countryside complemented the meal perfectly. Raymond Blanc truly is a culinary genius and showcases his renowned creations with precision and innovation to ensure a unique dining experience, this is cooking of the highest order. Highly recommended and will certainly return! My thanks to all the kitchen and front-of-house staff for creating such a memorable birthday lunch.
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John Haidar
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Took my wife here for her 30th birthday. Why this extraordinary hotel and restairant hasn't got 3 michelin stars is beyond comprehension. Food is stunning, service was a perfect balance of friendly, attentive, knowledgeable and professional - the cheese somelier was marvellous, as was the wine somelier. Our room was delighful. A truly memorable experience, we were made to feel like old friends and treated like royalty. Expensive? Well, not really considering the quality of everything, food, service and surroundings. Absolutely faultless.
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Dave Collins - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Thursday, August 17, 2006

I booked a night at Le manoir for my wife's birthday and our wedding anniversary. We were met at the entrance by a charming young lady who wished my wife a very happy birthday (Pre warned). She then gave us a brief guide to the hotel and the grounds. Our room (Hyacinth) was absolutely beutiful, enough to almost bring my wife to tears, and she's not the easiest to please. Pre ordered champagne and flowers were in the room waiting. We had afternoon cream teas in the garden, taking in the lovely surroundings, and a sroll around the herb /vegetable gardens . Dinner later that evening was out of this world. We opted for the five course menu. The food and the surroundings were absolutely second to none. There was one slight mishap though. I found a tiny piece of plastic in my risotto. Obviously from the when the packet was cut open. I pointed it out to the waitress. Within seconds i had the maitre'd at my table virtually begging for forgiveness. I almost felt guilty for pointing it out He added another course to our menu. I had foie gras, which melted in my mouth. He also addded a fine selection of cheeses free of charge.

We took coffee in the lounge and, suitably fed, retired to our room.This whole experience is not cheap, but, you get what you pay for. It came to just short of £700, but fellas, if you need to accrue mega brownie points, this is the place to go. I could not find a fault with it and my wife hasn't stopped smiling.
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Mike Hayes
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Although not a review of the main restaurant I would like to share our experiences of the private dining room at the Manoir. We recently held our wedding there for 48 friends and relatives (plus ourselves of course) and can only support all the positive comments made previously on this site. The maximum seating capacity of 50 places was an excellent aid in focussing the mind on the guest list and also made it easier to have a

"grown ups" only occasion.

We had become rapdily disillusioned with the wedding packages offered by the chain hotels and with a flash of inspiration a friend suggested the Manoir.

Our ceremony finished at 17.30 and we sat down to eat 19.00 after canapes and free flowing champagne in the private garden. The guests had the 'Fete' du Manoir but several were tailored to dietary requirements / preferences and the wines, chosen by ourselves, were around £45 per bottle.

Most of our friends have been known to like a drop or two to drink so the unknown wine bill was a touch worrying but in the event the whole day was unbelievably good value. As others have mentioned, not cheap , but on the other hand compared to a traditional wedding breakfast and evening disco (yuk) the final bill was thousands less than we would have paid elsewhere.

What do you get for your money? Fabulous food and wine, impeccable service and superb surroundings. Plus a day that your friends have looked forward to for months and talk about for years. Oh, and signed gifts from M.Blanc himself.

A perfect day in the a perfect place !
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Tony & Brenda Harrison
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, June 08, 2006

Beautiful place. Food was good, but we've had significantly better. Service was very polite, but there were several times when we waited for ages for service e.g. 30+ minutes between sitting down and ordering.
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Jason
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 6
Monday, May 29, 2006

Not sure what I can add to the highly complimentary reviews about Manoir, but we went just before Christmas for the set lunch menu at £45 a head. Drinks in the lounge, brilliant service, magnificent food and fantastic wine with mouth watering post-prandial petit fours. Just very very good. Spent £300 for 4 people and frankly it was worth every penny (most of that being on the booze!). Not for every day usage but if you want somewhere special go to Manoir. I've yet to eat anywhere in the UK that has matched this place.
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Frostie - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Thursday, April 13, 2006

Has to be one of the most friendly 'posh' restaurants for people with children. We are always made to feel very welcome and the child menu is exceptionally good. To make the most of a visit there, you must go on a sunny day and make a full day of it, walking round the gardens and having drinks in the garden before you are escorted to your table. Afterwards ask to have your tea in the garden and play a some croquet afterwards (equipment provided)...........

Don't forget when making your reservation, to have a table in the conservatory, makes all the difference to the atmosphere.....
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P Keophaithool
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Friday, March 31, 2006

At Le Manoir, you'll pay for fantastic food, attention to detail, staff who genuinely seem to enjoy their jobs and treat customers as their guests, and a gorgeous country setting.

I took my best friend there for her birthday meal a few weeks ago. I'd pre-ordered flowers to be presented to my friend when we arrived, however they took so long to arrive that I had started to think I hadn't ordered them!

The appetisers whilst toasting ourselves by the roaring log fire were delicious though, we couldn't get enough. It was also a nice touch that you select from the menu before you go into the main dining room, which really is that of a grand country house.

Firstly, the bread rolls they make there compares to nothing I've ever eaten before, they were amazing. The best is teh one with bacon bits cooked through it. We selected the 7 course Gourmand menu, which was an experience in itself. Firstly, seared foie gras followed by caviar and blinis - sublime. We then had quails eggs, supported by a bed of mushrooms, I could go on and on...

The only thing we didn't like from our 7 courses menu was the squab. As a general rule, if our food has once been alive, we only eat it if it's cooked. This meat came out, was dark, and rare, and atsted liek liver gone wrong. We very politely sent it back explaining that we hadn't known what it was and thus couldn't eat it, and requested chicken instead.

Not only were the staff happy to agree to this request, we weren't even charged extra for the chicken. Given that this was entirely our own fault, we were surprised as we think any London restaurant would definitely have charged us for having had to cook 2 different mains, but at Le Manior, they were happy to accommodate us and our requests.

Finally, I'd ordered a birthday cake for my friend, which like the flowers, took an age to arrive. It seems the extra things they charge for are the things they seem to forget about, whereas its the food they do well.

As I was driving, and my friend doesn't drink, we didn't actually order any alcohol, but the price of the meal still came to the GDP of a small country!

I wouldn't say the food is particularly great value for money as it's not particularly light on the wallet, but if you're questioning the price asked for amazing food, fantastic service, and a gorgeous country house and acres and acres of landscaped gardens, you can't afford to eat there, and you won't enjoy it if you do!

Next stop: A weekend at Le Manoir!
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Maame-Yaa Bempah
Sunday, November 06, 2005