In the 23 years since Raymond Blanc opened the Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, the 15th century manor house has retained its iconic status. Its allure rests in the continuing reinvention of the property’s dishes, décor, cookery courses and gardens at the whim of its decadent proprietor, and because the Manoir remains his labour of love.

While other successful chefs have spread their name thinly around the world, Blanc has lent his name to the Maison Blanc patisseries and the chain of Blanc Brasseries in six English cities, but it is the Oxfordshire pile that is his life’s work.

Affectionately known as RB by his adoring staff, Blanc is a regular presence in the hotel’s kitchen, restaurant, lounges and grounds and spends two nights a week in one of its 32 bedrooms – his method of quality control. He makes the final decision on everything from to table napkins to toiletries, and is as scrupulous about the bedrooms as he is about the kitchen.

When he took me on a tour of the hotel he shouted abuse into a faulty light fitting as if it were a microphone and after the tour reported it to reception. He spoke to every guest that we met as we wandered the grounds and corridors, and furiously scribbled down their comments.

Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire

The Manoir is pure Blanc - decadent and flawless; it's worth saving up for, says Ginny McGrath

Background

• Hotel du Vin, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon

• Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire

• Old Bank Hotel, Oxford

• The Plough, Clanfield, Oxfordshire

• The White Hart, Nettlebed, Oxfordshire

Background

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• The Old Parsonage Hotel, Oxford

• Randolph Hotel, Oxford

• Malmaison, Oxford

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Each of the 32 bedrooms is named and designed by Blanc, whose vivid imagination shines through. I stayed in Anais, one of 22 bedrooms in the Garden Wing, a courtyard surrounding a vast horse chestnut tree. The suite is named after Anais Nin, the author famed for her erotica, and is suitably sensual with nude paintings, a mirrored headboard over the bed and like all bedrooms, a vast candle next to the bath. The wardrobes are covered in a delicate Japanese print of birds and trees, there was a collection of elegant perfume bottles on a glass shelf, which like all of the antiques and art were acquired by Blanc on his travels.

Each room is his fantasy – Lalique is an ode to the jewellery and crystal designer, with an Art Deco feel, while Snow Queen, named after the Hans Christian Anderson story, has snowflakes on the walls and a fairytale garden terrace of silvery plants.

All rooms have free wireless internet access, desk, television and CD player. The televisions are small and although Blanc feels that guests don’t come to watch television, but to spend quality time with loved ones, he’s bowed to popular convention and is replacing the old sets with flat screen ones by the end of the year. In place of a minibar are two large bottles of complimentary water, a decanter of Madeira and a tray of fresh fruit, some of it from the garden, and of course room service. The toiletries are an olive-oil based French brand and the bottles come in delicate bags to take home.

Anais overlooked the chestnut tree through Tudor-style leaded windows – other views from the bedrooms look across the croquet lawn, vegetable and herb gardens, and front gravel driveway - quintessential England.

These grounds offer wonderful roaming opportunities: guests can wander the gardens, reading the immaculate chalkboard labels at the foot of blooming rows of fruit and vegetables, touch and taste the herbs, amble in the orchard or relax in the Japanese Tea Garden. There are also a couple of cosy bothies – perfect for afternoon tea in the sunshine, and bronze and stone sculptures throughout. When the weather allows you can have lunch or afternoon tea on the terrace.

The service is exceptional – staff are impeccably dressed in suits or waistcoats and are discreetly on hand for your every whim. If you arrive by car, a porter will take your bags from the car and direct you to reception, where you are whisked to your room and the paperwork is done there, rather than lingering in the lobby. The experience starts even before this – when you book you’re asked if you prefer duvets or blankets – Blanc believes that people feel strongly about this, with a 60/40 split, and argues that a hotel cannot be luxurious if it is not catering to your most basic preference.

There is no gym at The Manoir, but the receptionists will give advice on jogging routes, or you can take one of the hotel bicycles for a spin. Additionally, there’s riding, golf and fishing nearby and croquet and boules in the grounds. For pampering, there is a range of in-room treatments, costing from £95 for a 55-minute facial and from £50 for a 25-minute massage.

The highlight is, of course, the Manoir’s two star Michelin restaurant, which is partly in the main house and partly in the conservatory. The décor is simple – cream tablecloths and pale chairs – the food is the star. Most evening diners start with a drink in one of the lounges or the champagne bar – intimate rooms with soft décor and a soundtrack of easy listening. The gastronomic indulgence starts with aperitifs and tiny delicate canapés while you select your meal choice from the menu – one of the two taster menus, or a la carte dishes.

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