Blog

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Ashdown Park

The Grand

Luton Hoo

Tylney Hall

Pancake Day

If you are a fan of pancakes, this Pancake Day we have a treat for you! It’s not a pancake race, or a competition of how many times our guest can toss a pancake, but gourmet pancakes available at each course on Shrove Tuesday (21st February) in our Oak Room Restaurant.......and not just the traditional favourites of sugar and lemon, chocolate...more info

A Look Back In Time.....

There is currently an excellent BBC documentary running which offers a rare glimpse into the Queen’s sixty years on the throne. Over the years there have been many programmes which have focused on one part of her reign or a particular moment in history, but few have taken such a broad approach. For example it is easy to forget just how many Prime...more info

Winter À La Carte Menu

I always enjoy putting together our new seasonal à la carte menus with the kitchen team. Everyone gets involved suggesting personal favourite seasonal dishes, flavours and new ideas that they have come up with. Through tastings and testing over a couple of weeks the team have created our winter à la carte menu. There is such a variety of...more info

Valentine's Celebrations

No matter what your thoughts are on what some call the most romantic day of the year, I think that there is a little bit of a romantic in all of us, especially when we have found ‘the one’. I am a romantic at heart and love nothing more than the fairytale ‘happy ever after’, even more so if I have played a small part as fairy godmother. Being in...more info

News from our Estate Team

This time of year is seen by many as a quiet time for work in the garden. As any gardener knows there is always something to do. During the next few weeks it’s a good chance to catch up on all those little jobs that you did not have time to do during the summer. We are currently cleaning up around the garden and grounds and cutting back the...more info

Afternoon Tea - GCSE Group Visit.

Today a group of 6 GCSE students from Sherfield School visited the hotel to find out more about traditional afternoon tea and to experience the 'Tylney way'. This was to get real life experience, to help them in their course work of creating and serving their own afternoon tea, which will go towards their GCSE in Hospitality and Catering. The...more info

Reims

I recently enjoyed a flying visit to Reims as guest of Ruinart and Krug. Taking the Eurostar from Ebbsfleet to Paris was a pleasure despite an early start. The drive from Ashdown Park to the station took under the hour with a swift ten minute walk from the Gard du Nord to Gard du Est and a 50 minute transfer to Reims, the overall journey time...more info

Picture Perfect

Towards the end of 2011 (happy new year, by the way) I attended a couple of professional photography sessions at our hotels. Although I am a keen photographer at home, my presence wasn’t required for technical support or photographic expertise - that was left to the professionals. I tagged along to provide direction (or opinion) on subject...more info

Greeting from the Grand Health Club and Spa

Triathlon here we come!..... Posted 1th January 2012 Well, it is that time of year again! And if, like me, you have maybe slightly overeaten, over indulged and have a waist that feels a little like Santa's now is the time to get back on track! The trick is to have a goal to aim for! For me it's a Triathlon. I was training one of my Personal...more info

Beautiful South Awards 2011

On Thursday 1st December Hannah Burkeman, Sales Manager and I attended the Beautiful South Awards for Excellence 2011, held at Denbies English Vineyard in Surrey, where we were nominated for the Large Hotel of the Year. We were up against some stiff competition from the Aviator, Hampshire, Lingfield Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club, Surrey,...more info

Decorating for Christmas

It will soon be Christmas again here at Tylney Hall. It is one of my favourite times of the year as my team get to decorate the whole hotel with a little bit of Christmas sparkle! At the beginning of November we start to wake up our decorations, help them to stretch their arms and legs and give them a good polish with lots of love and care....more info

Putting up the Christmas Tree

If you ever wondered how our Gardener's make our Christmas Trees stand up straight here's how. This one is outside the main entrance and is 18ft! more info

Tylney Hall Mulled Wine

With Christmas fast approaching and the festive menu starting on Thursday we will be serving Mulled Wine throughout December, and after defrosting the car this morning I couldn’t think of a better time to start the preparation. We will be making approximately 500 litres of Mulled Wine (about 2,500 glasses) over the festive season, however below is...more info

It's That Time of Year Again

It’s at this time of year, with the cold mist creeping in through the front door and the sound of the fresh frost crunching under foot whilst I walk to work, that it starts to dawn on me that Christmas is just a few weeks away. Whilst my two young daughters have been reminding me for weeks that Santa is getting ready, and my wife has been buying...more info

Kerstin Florian and VitaMan Spa Launch

Last Thursday, 10th November, it was the launch of our new spa product ranges here at Tylney Hall. Over the summer months my team of spa therapists have all been trained on the new product ranges – Kerstin Florian and VitaMan. Kerstin Florian is a European skincare brand which specialises in using natural resources, including thermal mineral salts...more info

Replanting the Decidous Azalea Garden

This week marks the beginning of a 3 -5 year project at Tylney Hall which the whole Estates Team is involved in, the replanting of our decidous azalea garden, which is situated in between the lake and the bottom of the vista. The azalea garden is thought to be one of the last areas of the Tylney Hall Garden to be developed in the mid 1930’s by the...more info

A Warm Welcome to Andrew Wilson

Ashdown Park & Country Club welcomes the return of Andrew Wilson. We managed to catch up with Andrew during his busy day to find out more about his life, what he hopes to bring to the hotel and what made him decide to return. “When I left as Senior Sous Chef I always knew that I would return as the Executive Chef some day, the company has...more info

