Hopefully you'll have seen my post about Pets Pyjamas, who organised a dog-friendly mini-break for Matt and I at Langar Hall. Matt, my boyfriend, is a comedian and had four gigs in Nottinghamshire so we decided to make a little trip of it and bring Snoop along with us.
We set off on Wednesday afternoon and had to go straight to Matt's gig in Mansfield. On the way to the hotel at about 8:30pm we received a phone call to ask what time we were expecting to arrive as they were shutting the kitchen at 9pm and would keep food for us if we wanted any later. Having grown up in my parent's guest house from the age of 6, I take customer service very seriously, and as far as first impressions go that phone call blew me away.
From the moment we stepped out the car I fell in love with Langar Hall. It's no surprise that it's been voted Britain's Best Rural Hotel.
The Staff.
From the moment we entered Langar Hall late on Wednesday evening, the staff couldn't have been more accommodating, we honestly couldn't have been made to feel more at home, especially with our puppy. They were warm and helpful and it came across in a very genuine way. The manners of the staff were impeccable, but they still maintained a friendly and chatty tone so nothing felt still or forced. We spent a lot of time with the owner, Imogen, who is an incredible and friendly lady, and we learned that her granddaughter also works at the hotel. There's definitely a family run and friendly vibe at Langar Hall that goes from Imogen right to down the gardeners we bumped into whilst walked Snoop.
The Accommodation.
There are twelve rooms in Langar Hall and two outside chalets, Agnews and the Pod, which are situated on the croquet lawn at the back of the house. On Wednesday and Thursday we stayed in Brownlow, a large suite in the house. I was shocked when the door opened and we were shown in - the room itself is bigger than our London flat. It boasts a large bedroom, a smaller room (which we used as Snoop's room!), and an ensuite bathroom with a small bathtub. A bath is such a novelty for us as we very sadly don't have one in our flat in London.
On the Friday night the house was hired by a wedding party, but Imogen kindly allowed us to stay in Agnews, the larger chalet house (she actually gave us a choice). The Chalet is a room with a small bathroom - there's no bath, just a shower, but a good sized one. I'm so glad I got to experience Agnews, it was magical. Not only did Snoop get to play outdoors, there was a veranda where we ate and sipped prosecco, and I sat and worked out there on Friday evening whilst Matt was at his gig. I was far enough from the main house that the wedding noise was a distant hum (I did enjoy Summer of 69 when I heard that!), and I could play music on the porch without having to worry about disturbing anyone. It was bliss. My only suggestion would be that they have an outdoor heater for the veranda as it did get a little nippy out there as the night went on - I suppose we're just coming out of summer though.
I love the decor of the house, it's a blend of classic English country house, with the most incredible library wallpaper in reception, antique paintings and statues, with Indian furnishings dotted around the house. Imogen has family in India, her granddaughter lived there until she was ten, so it's a really nice touch that adds to the family-run character of the house.
The Food.
I loved the food Langar provided. Breakfast is included with the room and although not fancy, it was classic and delicious. That said, it finished at 9:30, which was a struggle for Matt who was working late every night, but the moment we stepped downstairs we were greeted by such warm staff it made getting out of bed worthwhile. I ate scrambled eggs and smoked salmon with tomatoes and mushrooms and they were cooked to perfection. I say this because I am usually rather fussy when it comes to scrambled eggs - a lot of people cook them on a high heat so they are very hard. I like mine to be soft, and they nailed them! There's also a rather simple buffet offering cereal, yoghurts, and fruit. I had tea and a fresh juice each morning too.
The lunch and evening meal was much fancier. We dined in the restaurant on Wednesday evening, and Thursday lunch. I chose the lamb on the first night, whilst Matt had a duck. We treated ourselves to starters, and Matt had the most delicious salted caramel and peanut pie. For lunch the next day I picked the hake and Matt picked the steak and chips. We could not fault our meals. They are slightly on the pricey side as we had prosecco (reoccurring theme to the trip), but the portions are so big you are left feeling satisfied, unlike other fancy establishments.
On Friday we decided to venture into the local town for lunch to let the staff prepare for the wedding (although they were insistent they could have provided us with food for both lunch and dinner) and Imogen recommended we try Picture Cafe in Bingham. We were not disappointed with her recommendation, as the protein in the salads we ordered were more than generous and I even got to drink Matcha tea, something that I rarely find even in London cafes.
I'm genuinely gutted our stay at Langar Hall has come to an end, we couldn't have asked for more. As I said, I've grown up in a five star guest house since the age of 6 as my parent's run it so I have incredibly high standards and expectations and Langar Hall and its impressive staff blew us away. I feel refreshed, recharged, and I got lots of work done. If anyone is looking for a venue for a birthday, wedding, or mini break I couldn't recommend it more highly. A lovely and beautiful place to stay without any of the pretentiousness. I'd definitely stay here again.
We'll be back Langar Hall.
Until next time... x
