A biscuit. That’s what was on offer when we requested something with tea in
the lounge, having worked up an appetite with a walk in the lovely
Derbyshire countryside. Scones? Sandwiches? Nope. Although the delectable
Chatsworth Farm Shop is only three miles down the road, a dry biscuit (one
each) was all we could have.
Fortunately, the meals in this small, 16-room country house hotel, in a
building dating from 1652, compensated. Boiled and poached eggs at breakfast
were done to perfection, and an attentive waiter ensured that we never ran
out of butter or toast. (Ending breakfast at 9.30am on a Sunday is a little
mean, however.) A ploughman’s lunch with local Hartington stilton in the
cosy bar was delicious, and the evening meal in the smart dining room was a
triumph.
Friends joined us for supper and we sampled many of the dishes on the
good-value menu (£25 for three courses). Toasted brioche with parma ham,
poached egg and asparagus; scampi in lemonade batter; and an excellent roast
beef with all the trimmings were highlights. Service, after a slow start
during drinks in the lounge, was prompt.
When we had booked, requesting a twin room, we were impressed with the way
staff called us back to discuss the rooms available. And when we arrived,
the manager apologised for the scaffolding outside our bedroom window,
although the building work didn’t trouble us.
Room 8 was a good size, with comfortable beds, lovely old wooden furniture, a
good music system and proper hairdryer. The windowless bathroom, however,
was tiny, with not enough room for our sponge bags, which irritatingly had
to be left on the floor, and insufficient clothes hooks.
The hotel is popular with anglers, who come for the trout in the River Wye:
fishing prints on the walls take up the theme. But the hotel is far from
fusty. A revamp has brought the addition of funky green velvet-covered
chairs in the lounge and striking mauve walls in the dining room, though the
decor here is a little potty: a huge, monochrome photograph of the Havana
waterfront is, bafflingly, framed by two sets of antlers.
Bottom line: Cath Urquhart paid £246 for dinner, B&B
for two people, including full English breakfast and wine with dinner.
Sampling the fare: Excellent food at modest prices.
What we think: A well-run retreat for a country weekend.
Best thing: The food.
Worst thing: The biscuit.
Access all areas: No. Wheelchair users can reach the dining
room, but not the bedrooms.
Need to know: The Peacock, Rowsley, Derbyshire (01629 733518, www.thepeacockatrowsley.com).
Room: 6 out of 10.
Food: 8 out of 10.
Service: 7 out of 10.
