Amanda Turnbull

Review of Castle Hill Inn - Relais & Cha...

Incredible. I could end the review there.

Incredible. I could end the review there.

We stayed in a beach cottage for three days and enjoyed breakfast, afternoon tea, several dinners and the spa here. Nothing was disappointing. The cottages are wonderfully appointed, immaculate, and set right on the beach and away from the main house. It was a great way to get some quiet time without the crowds that congregated on the lawn when the weather was nice.

The food was excellent all around. Tea is served with a nice selection of nibbles, dinners at The Lawn and the mansion bar were very nice. The highlight, of course, was the formal dining room. Pretty standard prix fixe menu style ranging from 3 to 6 courses and priced accordingly. The wine pairings are a must and were really the stars of the show (well, second to the bluefin toro crudo).

All the staff were attentive and helpful. We were able to get a wonderful recommendation for a sailing charter from the front desk, which we never would have found otherwise.

Literally, my only complaint is the shower rings make a horrendous metal-on-metal screeching sound when you open and close the curtain.

A word of warning though: it is a cut above. This was a surprisingly high end New England style experience which was even a bit out of our comfort zone. Just be prepared to have your face on at breakfast (for the ladies) and a collared shirt for the formal dining (gentleman).

Oh, one more lovely note: the beach-combing on the far end of the beach (past the cottages where it gets rocky) is spectacular.