Rida, a brown woman with brown hair and eyes, is submerged in a huge oval bath. She's holding a paper from Hampton Manor which has organic orange shapes. The room is wood panelled and a wooden stool sits beside the bath with a wooden bowl on top

We were lucky enough to stay at Grace and Savour in Spring last year; it happened to be right after our twelve year wedding anniversary, which was such a wonderful alignment because we had spent our ten year anniversary in the first lockdown! Phew! What a time eh! So yes, it’s been a year in the making for this blog but again in perfect alignment, it’s been a year since they opened and they have just been awarded one Michelin star!

Something me and Chris connected on when we first met, was our desire to adventure to places near and far, with food always being central to our joy! I often joke that Chris partially only married me for my cooking! Even the night that Chris proposed to me, we had gone for a Michelin dining experience at Imago in Rome.

I remember taking Chris to Restaurant Gordon Ramsey for his (23rd?!) birthday I think and we felt so grown up but looking back, we were so so young. Although, as I know through experience with having two foodie children, being a foodie isn’t restrictive to an age….sometimes we do think we've created somewhat of a monster between them when they critique food everywhere we go! Oops.

As Hampton Manor is just a hop and skip away from Birmingham, we didn’t feel the stress of leaving the kiddos home with my Mama knowing we weren’t a million miles away. It was the perfect unwind, destress and escape. When you drive up the road and see Hampton Manor, you really don’t feel like you’re so close to bustling Brum (although me being a huge advocate for how awesome Brum is, I would say the countryside surrounds our city! And we have more parks than Paris! so greenery or access to it, is never too far).

We’ve been lucky to stay in some beautiful places and Grace and Savour didn’t disappoint. I think the little details matter most! From that first approach to the building, to parking, to the welcome and ease of checking in. All of those small moments are points in which you can influence and impact on your guests’ stay. And Grace and Savour positively impacted our mood and state of mind from the first instance!

Check in, well it didn’t feel like a check in as such. It was a proper welcome where we were offered a refreshing beverage (an alcoholic and non-alcoholic option) Both of us opted for a green tea chilled blend. We were sat in a cosy area aka a textural and artisanal furniture heaven! I fell in love with the table, which undulated like rolling hills and had balls you could roll around; engaging in play this way gets your dopamine levels rising! The colours of the walls, decor and seating are earthy, warm tones with the perfect combination of lighting to cocoon you in comfort.

Nothing was rushed nor loud, nor too quiet or too slow as to allow you to grow impatient.

We then had a lovely chat and tour of the beautiful walled garden by Head Chef David Taylor. I think it’s a beautiful way not only to connect you to some of the food you’ll eat but also welcome you into the space and share knowledge. It eliminated any sense of hierarchy or elitism in my view. We loved their ethos and their care to create truly sustainable dining.

After this, we were shown to our room, which is more of an apartment. Each of the five rooms shares a view from a cosy living space out onto the courtyard. The Crittall windows, made perfect little pictures of the courtyard and its blooms. The interiors don’t disappoint either; like the drinks area you’re first welcomed into, our room had a sort of Italian, well Puglian vibe. Not dissimilar to the hotels in Matera, which are built into the stone but the other half was wood panelled, which definitely called on a Scandi influence. The warm and natural tones were so comforting and soothing. The huge, cocooning bath tub which sat opposite our bed, just called to be sat in for hours on end! Especially as there is an invitation to partake in a bath time ritual by one of my local favourites Harvest. And the beautiful wooden headboard and mirror frame were just gorgeous too! Everything is a celebration of slow, intentional crafts.

I actually really loved the walk in shower and bathroom. I am more of a shower than bath person generally. Though post dinner, I got right into that bath and indulged in that bath time ritual to unwind. It’s more than generous for two people. As is the shower actually. And notably for me, I think it’s possibly the first time ever I’ve stayed somewhere and seen hair products for Afro hair specifically ! I mean…it should be the standard! But it was still great to see.

Onto dinner…..

In some ways, the dining experience felt like a scene in a movie; you know the ones where an affluent couple will host a dinner in their stunning and arty surrounds with the most perfect soundtrack? That’s what it was like. For someone who is all about mood and ambience, it was a sensory delight.

Everything is co-ordinated and designed to perfection. The music, the food, the drinks, the atmosphere, the lighting and of course….the food. But we also need a moment for all the crockery which was just so so beautiful; echoing their ethos and message of being connected with the Earth and food we eat. I’m such a tactile person that I caressed, stroked, held and gazed lovingly at each handcrafted piece.

The food was so delicately placed and with purpose. Nothing was frivolous or excessive.

One of my favourite things about the dining experience was the way the chefs, in a sort silent prayer or ritual, would suddenly come together silently around the island to prep each plate ready for service. It amused us both each time but also added an element of wonderment and playfulness.

I have a bit of a habit of using my finger to wipe up the tastiest of sauces and remnants of a delicious course and whilst some might see it as uncouth, I think it’s perfectly acceptable! In fact, I think it’s a compliment! After all, I come from a culture where we eat with our hands and I do like manners, but no matter where I am, if there is something so mouthwateringly unctuous that I must consume every last drop? Well, that index finger will be greedily sliding over the plate to lap it all up!

And I did that do that, several times in fact. I would detail each course but the menu evolves with the seasons, so instead I have shared a picture of each of the courses we devoured! You can see how every minuscule detail has been cared for. The tiniest blooms on those deliciously soft tomatoes? Divine! And not just there for aesthetics but flavour too.

I hope the photos appropriately tantalise you to get booking! Which you can do here. !