ad | Our stay at Crockers Henley was gifted.
You know the feeling when you’re on holiday and you’ve completely lost the concept of time? You’re not sure whether you’ve been away for a minute or a week and in all honesty, does it even matter because you’re relaxed, having fun and it’s holiday time? I had completely forgotten what that felt like until this weekend when we had a night away at Crockers Henley.
I forgot how blissful and relaxing holidays with good food and lovely places can be until we were welcomed through the doors at Crockers Henley and shown to our room. But I’m already skipping ahead – let me start at the beginning!
I’m not sure about you, but weekends are looking really busy for the next few months now that everyone is allowed out a little more and can see friends, so when we found ourselves with a clear weekend and a forecast of sunshine we decided we wanted a little escape close to London. With Henley being just an hour from Paddington and also being on the Thames, it was perfect for a quick night away!
Crockers Henley is ideally located in the centre of town – just a short walk from the station and from the river itself. As we arrived before lunch, we left our bags at the hotel and wandered down to the river, had a long, lazy picnic and soaked up the sunshine before heading back later in the afternoon to check in.
We checked into our stunning room in The Quarters and were immediately taken back by how beautiful and understated the decor was. Our room was at the back of the hotel and overlooked the terrace below, and so was incredibly peaceful with lots of lovely natural light spilling in through the windows.
And whilst I loved the very cosy, marshmallow-esque bed, the best thing about our room was definitely the incredible slipper bath!
As we unpacked and freshened up a little we were treated to a welcome glass of Gusbourne brut sparkling wine – which happens to be one of my favourite English sparkling wines! – and incredible passion fruit and banana choux buns!
I loved that there were mini bottles of pre-mixed cocktails ready and waiting for you in your room! For me, it’s the little touches that make the biggest differences and make you the most comfortable – and I loved that Crockers Henley not only left these beautiful cocktails, but also left the right glasses for them, too.
After freshening up and taking in our beautiful room, we headed down to the terrace for a pre-dinner drink. Foodies will be in a haven at Crockers Henley – with three dining options there really is something for everyone. Crockers Henley is home to two intimate chef’s tables – one British and one pan Asian – that both sound incredible, and perfect for a special occasion. This time, we were eating at The Grill, Crockers’ more relaxed and informal restaurant.
I absolutely loved eating in this stunning courtyard – despite the restaurant being in one of the main squares in Henley, the courtyard was tucked away and so peaceful.
To start, we shared the 48 hour short rib tart, served with beetroot and buffalo ricotta and the kentucky fried octopus, served with a chorizo ketchup. Whilst they were both amazing, I really loved how different and fresh the octopus was.
For mains there was only really one option… Head chef Tom Westerland has centred the menu at The Grill around the bespoke robatayaki charcoal grill, and with us both being huge steak fans, there was no question that we were ordering the chateaubriand!
It was absolutely stunning. Cooked to perfection and served with our chosen sides of beef dripping chips and truffle mac and cheese – it’s safe to say we were both in foodie heaven.
Does anyone else have a different dessert stomach? Because I definitely do! After a suitable break, we ordered the buttermilk panna cotta, served with rhubarb, macadamia and Jamaican ginger cake and the lighter option of BBQ pineapple, rummy raisins and blood orange.
I love panna cotta, and this was absolutely gorgeous – light, fresh and with a little tang from the rhubarb which we loved.
After a wonderful dinner, lots of laughter and a couple of drinks at the bar it was time to retreat to our fluffy marshmallow bed for a very cosy, comfy snooze!
I have to admit that I really, really didn’t want to get out of our cosy bed the next morning! The only thing that tempted me out was the promise of breakfast… And trust me, breakfast at Crockers Henley isn’t something to be missed!
A plate of fresh pastries and toast arrive with your morning coffee as you choose your next dish. If you’d just like something light, opt for the yoghurt and fresh berries, or for something more substantial there’s delicious avocado on toast or eggs benedict.
You really won’t be leaving Crockers Henley with any room left to eat!
Shortly after breakfast, and just one more look at that stunning bath(!), we checked out, left our bags at reception and headed out for a walk along the Thames path. It was a sleepy sort of Sunday morning, but the peace and quiet and sound of the water was just what we had been looking for.
As we soaked up that feeling of holiday bliss, we both said that we were amazed at just how quickly we’d settled into the holiday mood. And that, to me, is the sign of a hotel, or restaurant with rooms, that is somewhere special. In just 24 hours we felt more relaxed than we had in months – and I couldn’t recommend the experience more!
Crockers Henley
20 Market Place
Henley-on-Thames
Oxfordshire
RG9 2AH
