Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons

This may be our favorite place to go period. From the moment you arrive you are very well taken care of. Every detail and they are very good at details, is well taken care of. They are professionals in taking care of you. But, it is not just the rooms and the restaurant which are up there as the best but there are about 27 acres of gardens to explore. Most of the gardens are for the restaurant and there are sculptures around the grounds. There are over 2500 (I did not count them but believe it) Fruit trees!! Also for the restuarant, so needless to say the food is very fresh and seasonal. They are artists.

My wife and I have been fortunate enough to have stayed at Le Manoir quite a few times over the past 40 years - from when it was 'merely' a glorious country house hotel to its current status as a magnificent institution. Our most recent visit before this past weekend - about six years ago - caused our adoration to wane a fair bit - we felt the place had become too much of a theme park and lost much of its magical intimacy. I am delighted to share that this past weekend restored our adoration. The hotel itself is in great shape and certainly not showing its not inconsiderable age. Thorough maintenance obviously keeps MQS well up to Belmond standards. Very impressive. The restaurant is at least as impressive too and its longevity as a top establishment is a great testament to M Blanc's and his team's continued pursuit of excellence. The food is exquisite and remains, in our views at least, as good as anywhere in the world. The serial Michelin stars are fully justified. But the dimension that puts MQS into a category of its own and that restored our adoration of the place is the service. MQS is very fully staffed and every single member of the team we encountered was outstanding. We were exceptionally well looked after by efficient but friendly staff from the arrivals team through reception and on to housekeeping and room service. Our glorious room was immaculate and beautifully presented. It seems a little unfair to single out one particular member of staff because the overall standard was universally high. But Alex, the waiter who looked after us at dinner, does deserve a particular mention. His service to us was exemplary - timely, efficient, knowledgeable and polite but also sensitive, engaging, amusing and fun. An absolute star. Thank you and well done MQS.

A sublime experience . The Hotel and staff are amazing and the food very close to perfection . Why only close to perfection ? Because one of the 7 courses on the tasting menu ( what was described as a bouillabaisse but wasn't ) fell slightly short. But otherwise one of the best overnight stays we have ever had.

My husband and I attended the Garden to Plate course at the Manoir and it exceeded our expectations (which were already high). What a great combination of gardening and cooking. Led by such experts but also great personalities, full of knowledge, enthusiam and genuine fun. Although the Manoir garden could be daunting, August (leads gardening school) translates their experience and knowledge to the practical gardener and those with a small allotment; useful tips and information. Equally, Mark, who leads the cookery school, has such deep understanding of ingredients and cooking but is able to convey recipes, hints and tips simply, also with humour and fun. What a fabulous day, so memorable. I went home and made the best tomato salad and vegetable soup (pitou) I've ever made! Love this place (oh yes, we did have a fantastic dinner and stop over, but I've posted review of that before so wanted to focus on the course)

Fantastic Hotel, with lovely staff and incredible staff. Not cheap, but then again, the best things in life aren't free