Best hotels in Derbyshire: Eat, drink and sleep in style at the newly refurbished Ashford Arms

What do you get when you blend rural charm with a luxury hotel and restaurant? The Ashford Arms, of course.

The newly refurbished establishment in Ashford-on-the-Water in Derbyshire has recently reopened to the public.

Despite only being five weeks since it flung open its doors, The Ashford Arms is a tightly run ship that emanates a taste of laidback luxury in the heart of the Peak District.

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Just a stone’s throw away from some of the Peaks’ best-loved tourist attractions including The Heights of Abraham and Chatsworth House - this is an ideal spot to relax after a busy day of exploring.

With elegantly decorated rooms that nod to the building’s historic past and a menu that toes the line between fine dining and classic pub grub, I can’t think of anywhere better for a British staycation.

Taste of the suite life

After a busy day exploring the East Midlands, we were keen to drop our bags and rest our weary bodies, thankfully check-in at The Ashford Arms was smooth and friendly.

After a quick bolt up the stairs, we found ourselves outside the Devonshire Suite. We later found out this room is named after the original building that The Ashford Arms now occupies.

My travel companion (posh, journalistic phrase for boyfriend, otherwise known as Ken) and I let out a gleeful giggle when we stepped into our suite.

Immediately greeted by a gorgeous claw foot bathtub, champagne, and chocolates, we were ready for a night of romping and romance at The Ashford Arms.

With frightening speed, Ken had donned his robe (socks still on) and was strutting around the suite, a la Tony Soprano.

Meanwhile, I had snuggled my way into the centre, of the giant bed, surrounded by plush pillows and a soft dreamy duvet.

We quickly decided we’d better head down to the bar for a drink, otherwise, we’d never leave the room (not like that, you filthy animals!)

We booked a table in The Ashford Arms restaurant for dinner at 8.15pm, so decided to kill some time by enjoying the outdoor seating with a couple of drinks. Ken stuck to the beer, while I sampled the local spirits.

The outside seating area was essentially a posh pub garden, made all the more desirable, but the much-needed sunshine. We enjoyed listening to the gentle trickle of water from a nearby stream and marvelling at the old stone houses.

After sinking a couple of gins with lemonade and elderflower cordial (try it), it was time for tea - and you best believe we were ready to EAT!

Accomplished cooking and pub grub done ‘properly’

I’d describe the menu at The Ashford Arms as pimped-up pub grub with a twist. Here you’ll find your classic mid-week meals like pie, bangers and mash, or sticky toffee pudding but it’s got that little something extra that takes it from blah to yah!

Alongside those classics you’ll also find refined dishes such as pan-fried pigeon and gravlax, offering something for every diner.

Everything on the menu, from the meat to the coffee, is sourced from local suppliers that come highly recommended by the team.

Ok, ok, I know you want to know how it tastes!

To start I opted for a pleasantly but not overtly fishy smoked haddock and spring onion croquette, served alongside a smooth and silky cauliflower puree, roasted peppers, and a dressed salad.

While Ken devoured “slim fillets of fabulously seasoned” pigeon breast with celeriac puree. He described the jus as the “cherry on top of an excellent dish” and scored it a 9.69 out of 10.

Moments after our cutlery hit the plate, our mains arrived. These two dishes were fine examples of “typical dinners, done right”.

A hearty portion of bangers and mash, consisting of three “well-seasoned sausages”, creamy, buttery mashed potato topped with chives and crispy onions.

It was the addition of slow-cooked bacon that was “crispier than an ironed bed sheet” that Ken said took this dish to new heights, alongside a rich gravy that brought the whole band together.

I opted for chicken supreme, a dish that many would turn their nose up at, but so happens to be one of my all-time favourites.

A staple in my household, while growing up this was a far cry from my mum’s microwaved roux. The chicken had a charcoaly (real word), almost barbecued flavour that permeated the crispy skin and succulent meat.

It was paired with crispy potatoes and a creamy mushroom sauce, with umami flavours that tickled my tastebuds. I ordered the kale and broccoli to go alongside this which helped the dish to feel complete.

