The Grosvenor Stockbridge – comfortable accommodation for fieldsports fans
Looking for somewhere for dinner and an overnight stay after a day shooting in Hampshire? This is the place.
Rooms at the Grosvenor are newly refurbished with comfortable beds
The perfect fieldsports hotel in Hampshire?
I’ll happily spend all day in the field being buffeted by the wind with the rain full on my face. ( I always make sure I’m dressed for the weather.) I’m perfectly content to stand in mud in a gale and never grumble – as long as I know I’m certain of a hot bath at the day’s end, a pre-dinner drink and then a hearty dinner with my day’s companions.
In my view shooters earn their comfortable beds and a long soak in the tub.
So when you’ve received an invitation to shoot or have booked a day’s shooting, finding a fieldsports hotel nearby is crucial.
Country pursuits
Stockbridge in Hampshire is bang smack in the middle of fieldsports territory. There’s the River Test running alongside and more shoots than you can shake a stick at nearby. Of course, it’s also horse racing country.
So I thought it was my duty to investigate a fieldsports hotel in Hampshire that is currently being refurbished and prides itself on its shooting and country heritage – the Grosvenor. In fact the Houghton Club, the world’s oldest fly fishing club, is based there.
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A fieldsports hotel in Hampshire
The Grosvenor in Stockbridge stands magnificently in the middle of the High Street, a long wide thoroughfare that retains the charm of the last 200 years.
We arrived on a dark, cold January evening.
Parking is easy and free at the back of the building. The reception area offers the perfect welcome – Persian rugs covering polished parquet floors, fresh flowers and open log fires burning. There are even dog beds to take to your room with you in case you’ve forgotten one (or the dog fancies something luxurious). Guns can be deposited in gun safes just off reception.
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We were shown to our newly refurbished room which ticked all my hotel boxes. Beautifully quiet, a large comfortable bed, no complicated lighting and a sumptuous bathroom. If you arrive with wet tweeds, coats and boots, staff will take them away to dry in a warm room.
After a steaming hot shower, we made our way downstairs to the bar area. I had a reviving gin and tonic whilst James decided on a pint of the local Ringwood Razorback, which he raved about. On the way to the bar I had popped my head into the dining room, called the Danebury Room. Beautifully panelled in wooden marquetry depicting racehorses, it is named after the neighbouring Danebury Downs, another indication of the Grosvenor’s connection with fieldsports. Some early diners were already deep in conversation at the candlelit tables.
We decided to stay on and eat in the bar, which welcomes polite dogs, and browsed the menu.
Food is locally sourced, beautifully cooked and quite delicious.
James opted for the chicken and duck liver parfait as a starter, whilst I chose Stockbridge smoked trout, which tempted the appetite perfectly. To follow Himself tucked into roasted haunch of venison (local of course) whilst I chose the quail, served with bubble and squeak and braised red cabbage.
To drink we had a bottle of 2018 Chilean Malbec. We polished it off with a selection of Hampshire cheeses. Both of us toyed with the idea of trying the homemade ice creams, which our neighbours were enjoying, but were just too replete.
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One to remember
After dinner I asked to see the private dining areas. Finding a cosy, not too formal room in which to have a delicious dinner with the day’s shooting companions can be something of a holy grail. The Grosvenor fits the bill entirely. There are several options, but I particularly liked a wood panelled room, warmed by a generous log fire, which could seat anything from an intimate dinner for half a dozen up to a more lively party of about 30.
You could also have a shooting weekend and take newly updated ‘Tap Cottage’. Whilst it enjoys the hotel’s amenities, it stands separately and offers three en-suite bedrooms, a sitting and dining room and a cook’s corner.
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And so to bed
Climbing into a comfortable bed after a good dinner, turning off the light and falling into sleep following a day spent outside is one of life’s pleasures. As I drifted off all I could hear was a distant owl. On his bed under the desk the dog dreamed of rabbiting.
The next day
We completed our visit by polishing off the house breakfast. Hampshire sausages, black pudding, eggs … with lashings of English breakfast tea. This time we ate in the Danebury Room and I noticed that some non-guests were also coming in to enjoy breakfast. This fieldsports hotel obviously has gained itself a reputation as a breakfast destination.
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Conclusion
In summary, this is the place to stay if you’re shooting locally and looking for a fieldsports hotel in Hampshire or nearby that is comfortable, stylish and informal but with good service and delicious food. The Grosvenor welcomes shooters and dogs and understands what fieldsports types are looking for.
It’s also perfect as a venue for a private dinner party. If you want somewhere to relax over drinks and dinner with your companions then it’s ideal – but make sure you get a booking in because I suspect it’s a popular choice. Taking Tap Cottage would be fun.
Whilst we were there the refurbishment was ongoing (although we weren’t inconvenienced in any way) so I’ll be interested to see how things look in a year’s time when the work is finished. Everything points towards it being a great success.
Contact: The Grosvenor Stockbridge
