Five Treats for the Festive Season at Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa

To celebrate the best of the Christmas season, Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa (01666 822 888, www.whatleymanor.com), the luxurious Wiltshire retreat, has released details of its special events and packages for November and December 2014. Highlights include two Christmas shopping days, special festive à la carte dining in the ‘Le Mazot’ brasserie, a festive party menu and Whatley Manor’s Christmas and New Year celebrations.

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Stay for two-nights midweek (Sunday to Thursday inclusive) and get 50% off the second night. This offer must be pre-booked and is valid from 1 November to 18 December. Rooms from £315 including English breakfast and full use of the Aquarias Spa. 

Festive Shopping Days – 24th and 25th November 2014
Find the perfect gifts for family and friends at Whatley Manor’s special Christmas shopping days. The festive shop opens from 10.00 to 5.00pm.

Browse the gifts on offer, including Whatley Manor’s homemade produce, unique wines and spirits, whilst enjoying a complimentary glass of mulled wine and Christmas biscuits and browse the stylish home decorations and selection of pampering gifts from the spa. 

Why not combine the Christmas shopping with lunch in the hotel’s casual brasserie, ‘Le Mazot’, or round the day off with afternoon tea by the fire? A two-course set lunch (main course and a dessert) is £28.50 including a glass of Prosecco, served from 12 noon to 2.00pm, and must be pre-booked. The festive afternoon tea is £23.50, served from 3.00pm to 5.30pm, and must be pre-booked. 

Festive Party Menu – 1st December until 4th January Whatley Manor’s festive party menu, served in Le Mazot from 1st December 2014 until 4th January 2015, is perfect for a special occasion or Christmas party.

The three-course meal cost £29.50 per person, and includes a selection of starters such as Wild Game Terrine dressed with apple and pink peppercorn chutney; mains such as Steamed Mutton Pudding served with buttered cabbage, plus a choice of desserts ranging from Whatley Manor’s classic Christmas Pudding to Warm Pistachio, Fig and Almond Tart. Alternatively, Whatley Manor’s delicious Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue is available as either a starter or a main course for an unusual festive twist. 

Special Festive à la carte menu and dining options – throughout December Whatley Manor’s special festive à la carte menu is also available for lunch and dinner in Le Mazot throughout December and is perfect for a social gathering. Choose three courses for £29.50, or two courses at lunchtime for £23.50.

Whatley Manor is also offering a range of festive dining options over the Christmas holiday, including a three-course table d’hôte Christmas Eve lunch in Le Mazot for £29.50 per person, or Christmas Eve dinner in Le Mazot – comprising a glass of champagne and canapés served at the table and a four-course menu in candlelit surroundings with coffee and petit fours – priced at £75 per person.

Or why not leave the cooking to someone else and indulge in Whatley Manor’s sumptuous Christmas Day lunch in Le Mazot? Priced at £108 per person, it includes a glass of champagne with savoury pastries served at the table, followed by a five-course traditional lunch and coffee. Alternatively the Boxing Day lunch, which includes savoury pastries served at the table followed by a three-course traditional roast and coffee, is the perfect way to round off the Christmas festivities at £39.50 per person.

And you can ring in 2015 in style with the New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner. For £160 per person you will enjoy a champagne and canapé reception with live jazz and a six-course gala dinner served in The Sitting Room followed by coffee with more live jazz in the Drawing Room. On New Year’s Day enjoy lunch in Le Mazot – savoury pastries served at the table, followed by a three-course traditional roast and coffee for £39.50 per person.

Christmas Package at Whatley Manor
For the ultimate celebration of the year make plans for a traditional Cotswold Christmas. Arriving on Tuesday, 23rd December 2014, guest will find a bottle of champagne waiting in their room, with a gourmet set dinner in ‘The Dining Room’ in the evening. On Christmas Eve highlights include afternoon tea, a champagne and canapé reception in ‘The Dining Room’ followed by a candlelit four-course dinner in Le Mazot and complimentary transport to nearby Malmesbury Abbey for Midnight Mass. Then on Christmas Day enjoy a traditional Christmas five-course lunch in The Dining Room, a film in the cinema with popcorn and a light evening buffet served in the Drawing Room with live musical entertainment. Finally, round off the stay with a champagne breakfast on Boxing Day before departing at leisure. In between the festivities make use of the spa or enjoy a walk in the crisp Cotswold countryside.