We hadn’t come this far to skip dessert, so onward we went, spoon first into two delightfully decadent treats.

You can’t come to the Peak District without trying a Bakewell Tart (especially not if you’re within spitting distance of its namesake town). And this one didn’t disappoint.

Light, spongy, frangipani goodness was served on a bed of warm vanilla crème anglaise (swanky custard) and flaked almonds. The fruity raspberry ice cream and fresh mint brought the dish to life with a welcome zing and tartness.

While I enjoyed a white chocolate and passionfruit cheesecake with ginger coulis and orange sorbet. This was fresh, fruity, and reminiscent of a Pornstar Martini.

I enjoyed the juxtaposing textures of the buttery, biscuit base, smooth cheesecake filling, and jellied passionfruit topping. It was an altogether well-thought-out and balanced plate of pud.

There are several dishes on the menu, I am eyeing up for my return to The Ashford Arms, most notably the Scotch Egg, which looked gooey, meaty, and breaded to perfection.

Another dish I am eager to try is the pan-fried Duck breast with chamomile-infused rice and stir-fried vegetables. This comes highly recommended by the General Manager.

Sweet dreams

As you can imagine after that absolute feast we were ready for bed and so we stumbled up the stairs to our suite, feeling positively smug (and full).

Back in the bedroom, we relaxed (as all modern couples do) by kicking back and pretending to watch some Netflix. I wish I could tell you what we were ‘watching’ but the second my head hit that plump pillow I was counting sheep - and I didn’t stir until morning.

I will unleash my inner Goldilocks here for a moment and say the bed was just right, it wasn’t too firm, or soft, and it had the perfect amount of support and sinkability.

A slow Sunday wake-up is exactly what was required after a busy working week, still full and satiated from the night before, we pottered around the room for several hours before heading down for breakfast.

As with all good hotels, this place wasn’t messing around when it came to bathroom amenities. I’ve already mentioned the stand-alone tub that sat regally at the end of our bed, but the suite also boasted a powerful (and piping hot shower).

The hotel provided heavenly-scented shampoo and body wash, although I would have liked a matching conditioner, which is a very first-world problem to have. The towels were large, fluffy, and white - as were the robes.

As an Amazonian, I always feel dread when I see hotel robes but these were pleasantly large and long, so nothing undignified was on display (much to Ken’s disappointment).

Breakfast of champions

By the time we had made it down for breakfast, we were more than ready to eat again. With eyes bigger than our stomachs we perused the menu which had options for every taste.

From pancakes to eggs, a continental selection, and of course, the big fry-up.

Not quite hungry enough for a Full English we opted for Eggs Benedict and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs - both served on perfectly toasted English muffins.

Both dishes were executed well, were lightly seasoned, and generously portioned, even if you weren’t staying at The Ashford Arms, I’d suggest this is a good place to come for a Peak District breakfast.

Tea, coffee, water and apple juice were all served alongside breakfast per our request and it was a brilliant start to another action-packed day of exploring.

Lasting impressions

The Ashford Arms is an establishment that showcases accomplished cooking, masterful hospitality, and a deliciously homely atmosphere that is surprising and impressive given its short lifespan.

The attention to detail from the carefully crafted menus to the gold-plated loo roll holders set this apart from your run-of-the-mill ‘pub with a room’.

Despite only being open for a short time, there is a real air that these people know what they are doing when it comes to ensuring guests and punters are happy with their experience.

The staff, led by General Manager, Josh Butler, 25 from Derby, (more on him to come!) were friendly, attentive, knowledgeable, and seemed genuinely enthused by what they do.

Truthfully, I can’t imagine what more you could want from an escape in the Peak District. The rooms are plush and luxurious, the food is tasty, generous, and well-priced, the bar is well-stocked and the people are lovely.

To give The Ashford Arms anything less than five stars would be doing this place a real injustice and I expect to see its name popping up in all the guidebooks before long.

I’m already planning my next Peak District escape and you’d best believe there’s only one place I want to stay.

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