Westover Hall Hotel - 2007 - In safe new hands!

Some of you may not be aware that earlier this year Westover Hall Hotel changed hands and I for one, having become quite attached to both the hotel and it's previous owners Stewart Mechem and his family, was quite concerned that whoever took the mantle would be able to sustain the magic of the place. Similarly, I was dreading this updated review because it felt like betraying the memory of on old lover by becoming attracted to her best friend. Still that's the way it goes and with any luck, I'll be able to look both in the eye in time and persuade them that neither is better or worse just elegantly different. (There is always the option of course to say that it's the place I love and the people don't matter that much; but that would be a downright lie.)

To my mind, Westover Hall hotel is a 'ship of the line' in hotels, a majestic lady standing proud but demurely on the edge of Milford on Sea and watching over the Solent and Needles like a Daphne du Maurier heroine waiting to embrace, cosset and lavish her guests with affection and security. Alongside a lady of such richness, there has to be of course some serious stewardship and it is handsomely provided now by David & Christine Smith the new owners and a truly passionate and involved team of staff. None of the style has been lost at all and the same understated luxury and relaxed atmosphere is still immediately apparent as you walk through the doors. True; Stewart's upbeat appeal has been replaced, but in equal measure by the most likeable of hosts whose engaging warmth is subtle, genuine and oh so rare these days.

This visit for me was quite a special occasion as I'd invited our new Manager of New-Milton.com and her husband to come with us and potentially to introduce her into the love affair we have had for Westover for the past couple of years, given that being between the two places this review might also be relevant to her site as well. And so we found ourselves, two couples of a similar age out for the evening with a variety of views and expectations and the potential of course for a really great night.

At first we settled into the lounge, and a couple of glasses of Kir Royal later we'd all moved from the edge of the sofas and the normal formality of new friendships to open armed, bright smiling and sprawled, happy people really starting to enjoy each others company. After the ever so subtle prescence of the Maitre D became apparent we all took pause to look at the menus and I can genuinely say without my prior knowledge, we realised that one of our new friends didn't eat either meat or fish. Now I would have hated David to think I had staged that because it was reallly unforseen, so at the time I was momentarily quite uncomfortable wondering how this would be resolved, given that there were no absolutely 'vegan' options on that particular menu. As if it were completely natural, Ivan reeled off a load of options which the Chef would happily put together and that was that! Back to enjoying oursleves.

Now it is no use pretending that dining at Westover Hall is a casual affair, because it just isn't that kind of place and it would be in my opinion offensive to Richard Whiting and his team in the kitchen to treat it too informally. What I would say however is that this doesn't mean you can't relax and have fun and I think that is not only a very clever balance, it is what makes Westover so special. I remember being at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons once with five others and we seemed to be the only table engaging in any conversation and doing any laughing. (In fairness, Raymond Blanc came over to us later on, partly to wish Ruth, whom we'd taken, a happy birthday but also to thank us for bringing some joy to the room for a change.) Don't get me wrong, this is still quite formal dining, but there isn't that stuffy sense that you can't relax and have a great time.

To that end, if you are more relaxed, then those little touches like the earlier Champagne and canapes in the lounge, the amuse bouche and the crisp white wine all seem even more appealing and then when the appetisers arrive, in my case a Lymington crab (of course!), warm samphire, citrus vinaigrette; I believe that any Chef's passion must be better rewarded than it would be by uptight people in some of these places which are so food centric they forget to include a sense of occasion.

I had local, line caught sea bass as a main course and my vegan friend had her own off-menu risotto which was apparently tangible proof that Richard can rustle up a pretty mean dish off the hoof as well. Presentation was as always charming and the quality of the fish exceptional. I could be really pretentious and write another few paragraphs describing each course, but to be honest it seems more complimentary to say that out of four people of varied tastes, we were without exception, thrilled with and by what we ate.

As a contented bunch we did 'retire' to the lounge where we by now felt part of the furniture and wiled away another hour or so, gradually winding down a perfect evening. I've said before, The Westover Hall is the kind of place where you almost feel you could sit and read a book in the lounge in a dressing gown without anyone batting an eyelid and based on the fabulous evening we had been afforded, David & Christine were pretty lucky to get rid of us that night. If I'd had my way we'd still be there.

Thank you to everyone mentioned above for a truly wonderful evening, especially David & Christine and to Yvonne, Saskia and Magdalena too. By the way Sabrina, just because you didn't write your name down, I still want to say thank you to you as well. You can blame Oliver!

See you soon Westover Hall, if I can still get a table! JS

Westover Hall Hotel

Park Lane

Milford-on-Sea

Hampshire

SO41 0PT

T 01590 643044

www.westoverhallhotel.com