Rutland Hall Hotel is set on slopes and has stunning views of Rutland water and, gorgeous, landscaped gardens. It is also in UK’s smallest county, Rutland. 

The hotel (previously Barnsdale Hall) was bought by the Patel family in May 2020. They have a vision to deliver a high-quality experience in a tranquil setting and I can confirm the vision is becoming a reality.

The Aum symbol in the reception area, not only is a symbol of Hinduism but also is a sacred sound and mantra bringing inner peace. This is very apt for the tranquil settings the hotel offers.

The main hall was originally constructed in 1890 for 6th Earl Fitzwilliam, as a family hunting lodge. It still has classic features like the tall ceilings with a contemporary twist.

The Hotel is dog friendly too and making it a great getaway spot for those with furry friends.

All the hotel rooms and the Blossoms Restaurant have recently been refurbished. They are also working on a big renovation to have luxury leisure and spa facilities including an infinity pool that will overlook the waters. There is currently a swimming pool for guests to use along with a gym and tennis courts.

During our stay, the staff were extremely accommodating. From when we checked in to when we left, there was attention to detail and service was delivered with a smile.

Rooms

We had a superior balcony room that had lakeside views, Room 509. It was a sunny day and when we walked into the room we were greeted with shimmering views of the lake and landscape. The room was spacious and had a combination of blue and grey tones giving it that cosy feel. The huge comfy bed overlooked the waters – a great view to wake up to. Don’t worry they have blackout curtains making your sleep peaceful.

As for the facilities in the room, there was a desk and chair, a seating area with a table and a sofa bed making it suitable for a small family. There was a coffee machine with a selection of pods along with tea-making facilities too.

Most the light fixtures in the room had the vintage filament bulbs which added to the cosy feel especially in the evening.

The bathroom has a vegan range of toiletries and includes a bathtub with a shower. Like the room, the bathroom was spacious which we loved. The mirror in the bathroom is illuminated and has its own heater to stop the steam (a big bonus).

We could not work out where the heating was (should have read the little booklet on the desk before) and we discovered they were pieces of art on either side of the room. The infrared heaters warm the room so quickly and are a great feature. Sometimes radiators just don’t make a room look nice – agreed?

On sunny days it is perfect to sit outside on the balcony and take in the landscape. Equally on a wet day sitting on the cosy bed with a cuppa and watching the rain go by is rather relaxing.  Standard rooms are from £129 and Balcony rooms from £179.00. They have DBB packages too.  The rates are competitive and value for money. 

The hotel also caters for longer stays so you could get a lodge. If the British Weather plays ball, it is almost like you are abroad in a tropical climate.

The Blossom Restaurant and Bar

The name gives you a hint of what to expect in terms of decor however don’t think it is all floral – it is elegantly done. They have a showstopping blossom tree bar area. The yellow and blue tones and the warm lighting around the restaurant work well with the bar area giving it a warm ambiance. The seating options vary, and they even have cosy booths. Furry friends are allowed too.

What I also loved about the restaurant is the open kitchen, a perfect way to deliver visual entertainment.

Executive head chef Sumit Chakrabarty and his team are there to make superb dishes using sustainably sourced ingredients where possible. Dishes vary from the traditional pork belly to a curry. I love the fusion aspect of their menu and the creativity of their dishes.

To start off our overnight stay I enjoyed Lake Blossom, a shaken cocktail with Rutland Migration Gin, raspberry syrup, lemon juice and egg white. Kev enjoyed chilled Reikordeling, which was much needed after our walk around Rutland water.

The chef gave us complimentary canapes which included Mexican-style pork belly bites, beetroot with goat’s cheese and salmon with cucumber on toast. This gave us an idea of how tasty the cuisine was going to be. The fusion of flavours and combination of ingredients was delightful.

Our waiters on the evening were Anna and Sebastian who made us feel welcome and made our experience more enjoyable.

All the dishes we tried were plated beautifully. The hotel is working on getting a kitchen garden to get even fresher produce.

Starters:

Beetroot gnocchi served with stilton cream sauce and roasted beetroots. I have never had beetroot so good. Each smooth melted away. The stilton was not overpowering and worked perfectly with the beetroot.

Grilled mackerel fillet came on a brioche toast with some potato salad, grain mustard, wasabi mayo and sour cream. A delightful combination of flavours that worked well with the mackerel.

Mains:

Kev opted for the 8-hour slow cooked Grasmere pork belly which came with a creamy

rosemary haricot beans cassoulet, wild mushrooms, burnt apple puree and wilted green. The portion was generous and the meat worked very well with the cassoulet.

I had the slow-cooked Shoulder of Lamb that was served with vegetables, butter nut squash and saffron potato gratin. The lamb melted away and had a beautiful gravy with it. The hint of saffron in the potato was delicious.

Desserts:

Selection of English cheese: A show stopping dessert. The cheeses  came in cheese plate with a glass dome. They included  Stilton blue, Lincolnshire poacher and Cornish brie. This came with a selection of cheese biscuits, grapes, fruit chutney and celery.

Madagascar vanilla roast pineapple: I wanted something lighter. Roasted pineapple was put together with some sesame toile, mango gel, and lemon granita and was erved with lemon sorbet. The textures worked so perfectly and this was a beautiful end to the meal.

Breakfast

The next morning we enjoyed a lovely breakfast too. Normally they have a self-service style breakfast however as the hotel was quieter that morning hot breakfasts were made to order. A great idea to avoid food wastage. I was ready for a full English whilst Kev chose a lighter breakfast or poached eggs on toast.

There was selection of breakfast cereals, yoghurt pots, meats & cheeses, fruit, bread and pastries for us to enjoy first.

The breakfast was presented well. I wanted a mini version and that was still generous. Everything tasted fresh and filled the gap.

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Around Rutland, you can bird watch, visit the surrounding historic market towns like Oakham and Stamford, take a ride in the Rutland Belle boat, cycle around the water and much more. There is Belvoir castle which is not that far. You will never get bored with things to do whilst you are at the hotel.

For more information check out their website.

RUTLAND HALL HOTEL,NORTH OAKHAM, RUTLAND, LE15 8AB

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Neha

Disclaimer [AD]: This was an invite/gift. All views, opinions and photos are my own unless otherwise stated.