Hotels with kitchen gardens for a foodie weekend away

Feast on seasonal produce straight from the veg patch at these country retreats

The walled garden at The Newt in Somerset.
'Eco-chic': the walled kitchen garden at The Newt, Somerset
(Image credit: Madeleine Cardozo / Alamy)

There's something "thrilling" about looking down at the "perfectly plump strawberry" atop your dessert at dinner, and knowing it was picked just steps from the table, said Lizzie Frainier in The Times. Throughout the UK, you can stay in an array of beautiful places that have a kitchen garden brimming with fresh produce, from broad beans to radishes. Here's our pick of the best.

Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxfordshire

Cowley Manor, Gloucestershire

This 19th-century manor house near Cheltenham underwent an extensive refurb in 2023 to cater to a "cool young crowd", said House & Garden. "Superstar" French designer Dorothée Meilichzon is responsible for the new interiors, and the rooms are filled with references to Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" (rumour has it that Cowley inspired his beloved children's book). Be sure to book dinner at the grand, wood-panelled restaurant. Head chef Jackson Boxer has crafted an ever-changing menu using plenty of vegetables and herbs from the hotel's kitchen garden.
cowlyemanorexperimental.com

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Gravetye Manor, West Sussex

Once home to the revered Irish horticulture writer William Robinson, this "Elizabethan gem" is now a charming country house hotel, said Condé Nast Traveller. Head gardener Tom Coward has been overseeing the 30-acre grounds surrounding the grand manor house for over a decade. "The garden works in symbiosis with the Michelin-starred kitchen", where head chef George Blogg builds "exquisitely beautiful" plates of food around fresh produce from the kitchen garden. After dinner, walk (or roll) upstairs to one of the "cosily comfortable" rooms. The Robinson Suite boasts sweeping views over the gardens but "the lure of the outdoors is too strong to stay inside".
gravetyemanor.co.uk

The Newt, Somerset

Set amid apple orchards ("for all that crisp cider") and lush green gardens, this "eco-chic" hotel is perfect for a foodie break, said House & Garden. Hadspen House is the "showstopper" – the sandstone Georgian mansion is home to a collection of "gorgeous" suites complete with marble-lined showers. Both The Garden Cafe and the Botanical Room restaurant make full use of the "extensive" kitchen garden. Highlights from the veg-focused menu include chilled courgette soup, pea risotto and a strawberry and elderflower fool. Guests can take a stroll through the tranquil gardens or opt to take one of the many courses available, from beekeeping to forest bathing.
thenewtinsomerset.com

The Black Swan at Olstead, North Yorkshire

The "details" are what make chef Tommy Banks' tasting menu so special, said The Times. From picking strawberries just before dinner "so they retain the warmth of the day's sun" to removing the corn from the cob just before plating to "keep its sweetness", the utmost care has been taken over every ingredient. It's little wonder that the passionate chef has scooped a Michelin star and four AA Rosettes. Consider booking a tour of the two-acre kitchen garden, where you'll discover a bounty of fresh produce including red Russian kale, chives and beetroot.
blackswanoldstead.co.uk

Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham

Sat Bains' two-Michelin-starred eatery is located just outside the city centre in Nottingham but that hasn't stopped the chef from establishing a kitchen garden. "We love it because it shows how much you can do with a smaller space, even in an urban setting," said The Times. Dishes on the tasting menus change with the seasons, enabling Bains and his team to "show off the garden's character". Ingredients are used creatively: take, for example, the pelargonium leaf ice cream, which is served with honey straight from the restaurant's beehives. If you want to make a weekend of it, book one of the "stylish" rooms for an overnight stay.
restaurantsatbains.com

Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.