Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant & Spa

Our Inspector's view

This picturesque, Grade II listed Georgian manor house hotel in the heart of the Dorset Downs is an ideal retreat. Little has changed in the village since Thomas Hardy wrote about it and its peaceful surroundings offer a timeless and bucolic charm. The delightful public areas of the hotel include a sumptuous drawing room complete with an open fire, which makes a relaxed setting for a pre-meal drink or post-dinner coffee. The light and airy conservatory gives guests the opportunity to essentially sit in the garden while the dining room has an ageless elegance. The modern British menus are seasonal, with an emphasis on local produce where possible. Things might kick off with salmon and samphire, shaved fennel, Dorset wasabi and yuzu gel or garden beetroot tartare, umeboshi plum, pickled onion and hazelnuts. Follow this with line-caught cod loin, fennel, saffron, new potato, rouille, bouillabaisse sauce and saffron crisp or a tasting of Lyons Hill Iron Age pork, choucroute, black garlic, Dorset cider and sauce diable. Vegetarians and vegans can select from the dedicated and seasonal plant-based menu which is available alongside the à la carte menu. For dessert, enjoy a garden rhubarb soufflé with rhubarb compôte, ginger crumble, stem ginger ice cream, miso dulce de leche or Summer Lodge carrot cake, vanilla mascarpone, chocolate soil, candied baby carrot, carrot top crisp and lime leaf ice cream. For those with sufficient appetite the cheese selection at Summer Lodge is legendary. The extensive selection of West Country cheeses can be enjoyed with home-made chutney, celery, walnuts and biscuits, and accompanied by a signature tasting flight of vintage tawny ports or with a glass of the local cider brandy. The extensive wine list is carefully curated to highlight wines from around the globe to perfectly enhance your meal.

Awards, accolades and Welcome Schemes

3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence

AA Notable Wine List