The Red Lion Freehouse
A thatched pub in a quiet village tucked into the folds of Salisbury Plain is home to a Michelin-starred restaurant, with a swish guest house across the road. More
Good Hotel Guide Review
A thatched pub in a quiet village tucked into the folds of Salisbury Plain is home to a highly praised restaurant, with a swish guest house across the road. It has been quite a journey for chef/proprietors Guy and Brittany Manning, from New York’s vaunted Per Se restaurant, where they met, to this leafy backwater, but our readers are delighted that they made it. ‘This place is going from strength to strength,’ runs a typical comment. ‘Highly recommended.’ Within, you will find flagstones and beams, beers on tap pulled by friendly bar staff, all the trappings of a popular local, and the garden is set up for outdoor dining. Guy uses local, home-grown and foraged produce in dishes such as herb-roasted guineafowl breast, wild garlic gnocchi, sauce soubise, trompettes, jus gras, while Brittany turns her hand to desserts. Maybe chocolate financier, goat’s curd, crapaudine purée and rosemary ice cream. Spacious and stylish bedrooms have decking beside the River Avon, a minibar, perhaps an in-room roll-top bath from which to contemplate the view, and a separate rainwater shower. ‘We ran out of superlatives.’ (TB, and others)
Hotel details
Address
Pewsey
East Chisenbury
Wiltshire
SN9 6AQ
England
Telephone
01980 671124
Bedrooms
5. On ground floor, 1 suitable for disabled.
Open
Tuesday from 3pm to Saturday at 11pm. Rooms available from Tuesday night to Saturday night. Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and usually 1 week in January.
Facilities
bar/restaurant, private dining room, in-room TV (Freeview), ½-acre garden, restaurant wheelchair accessible.
Background music
in pub/restaurant.
Children
all ages welcomed, travel cot £15, extra bed (aged 3–10) £50.
Dogs
allowed in 1 bedroom by arrangement (£10 a night).
Credit cards
Amex, MC, Visa.
Prices
B&B doubles from £170 (£195 Fri, Sat and peak times). À la carte £60, pre-booked 7-course tasting menu £85.
Other reviews
VisitEngland Five Star Inn
Good Hotel Guide articles about
The Red Lion Freehouse
- The i: Ten of the best hotels to stay in the UK for foodies
- Visit Wiltshire: 11 great hotels in Wiltshire
- Good Pub Guide: Favourite gastropubs with rooms
- Visit Wiltshire: 5 hotels for cosy autumn breaks in Wiltshire
- The i: These are officially the best hotels in Great Britain and Ireland
- Daily Mail: The best hotels in Britain
- Independent.co.uk: Britain’s Best Gastropub Hotels
Special offers
'30% off Tuesday rates' Summer Special Offer
30% off Tuesday Rates for the summer! Come and escape to this tranquil Foodie sanctuary (GHG Editor’s Choice 2022) way off the beaten track on the edge of Salisbury Plain. Through bi-fold doors, every room has private decking on the banks of the River Avon and uninterrupted views to grazing meadows beyond in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There is plenty to do and see in the warmer months, including fabulous walking, fishing and cycling routes in addition to the beautiful gardens and nearby National Trust properties to visit. East Chisenbury even has a diving pond for wild swimming! This offer is valid for new bookings from 23 May to 31 August 2022 and for rooms booked on Tuesday evenings. Guests booking on this offer must dine at the Red Lion for dinner on each day of their stay. Please use the secret code GHG when booking online or give the hotel a call. Please mention the Good Hotel Guide when booking!
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