Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons

We went for our first wedding anniversary and took our 8 month old daughter for the D B And B option. the service, though slow at times, was excellent and never pretentious (as we have found in some michelin starred restaurants). they were particularly accomodating when our daughter decided to throw a tantrum at the baby sitter and immediately offered to sit her with us in the restaurant for dinner!

the food was good but not exceptional and the breakfast was totally uninspiring.

the room was lovely but the bathroom was basic and in many ways 'typically french' (my wife is of french descent!). overall we thought a good place to take a child but overpriced and not in the same league as GR (either Claridges or RHR).
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Dr And Dr Shankar
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Took my wife and infant daughter this weekend. Had the menu decoverte which was showed accomplished cooking but lacked a dish that gave it a wow factor; the closest this nine course menu came to red meat was pigeon. However the halibut was the freshest I've ever tasted and the sommelier did a good job with wine pairing by the glass although I was surprised there was no accompanying pairing to begin with.

Service was good to start with but began to fall apart during the second half of the meal (I think we had about 5 different staff serving the meal) and my request for a cheese course seemed to be forgotten about for 20 minutes which is not what you want when trying to keep your child occupied for over four hours. The cheese board itself was disappointingly lightweight and our subsequent coffee order was incorrect and took nearly 30 minutes to arrive.

Of the six or so 2* restaurants I have eaten in over the last few years this was probably the most disappointing. If you know you're going to be in the area it's worth booking a table, but it wasn't worth a 3 hour drive and the B&B option that we went for. There is also a gulf in quality of cooking and service between Le Manoir and GR's 3* Royal Hospital Road. If you're looking for a short break experience, the Vineyard is a much better option with its excellent spa facilities and infinitely superior cheese board.
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Gareth - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Monday, August 25, 2008

Superb tasting menu, top-notch service, lovely gardens, and stunning rooms!

But save it for a special occasion.
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FineDiningExplorer - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Monday, March 31, 2008

I would just like to echo all the fantastic reviews this restaurant has received. This was without a doubt one of the best experiences I have ever had. This is a truly beautiful hotel and an incredible experience for anyone who is lucky enough to visit (try and stay if you possible can!) The rooms are absolutely stunning, bathrooms gorgeous and food is out of this world. Yes it is a very expensive overnight stay, but for an occassion is worth every single penny. Both my partner and I left feeling so elated by the whole experience and would recommend it to anyone who loves food. The whole package is first class!!!
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Great food but disappointing service and plus bad plumbing in the room. Lack of personal attention from M. Blanc to the issues raised in a written complaint left a sour taste for such an expensive venue.

Drive a few extra miles to the Waterside Inn at Bray where service is faultless.
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Andrew Makin
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Thursday, June 21, 2007

A most fabulous place for that special occasion. I took my wife her for her 50th birthday as a surprise. I had pre-warned the hotel. Monsieur Blanc personally welcomed her and spent 5 minutes with us, to the envy of fellow guests. He extended to us a tour of the kitchen, which we gratefully accepted. My wife was nearly in tears by now (looks of brownie points).

We had the 10 course tasting menu. We were both stunned by the amazing tastes. No more beetroots from Waitrose for us. The cauliflower puree was excellent as were all the other dishes. The Sommelier asked what types of wine we usually drink, and enquired as to our choice of courses, and recommended a selection of wines at differing prices - very subtle. The final bill came to £350, it was the £75 bottle of wine and pre-drinks! But worth every penny.

We were truly spolit and have booked to go again in July 07. Hopefully, we will not be disappointed.
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Steve
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, May 18, 2007

As a vegetarian, it is always good when you get a decent menu selection rather thatn the usual lasagne or stroganoff, so when I discovered that Raymond Blanc did a special vegetarian menu, I just had to try it.

And he did himself proud. A whole, ten course, tasting menu without meat or fish. It was imaginative, beautifully presented and very tasty and just shows what can be done if you have the flair and skill.

The setting of the restaurant is stunning, and we were so glad that we went at lunchtime rather than the evening as it gave us some time to have drinks on the terrace, wander around the beautiful gardens and play croquet.

We were there for around five and a half hours and never felt pressured to leave, it was a really good day. Okay, so it's not cheap, but the whole experience was so much more than just a meal.
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Gaz - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Never before and probably never again will I have the luxury to spend 5 hours eating lunch. Wow, wow and wow.

Though not the most stellar tasting menu I've had in London (okay, near London) the whole experience was really pleasant in that country-meets-city people sort of way. Eating there was like being outside on a gorgeously sunny early summer's day - for the afternoon, everything is going your way

Though I don't have any, I was glad to see it's child-friendly. If they can behave well (as the kids who were there did), I don't see any reason why kids can't join in on good food.
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Lauren - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, April 25, 2007

My partner and I had a set lunch at Le Manoir on Tuesday 3rd April and I have to say that we were both disappointed with the quality of the food. There was only a choice of 2 options per course and although I was fairly pleased with what I chose my partner was not, in her words she thought that the meal was ok, which was a pity as lunch cost about £180 including wine and the service charge. The service overall was very fussy, although they were very attentive, just too much at times.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was first class and we had a lovely tour of the garden before lunch and the guy giving us the tour was a joy , so enthusiasic and very knowledgeable.

We had lunch at Gordon Ramsey's restaurant at Claridges some 2 months ago and I have to say that the food was a lot more enjoyable, 2 be fair though we did choose from the a la carte menu
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David Thompson
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 6
Thursday, April 05, 2007

As a post Xmas/New Year treat my husband and I decided lunch at the Manoir would be perfect. We went with high expectations and were not disappointed. The staff were knowledgeable, friendly and almost seemed to know what you wanted before you asked for it. There wasn't a hint of snobbery or stuffiness about the place - a marked contrast from so many other top-end establishments. The whole experience is a welcoming and inclusive one.

We chose the 10 course tasting menu and the food was perfection from start to finish. All of the dishes were light - a necessity when you're tackling 10 of them - and complemented each other very well. Standouts were a single, seared scallop (the sweetest I've ever eaten) with a cauliflower puree, poached brill with oysters and wasabi and a pre-dessert of tapioca pudding flavoured with coconut and kaffir lime. Going on school experience I had no idea tapioca was even edible, let alone sublime.

Our lunch, including the drinks and canapes preceeding it took almost 3 and a half hours to complete and cost the 2 of us about £250 - this included a modestly priced (£30) bottle of wine. It is rare that we pay that sort of money for a single meal and even rarer that we don't begrudge a single penny. I can recommend the Manoir without hesitation and I am already saving to return.
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Thea
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, January 21, 2007