There is dog friendly and there is dog friendly in the hotel world and The Barnsdale in Rutland definitely falls into the properly canine-catering category. When I arrived at lunchtime on a gloomy September day, I was immediately presented with a map for local dog walks, beautifully illustrated and well described. My miniature poodle Tiffin thoroughly approved of the stroll along the banks of Rutland Water, through woods with cheerful signs assuring owners that leads were not required, past the pretty, squat church of St Michael & All Angels, Whitwell, and across farmland where late poppies nodded. Back at the hotel, our room was complete with dog bed, bowls and treats (being a picky poodle, he rejected the latter; a friend’s labrador back home was far more appreciative) and, at dinner, a kindly waiter brought Tiffin his water bowl on a tray, no less.
We were equally comfortable in our palatial room, the Fort Henry suite, named for the 18th-century Gothic folly a couple of miles away, from which the 6th Earl of Gainsborough once watched mock sea battles on his lake. All dark green and soft creams, with a splendid bed and eye-catching copper bath under the window, this crowns a selection of 46 rooms that range from cosy to ‘royal’ with four-poster beds and include family suites with bunk beds; everyone truly is welcome. I managed to let most of the water out of the bath prematurely by mishandling the plug, but the rainwater shower more than made up for it, having old-fashioned taps that, blissfully, didn’t need a degree to operate. The softest, fluffiest robes I have ever worn and a glass of ginger liqueur put the seal on a most relaxing afternoon.
How could anyone resist cauliflower popcorn on a menu? I certainly can’t and was rewarded with pops of intense flavour to start a locally focused dinner created by head chef Steven Finch that was imaginative, gorgeously presented and very satisfying, so much so that, to my sadness, I had to forgo pudding. The staff were attentive, without being over-present, and thoughtful; when my pre-dinner cocktail in the welcoming bar, with Vanity Fair prints and assorted plushy chairs, was about to be interrupted by the ingress of a boisterous wedding party, they conducted me to my peaceful table in the Orangery restaurant before I was swamped. With a flagstone floor and huge windows, the Orangery, created by knocking through the old reception and rod room, enjoys wonderful views over the courtyard garden on one side and lawns at the far end. A sister restaurant, 1760 Brasserie, in the old building — and named for the date the original lodge was built — is cosier, perfect for winter evenings, with polished brown furniture and panelled walls.
The well-trained staff, comfortable spaces that pay tribute to the building’s history and locally sourced food are all testament to the vision of the owner Hector Ross. He bought The Barnsdale in 2022 and added it to his burgeoning Signet Collection of hotels, which includes The Mitre in Hampton Court, The Retreat at Elcot Park in Newbury, Berkshire, and, opening in spring 2025, Deans Place in Alfriston, East Sussex. The Barnsdale, a former hunting lodge on the Exton Park estate (Rutland is prime hunting country, close to the Leicestershire Big Four of Quorn, Cottesmore, Fernie and Belvoir), had been a hotel since 1989, but Mr Ross and his team have refreshed it with imagination and style, with upcycled furniture, pretty fabrics and William Morris wallpaper; no two rooms are the same. A key part of his ethos is training staff, conscious of the difficulties of recruiting and retaining willing and competent people, and there are ambitions to launch a hospitality academy to keep standards high.
The Barnsdale also hosts weddings, parties, car launches, fashion shows and Christmas fairs in the neighbouring barn, an amazing space with an asymmetrical ceiling from which globes of smoky glass lightbulbs by Pooky hang and huge doors that open out into the garden. There is a Whispering Angel bar in the courtyard, a boules court, croquet and pétanque lawns and countless activities nearby, from fishing and boating on Rutland Water to farm shops and Barnsdale Gardens half a mile up the Avenue, created by Gardeners’ World presenter Geoff Hamilton.
Naturally, after all this, one needs a touch of pampering to recover and I finish this review with the Spa because my stay ended with one of the best massages I had ever had. The brand-new treatment rooms are laid out beside an inviting pool with uninterrupted views of unspoilt countryside and striped huts for the equipment that lend a delightfully seaside feel to the space. Curving paths lead to hot tubs discreetly tucked to one side and, over the fence, graze the Highland cattle that came with the hotel, unbeknown to Mr Ross, that are now a valued part of the landscape and, eventually, restaurant. Swathed in a dry robe, I entered the main spa clubhouse, where a roaring fire and deep sofas urged collapse, then to the wooden treatment cabin, where I floated away under the expert hands of my masseuse. The experience was capped with a spell in the sauna, one wall of which is smoked glass that allows you to lie enveloped in velvety heat and gaze at the view, safe in the knowledge that no one can see in. I would have been very happy to stay there all day, if it hadn’t been for the knowledge that Tiffin was hoping for another walk in this unspoilt slice of England.
Rooms at The Barnsdale in Rutland, start at £105. Spa days start at £99. Call 01572 724678 or visit www.barnsdalerutland.com for more information and to book.
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