This special festive package is available from £2,430 per room per stay for a standard room based on two people sharing, with other room rates available from £2,675, and includes the ‘Christmas Celebration’ package, full use of the award-winning Spa Aquarias, VAT and 10% discretionary service charge.

Ring in the New Year at Whatley Manor
Alternatively, see in the New Year in style with Whatley Manor’s ‘New Year Celebration’. Arriving on Monday 29th December 2014, highlights of the three-night package include a gourmet set dinner, afternoon tea, a film in the cinema with popcorn and on New Year’s Eve itself, a champagne reception in the Drawing Room followed by a six-course gala dinner in ‘The Dining Room’ and live jazz to welcome 2015. On New Year’s Day, enjoy a champagne breakfast before departing at your leisure.

The ‘New Year Celebration’ package is priced from £2,390 per room for a standard room based on two people sharing and includes the celebration package, full use of the award-winning Spa Aquarias, VAT and 10% discretionary service charge.

 To book any of the packages call Reservations on 01666 822 888 or email reservations@whatleymanor.com

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For further information please call Anthea Yabsley at IDeal Public Relations on 020 8578 6777 or email anthea.yabsley@ideal-pr.co.uk or contact Eloise Gordon on 01666 827 086 or email eloise@whatleymanor.com

 Notes of Editors:

Whatley Manor opened in July 2003 following three and a half years of extensive restoration. The Landolt family independently own Whatley Manor - Mrs Alix Landolt and Mr Christian Landolt. Gurval Durand is the General Manager

Recent Accolades include:

AA Inspectors Choice Hotel – Five Red Stars - Four Rosettes
Two Michelin stars retained by head chef Martin Burge
Grand Chef Status Relais & Châteaux
Grands Chef Trophy 2011, Relais & Châteaux Champagne Taittinger
Good Food Guide 2013 8/10. Top 20 restaurants in the UK
‘Most Excellent Restaurant 2012’ awarded by Condé Nast Johansens
Condé Nast Traveller ‘Best UK Leisure Hotel’ 7/20 
Condé Nast Traveller ‘Best Spas in the UK Hotels’ 6/15 
The Dining Room 23/100 – The Sunday Times Food List 2011 in association with Harden’s
4th ‘Best Leisure Hotel in the World’ – Bilanz Magazine

Biography: Martin Burge 

Martin began his career at the Royal Crescent Hotel in Bath with Michael Croft, who was Head Chef at the time, having graduated with distinctions from Brunel Technology College in Bristol. He followed Croft to London working at the renowned Mirabelle restaurant. His first taste of a Michelin star establishment was at Pied a Terre under the watchful eye of Richard Neat and the proprietor, David Moore.  The opportunity to work with Raymond Blanc at ‘Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons’ beckoned and Martin worked his way up to the position of Sous Chef. Martin then met John Burton Race whilst working at ‘Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons’ and eventually he went to work with Burton-Race at L’Ortolan as Senior Sous Chef where he was soon promoted to Head Chef at the age of 27. Burton Race decided to uproot and move his restaurant to ‘The Landmark Hotel’, Marylebone, London. They successfully retained the accolades and achieved two Michelin stars in just one year.

 In 2003 Martin left London to return to his west country roots where he became Head Chef for the opening of Whatley Manor in Wiltshire. Here he oversees both the fine dining restaurant – ‘The Dining Room’ and the brasserie style restaurant, ‘Le Mazot’. In the last 7 years he has achieved numerous accolades, attaining his first Michelin star in January 2005. In September 2008 the AA awarded ‘The Dining Room’ four AA rosettes and in January 2009 Michelin awarded Burge a second star for his acclaimed cuisine. This was swiftly followed in June 2009 with the BMW Square Meal award for ‘Best Out of Town UK Restaurant 2009’ and in November of the same year The Independent voted Burge ‘Chef of the Year’. In August 2010 The Good Food Guide listed ‘The Dining Room’ in the top 20 restaurants in the UK with a score rating of 8 out of 10. 

 Martin is recognised as ‘Grands Chef’ by Relais & Châteaux and awarded the ‘Grands Chef Trophy 2011’. In April 2013 Martin took part in the prestigious Relais & Châteaux ’Dîner des Grands Chefs’ hosted in London alongside 45 Grands Chefs from around the world. 

 TV Credits; Martin has participated in the semi-finals of ‘MasterChef; The Professionals’ 2010 and has appeared as a judge in the finals since 2008.