At a glittering party at The Dorchester the other night, the great and the good assembled to find out about the forthcoming launch of the Dorchester Collection’s first country house hotel, Coworth Park, situated just outside Ascot in Berkshire. Guests sipped Veuve Clicquot and elderflower cordials and were served a selection of English canapes including miniature Scotch eggs, smoked salmon blinis and miniature Victoria sponge as full details of what to expect from Coworth Park were divulged.
Given that the Dorchester Collection has long been synonymous with high-end luxury, mixed with intimate and personal touches of service, it came as little surprise to find that Coworth Park is intended to shake up expectations in a way that only the excellent Lime Wood has recently managed to. Rooms and suites will include the converted Dower House, featuring three lavishly decorated bedrooms with sculptural four-poster beds, as well as suitably stylish ‘normal’ rooms.
Gourmets will be eagerly rubbing their hands together at the planned fine dining restaurant, which will be showcasing the talents of the double Michelin-starred John Campbell, who attained fame for his excellent cooking at The Vineyard At Stockcross. Campbell was on hand at the event showcasing some of the fantastic canapes that he has come up with, and there was more than a touch of Blumenthal-esque molecular gastronomy in test tubes full of a ‘BLT’ – a thin gelatinous layer of bacon foam, complete with tomato consomme and lettuce cream. It looked unimposing, but tasted divine, which bodes well for his new restaurant.
The hotel is opening in late August 2010, and, judging by the more than enthusiastic reactions from those who attended the event, it promises to be a glittering success. For more details, visit http://www.coworthpark.com/
