The Bite Magazine - Summer 2012 - Issue 5

A forty minute drive from London, situated in the picturesque Berkshire village of Hurley, the Olde Bell is an historic coaching inn with 50 rooms spread throughout the main inn and five separate buildings. The outside looks very traditional,but on the inside the inn has been thoughtfully brought up to date with the help of celebrated designer Ilse Crawford, whose portfolio includes Babington House, Soho House in New York and the Grand Hotel Stockholm. Parts of the Inn date back to 1135, and this history has been retained in the black wooden beams, inglenook fireplaces and crooked, sloping oak floorboards. The bedrooms are simple, pared back and comfortable. They retain the quintessentially English feel of the inn with chunky farmhouse furniture, woollen blankets, oak floorboards and natural, subdued tones. Each room has a stash of Penguin Classics on the shelf for guests to thumb through. Our room, one of the ‘Larger’ ones, had a beyond-superking-size bed that could comfortably sleep five people, and yet still there was enough floor space to swing a particularly large cat. There was even room for a deep, claw-footed roll top bath in the corner. The decor is kept simple, with no dubious artwork on the wall – just a rustic oak trestle with Anglepoise lamp and DAB Roberts Radio, plus a comfy upholstered chair and a rocking chair with sheepskin and wool throws.The bathroom was also spacious, with a walk-in shower and drench shower. Skincare products are from Aussie botanical range Aesop and smell delicious. The bar area is unpretentious and traditional with a roaring fire, comfortable chairs and local brews on tap. The dining room has an injection of effortless coolness – everything looks as though it just ‘happened’ but I imagine has actually been carefully thought out by Ilse Crawford. The antler chandelier brings an essence of hunting lodge, and again there are woollen blankets and sheepskin throws scattered around. It certainly feels more like a large private home than a restaurant.The food is in keeping with the character of the Olde Bell, and is inventive but unfussy. This recipe obviously works, as the restaurant has two AA Rosettes. The kitchen uses locally grown, seasonal produce and the rustic dishes are served in generous portions.Until September,the Summer Kitchen is open in the meadow garden, with an enormous rotisserie, a kamado oven and a grill. Local meats and fish are served with produce from the kitchen garden. After a superb night’s sleep in the vast bed, look forward to a breakfast of champions – fresh juices, homemade bread, meats, cheeses, fresh fruit, pastries, muffins, crumpets, homemade jam and marmalade, a huge slab of honeycomb, homemade granola, porridge and more. Cooked options include kedgeree,kippers and Eggs Benedict as well as a traditional Full English breakfast and sausage or bacon butties. This will set you up for a day of exploring the area – Hurley itself is beautiful with a picturesque riverside walk, and is close to the historic towns of Henley and Marlow. www.theoldebell.co.uk bite hotels