Harden's survey result
Summary
“You feel on Cloud Nine when eating in such incomparable surroundings” as Raymond Blanc’s famous Elizabethan manor: the survey’s most-mentioned destination outside London, and, “unparalleled for a special occasion”, with legions of reports of weddings, landmark anniversaries and birthdays celebrated in its cosseting quarters. It boasts “a gorgeous setting, buried deep in the Oxfordshire countryside”, “everything about the place is done with impeccable taste”, and no visit is complete without a stroll around its glorious and “well-tended gardens”. From the moment you arrive, staff “make you feel special”, and you are “whisked through to the cosy lounge to make your menu choice”. Most diners are then seated in the dining conservatory: a “wonderful environment” on most accounts (if, arguably, a tiny bit anticlimactic compared with the house proper). “The food tastes like it has come straight from the garden, field or ocean to your plate” and dishes “are not ostentatious: just perfectly-made food, beautifully served”. That’s by far the majority view anyway, although there is, perennially, a dissenting view that “while classy, the food lacks innovation” (very occasionally laced with cynicism that the whole experience is a luxurious “production line”). For most folks, though, the whole experience is plain “genius! – truly unforgettable!”. Ah yes… including the bill! “Your credit card will have a severe heart attack, but at least you’ll have ticked it off, and enjoyed doing so”. Staying the night is also highly popular, although it does then take the cost to a new, parallel dimension. Justify it to yourself with the thought of breakfast which “is unbelievable in scale, scope and quality!”.
Summary
“You feel on Cloud Nine when eating in such incomparable surroundings” as Raymond Blanc’s famous Elizabethan manor: the survey’s most-mentioned destination outside London, and, “unparalleled for a special occasion”, with legions of reports of weddings, landmark anniversaries and birthdays celebrated in its cosseting quarters. It boasts “a gorgeous setting, buried deep in the Oxfordshire countryside”, “everything about the place is done with impeccable taste”, and no visit is complete without a stroll around its glorious and “well-tended gardens”. From the moment you arrive, staff “make you feel special”, and you are “whisked through to the cosy lounge to make your menu choice”. Most diners are then seated in the dining conservatory: a “wonderful environment” on most accounts (if, arguably, a tiny bit anticlimactic compared with the house proper). “The food tastes like it has come straight from the garden, field or ocean to your plate” and dishes “are not ostentatious: just perfectly-made food, beautifully served”. That’s by far the majority view anyway, although there is, perennially, a dissenting view that “while classy, the food lacks innovation” (very occasionally laced with cynicism that the whole experience is a luxurious “production line”). For most folks, though, the whole experience is plain “genius! – truly unforgettable!”. Ah yes… including the bill! “Your credit card will have a severe heart attack, but at least you’ll have ticked it off, and enjoyed doing so”. Staying the night is also highly popular, although it does then take the cost to a new, parallel dimension. Justify it to yourself with the thought of breakfast which “is unbelievable in scale, scope and quality!”.
Summary
“Any visit must include a walk through the gardens” when you visit Raymond Blanc’s “enchanting” converted Elizabethan manor, and “from the moment you arrive you are hit by the peace and tranquility of the whole enterprise”. “From beginning to end, the attention to detail is exceptional”: “nothing is left out, nothing is too much trouble” and staff “make you feel very, very special; not in a cloying way but through sheer politesse” (“exceptional service that includes attention to young children”). On the vast majority of accounts, it’s “a breathtaking, out-of-this-world gastronomic extravaganza” too, with “exquisite food (with no hint of overambitious ideas or overloading of ingredients), whose preparation is exact and whose plating is very graceful”. Where reservations are expressed, the issue is usually either the absence of a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ (“the food was beautiful and delicious, courses flowed perfectly, but they didn’t wow”); or “the need to chat with your friendly bank manager before you open the wine list”. On most accounts, though, the equation stacks up beautifully: “this was a one-off bucket-list visit, but worth it despite the vast expense”.
Summary
“I couldn’t take any risks for my wife’s 50th birthday weekend... so I placed my trust in Raymond’s impeccable hotel and restaurant... result: perfection!” M Blanc’s “magnificent” converted Elizabethan manor boasts a “dream location” in a picture-book village south of Oxford and, “if you want to spoil someone with luxury”, an overnight stay here is “the ultimate ‘because-you’re-worth-it’ experience”. “Any visit must include a walk through the gardens”, which not not only cap off “the perfect setting”, but also help supply the restaurant and “would make any kitchen gardener green with envy”. “Special praise also goes to the service: that all-too-rare combination of humanity, wonderful politeness and efficiency” that “sets a standard others only aspire to”. Last but not least, when it comes to the cooking – “essentially French haute cuisine, but not so rich” – it is occasionally said to be a tad “safe”, but more commonly it is described as “exquisite, with supreme attention for detail” (and – unusually for such a high profile restaurant – provokes vanishingly few ‘contrarian’ negative reports). One unavoidable downside: “a visit is unfortunately hugely expensive”; but on most accounts “this is not just a meal, but a spa for the soul and the senses, generating a deep sense of well-being, and – viewed as such – is a good-value prescription!”
For 31 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons?
Restaurant details
Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Great atmosphere and superb food, with excellent attentive service. Breakfast when staying over was a little ‘ordinary’ but anywhere else we would have thought it was lovely."
"Exquisite food and a spectacular, peaceful setting. Truly wonderful. "
"A wonderful destination establishment….dinner was as impressive as you’d expect…."
"Stunning food and surroundings. Have been visiting for years and it’ s always been exceptional!"
"As good as ever 1st fine dinning after lockdown "
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £10.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
Church Road, Great Milton, OX44 7PD
Opening hours
| Monday | 6:30 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2:15 pm, 6:30 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:15 pm, 6:30 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:15 pm, 6:30 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:15 pm, 6:30 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:15 pm, 6:30 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑2:15 pm, 6:30 pm‑9:30 pm |
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