Preparing for Christmas

In so many places over the past few days I have been reminded that Christmas is just eight weeks away – in the shops, on social media and of course as our attention at the hotel now turns to bookings and managing this busy period. Christmas is always a very special time and I have fond memories of Christmases both at home with my family and more...more info

An Afternoon On The Forest

Having taken a days leave to look after my young children on Tuesday, I decided to take my son for an autumn stroll across the Ashdown Forest - to banish the mayhem of the earlier school run from our minds. It worked a treat. Please click here for information and news from the Ashdown Forest, East Sussex (on the doorstep of Ashdown...more info

The GM's Blog

The Twelve months of Christmas' at The Grand.... Posted 9th November 2011 With just over seven weeks until Christmas, most preparations are already in hand here at the Grand, I am reminded that thoughts and plans for this special time continue throughout a hotel year. In the first week of January, we aim to rebook successful festive bands for 11...more info

Familiar Surroundings

When my Dad mentioned that he was looking for a venue to hold my Nana’s 85th birthday next year I had no hesitation in recommending The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne – not because of the passé stereotype of Eastbourne, but because I knew that she (and all my family) would receive excellent service in 5 star surroundings. Part one of the charm offensive...more info

The Downton Abbey Effect

Has anyone else been enjoying the Sunday night treat that is Downton Abbey? It is fantastic, and my favourite character has to be the Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith) who has some brilliant lines. It almost makes me look forward to Sunday evenings which is definitely not my favorite time of the weekend! In some ways life at Downton...more info

Perfect Pasta Demonstration

Through a chance meeting with one of my suppliers who runs Wobbly Bottom Goat’s Farm just outside Hitchin, I was asked if I would like to do a demonstration at the Hitchin Food and Drink Week 2011 to promote local food business' within the area. As I live in Hitchin I was more than happy to support local suppliers with their efforts to increase...more info

Up Up And Away

I am sure you will all agree that the exceptional Autumnal sunshine has helped to lift our spirits amongst the economic doom and gloom greeting us in the news of late. The weather also provided the ‘icing on the cake’ for our Meeting Buyers’ Showcase this weekend, helping to display Ashdown Park at its very best, with a range of activities to...more info

Tylney Hall Garden Open Day

Last weekend was the last garden open day for 2011 not only here at Tylney Hall Hotel, but also in the National Garden Scheme (NGS) for the Hampshire area. Although starting off cloudy, the day stayed dry throughout and the afternoon even saw some sunshine which encouraged many people to join us for what turned out to be a very successful day. ...more info

Planning That Special Day

Our wedding showcase which took place on Sunday was a wonderful success! We met so many happy couples on the day and it was such a pleasure to show them round Tylney Hall. Whether it was a small intimate wedding that they were looking for, or a large traditional wedding we have it all here. Aided by our award winning customer service (Silver Award...more info

Behind the Scenes at Luton Hoo

Before I started working here a year ago I didn’t realise just how many people, with every imaginable skill, it actually takes to run a 5 star hotel. There are Porters and Receptionists, the Concierge who are the just a mine of information, not only do they know everything about the hotel but all the local attractions too, Housekeeping, Chefs who...more info

The important things in life...

It's that time of year when the leaves are beginning to fall, there is that autumnal bite in the air and everyone is trying not to think about the inevitable...Christmas is around the corner. We waited all summer for...well, summer! It came and went in a blink but not all was lost as the recent Indian summer (all 5 days of it) lifted spirits...more info

My Favourite Season

During the 4 ½ years I have worked at Elite Hotels, autumn is fast becoming my favourite season. We are extremely fortunate to have an office on site at Ashdown Park Hotel, and travelling the 9 miles or so from nearby Crowborough, across the Ashdown Forest into work I get to see the changing seasons played out in 3D! This time of year the shift...more info

The Grand Wedding Blogger

Not a Bridezilla in sight!..... Posted 25th November 2011 Meeting all the couples arriving at the recent Wedding Showcase here at The Grand took me back a decade or so when I was the one getting excited about the prospect of holding my own special day at this wonderful 'wedding cake of an hotel' ! The blushing brides to be, (hand in hand with...more info

Travel Trade Familiarisation Weekend

Last weekend (30th September to 2nd October) saw our first Travel Trade Familiarisation trip, organised by our Sales Executive, Martina O’Loughlin. Nine Travel Trade representatives came along to experience what we at Tylney Hall and the surrounding area has to offer their clients. Friday evening started with a full show round of the hotel...more info

Wedding Fair Season

It must be the wedding season for venues here in Hampshire. Every weekend from mid-September onwards there seems to be a wedding fair in our local area. Or it could be as a bride-to-be myself they stand out more to me than they have in previous years. As a wedding venue, we here at Tylney Hall are no different, in fact we are preparing for our...more info

Welcome to the Elite Blog

What a difference a week makes. Last Saturday saw record temperatures across the South East with an amazing 26 degrees celsius. We decided to celebrate this by introducing a 5 day sale offering a 26% discount off our regular tariff. As predicted this proved too tempting for many with a flurry of activity and a welcome number of reservations....more info

The Cellarmans Wine Blog

It's all gone quiet....... Posted 16th February 2012 Despite my lack of blog posting in January and February, it does not mean I have been sunning myself in warmer climes despite the gossip!. Although with the weather being as it has been, maybe that would not have been a bad idea. This is the time of year I get a little more time to spend...more info