Hotel Review: The Wood Norton, Worcestershire

Location: Evesham, Worcestershire
Price: £££
Value for Money: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
Perfect for: Romantic weekend in the country

Location and First Impressions:

Driving up to The Wood Norton I couldn’t help but stare in awe at the beautiful craftsmanship of the hotel. Built in 1897 by the exiled Duc D’Orleans, an exiled French Royal, the hotel looks very much like it did back then and even houses the stunning original 19th Century French Decorative interiors. At the beginning of the 2nd World War, the estate was bought by the BBC and The Wood Norton soon became one of the largest broadcasting centres in Europe and still today trains BBC staff each year.

Today, The Wood Norton offers fifty beautiful rooms including five spectacular suites as well as a restaurant which uses the beautiful local produce that can be found all around the surrounding areas.

Afternoon Tea at Wood Norton:

Upon checking in, we decided to sample the Afternoon Tea as we were quite famished following the drive up. Served in the contemporary bar at the front of the property, the Afternoon Tea is served with an assortment of teas and coffees and even a glass of Hendricks and Tonic or Tattinger Champagne should the mood take you. The fabulous sweet and savoury treats are served on a lovely tiered tray and we really enjoyed trying the selection. It was a delightful way to commence our stay at the beautiful hotel and we also fit in a cheeky cocktail served by the super friendly bartender.

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Before heading up to our room we had a walk around and ended up playing a few games of pool in the Game Room which also had numerous board games and a large TV with a computer console to entertain young and old alike! There’s also a fully equipped gym for those that wish you maintain their fitness routine whilst staying at the hotel.

Our Room:

Walking up to our room on the first floor, we could almost ‘feel’ the history and heritage of the 19th Manor house. Everywhere you turn the walls are adorned with glorious paintings and photographs of times gone by and the original wooden carvings decorating the ceilings and staircases are a marvel to behold.

We stayed in the Junior Suite overlooking the beautiful gardens and were pleasantly surprised to find a free-standing claw foot bath and bay window with seating inside the huge bathroom. It is a stunning room and I loved the original wood panelling covering the whole suite. Yet, alongside the fireplace and bay window, the usual modern comforts are here including TV, iron, coffee making facilities, hair dryer, and luxurious Molten Brown products for use in the large walk-in shower.

The shower itself is fantastic as is the bath, which I managed to make use of too! For me, nothing is more relaxing and soothing than a bath and a claw foot bath is the ultimate, especially with complimentary Molten Brown bath salts!

Dinner at The Fleur De Lys Brasserie:

Later that evening, we dined at the hotel’s fine dining restaurant on the ground floor overlooking the South Terrace with views stretching to the countryside beyond. The restaurant’s interior matches the rest of the hotel and there is plenty of seating to cater to non-residents of the hotel also. The menu changes regularly and has plenty of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes with plenty of creative flair including Grilled Monkfish with Clams, Braised Leek, Potatoes, and Clam Puree and Venison Haunch with Blackberries, Kale, Parsnips & Suet Pudding.

To start, I had the Roasted Pigeon with Beetroot, Spiced Date Puree & Molasses and my husband had the Confit Duck Leg Tart with Spiced Plum, Mustard Seeds, Szechuan Pepper Cream Cheese and Basil. We also shared the Homemade Bread Selection with Oils and Olives.

The bread came first and it was lovely and warm and really delicious with the olive oil and mixed olives. In fact, the olive oil was so delicious as a dip that we had to ask for more!

My starter was as delicious as it looked and the tart beetroot went harmoniously with the beautifully cooked pigeon breast. The duck leg tart was probably the better of the starters simply because it had more texture and the mustard seeds were a great addition to the dish. The duck itself was plentiful and full of flavour and the tart was cooked perfectly with lovely crisp pastry.

With the starters we tried a couple of cocktails - I had the fruity and refreshing Good Tidings and my husband had the classic and smoky Whisky Old Fashioned. Both were a hit.

For mains, we went on the recommendation of our server who recommended to me the Roasted Cod with Celeriac, Wild Mushrooms, Bacon Jam, & Pickled Walnuts. The other was the Chilli Beef Linguine with Ginger & Sesame Seeds.

The cod was delightfully meaty and sweet and really worked beautifully with the salty bacon jam, a combination I’m seeing more and more of and not without good reason. The celeriac was more like a puree had a nice subtle flavour to it and I especially enjoyed the pickled walnuts which gave the dish some much needed texture.

The beef linguine was one of the highlights of the meal and was salty, sweet, slightly spicy and oh so moreish.

To finish our lovely meal, we shared the Sticky Toffee Pudding with Orange Caramel, Macadamia Nuts & Coffee Cream. A refreshing take on a classic pudding and polished off in a few bites.

After dinner, we had a leisurely walk around the grounds before retiring to our room for what was a beautiful night’s sleep in the super comfy Queen bed.

Breakfast:

The breakfast at The Wood Norton was a delight. There is a continental buffet selection featuring fresh fruit juice, warm pastries and breads, a selection of cheese and meats, various cereals and even honeycomb fresh from the grounds of the estate. The hot breakfast selection includes Full English Breakfast, Egg Florentine and Belgian Waffle with Maple Syrup & Bacon. I had the Avocado on Toasted Sourdough Bread with Poached Egg and my husband had Egg Benedict with Parma Ham, Poached Egg & Hollandaise. Both were delicious and really set us up for the day ahead exploring the beautiful surrounding countryside.

Overall:

We had a fantastic stay at The Wood Norton and was really impressed with everything, from the friendly service with a smile to the stunning historic features of the building. It is a hotel with lots of style, character and history and I highly recommend it as the perfect location for a weekend getaway in the countryside.