TIMING as they say, is everything, and I obviously picked an excellent occasion to visit the Dormy House in Broadway - not that there would ever be a bad time to stay at such an excellent venue.

I arrived just a short time after the hotel's in-house restaurant The Garden Room, had launched its new menu under the stewardship of head chef Sam Bowser and culinary director Martin Burge.

Three interchangeable tasting menus, either five courses or seven, with optional wine flight, offers a tantalising range of tastes and textures not to be missed.

The hotel's website says it is a menu full of ingenious flavour combinations and delicious surprises - and its hard to argue with that as mind-boggling mixtures and sweet/savoury crossovers make their way to your table.

Cauliflower is teamed with horseradish panna cotta in an ornate marble sphere, which depending on your reference points in life, resembles a Pokemon ball or paperweight - your choice.

I like a bit of theatre with a meal so this was right up my street. Taking the lid off the ball leads to smoke billowing out, allowing you to feast your eyes on the lovingly-created dish and savour the intoxicating mixture of smells - a real feast for the senses.

My favourite course was the hot smoked duck breast which was served with a delicious morello cherry accompaniment. The knowledgeable sommelier chose the perfect pairing too - a sweet red which resembled more of a dessert wine.

Every dish was excellently executed and the cheese course again allowed for a little more theatre. The maître d happily explains where the cheeses come from and the order to eat them in, while using all manner of ingenious contraptions to cut the perfect slice.

The standard of food is no great surprise with the head chef having worked with the likes of Raymond Blanc, and the culinary director previously having worked in Michelin starred establishments.

But there is plenty more to the Dormy than just food alone. I couldn't come here without trying the house spa complex which is often talked about when awards seasons come around - indeed it is included on the shortlist for Condé Nast Johansens’ 36th annual UK & Ireland Awards for Excellence.

Arriving too late to check out the facilities the previous evening, I opted to head down to the pool early on the following morning - and what a good decision that proved to be.

A bright and mild October morning was perfect to be able to sit outside in the hot tub on the spa terrace. To be able to look up at the blue sky and enjoy the heat of the pool was sheer bliss - why can't all mornings be like this? I stayed longer than planned but why not - it was far too nice to get out.

I also had the pool to myself for a gentle morning workout - there is a gym for those who wish to start the day by working up a sweat and there are plenty of spa treatments on offer if you have more time and don't have to get back to work.

Suitably sated, I enjoyed a delicious breakfast in the garden room - this time being able to see out into the garden, which would be lovely in the warmer summer months, with large windows seamlessly allowing the outside world to mix with the indoors.

My attic room was excellent, with the drench shower heads and large bath making for a luxurious stay. Little comforts like ipads and coffee machines in the room add to what is already a highly comfortable and relaxing experience.

A special word for the staff too. Everyone I spoke to was unfailingly helpful, polite and genuinely happy in their work. That sort of attitude makes all the difference with me, and I'm sure a lot of other people too.

I would highly recommend a stay if you are foodie or a spa lover - and even if you're not, there is something for everyone to enjoy at the Dormy.

  •  Dormy House Hotel & Spa has won Small Luxury Hotels of the World's, Hotel of the Year and Country House Hotel of the Year, at the SLH Awards 2017, it was announced this week.

It was described as ‘very nearly perfect’ by judges as it beat off competition from all over the world to emerge victorious.

Front of House team member, Hannah Roberts was a shortlist finalist for the SLH Hotel Hero Award.
Andrew Grahame, CEO of Farncombe Estate said: "This is wonderful recognition for Dormy House. We are absolutely thrilled to win such a prestigious international award.

"We hope that by winning Hotel of the Year we are in some small way promoting the Cotswolds on the international stage as a special place to stay and visit.

"An enormous well done has to go to our outstanding Dormy House team; their dedication and passion to provide the best possible levels of service and experiences for our guests is second to none.

"2017 has been a great year for Dormy House and for the wider Farncombe Estate and we are even more excited about all we have in store for 2018.”

Dormy House Hotel

Willersey Hill

Broadway

Worcestershire

WR12 7LF

www.dormyhouse.co.uk

Email reservations@dormyhouse.co.uk

Phone 01386 852711