The Hambrough

5 AA Gold Stars for 2013

tom — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:52:13 +0000

The Hambrough team are delighted to announce we have retained 5 AA Gold stars for rooms in 2013 and the only accommodation to do so on the Isle of Wight.

TNT Magazine

tom — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 12:30:48 +0000

This relaxed ‘restaurant with rooms’ has put Ventnor in the Isle of Wight – once a favourite among the Victorian elite – firmly back on the tourist map.

Overview Set in a three-storey villa on the seafront, chef Robert Thompson’s Michelin-starred haute cuisine might be the draw, but it’s the cosy suites and lovely staff that keep customers bedded in for a long weekend.

It isn’t glamorously luxurious, á la the W, but The Hambrough succeeds at delivering a more accessible, down-to-earth charm to guests eager to escape the stresses of city life.

Wow factor Where to start? The hotel’s biggest selling point is its sublime gastronomy, served up as the waves of the Channel crash soothingly outside.

And at just £60pp for the à la carte menu (or try a three-course lunch for £29pp) it’s also more affordable than a similar meal would be in London.

Then there’s the gourmet breakfast they deliver to your room, and the fact that staff make a conscious effort to make you feel comfortable, despite the high-end credentials.

Rooms Contemporary, homey decor gives you no choice but to kick back. Try for a suite with a balcony to make the most of the sea views.

Bill please From £150pn.

Link Here

Company Magazine

tom — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:15:14 +0000

By Michael Melis

Click here for article online

One Saturday morning a few weeks ago, the sun was shining so we hopped on a train from London Waterloo to Portsmouth and just 3 hours, one catamaran, a vintage London Underground train journey and a stunning coastal walk later, we were enjoying a gorgeous alfresco lunch on the Isle of Wight, at the Pond Café in Bonchurch – our favourite new gastro-find of the season!

Set in the picturesque village of Bonchurch, this gorgeous little restaurant is owned by chef Robert Thompson, who also runs the Isle of Wight’s only Michelin starred restaurant, the Hamrough, in nearby Ventnor. Opposite the village pond, you couldn’t get a lovelier setting for a sunny autumnal lunch. Or you could stay for a romantic dinner too. And for all you serious foodies out there, Robert also hosts some really cool events here. Like a fantastic pasta-making experience, including lunch (10 October; £30 per person) or a wine-tasting evening, including dinner and Prosecco; £45 per person)

But if, like us, you just fancy getting away from it all for a lovely day out and a fabulous lunch, this is where you need to be. With beautiful fresh produce, local seafood, fresh pasta dishes, risottos, amazing cheeses and puddings, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Oh, and did we mention the best rosé wine we’ve tasted in ages (the Cape Bleue)?

Basically, I guess what we’re trying to say is, you need to book a table now! But shhhh – don’t tell the whole world about it. Let’s just keep it our little secret. Cos this really is a hidden gem we’d rather keep to ourselves!

The Independent Review

tom — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 08:35:23 +0000

Simon Usborne takes a cycling break with Isle of Wight luxury hotel The Hambrough, see what what he found…

The Independent

The Independent 17.09.12

Island Cuisine at a Boutique Hotel

tom — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:18:26 +0000

By Robin Cherry

Robert Thompson received his first Michelin star at the precocious age of 23. When he took his chef whites to the Isle of Wight, his next Michelin star followed 6 months later. Thompson does exquisite things with the island’s local beef and seafood. His specialty is a terrine of lightly smoked eel and foie gras. The converted Victorian boarding house also houses a seven-room boutique hotel. All of the quiet, chic rooms have magnificent ocean views and espresso machines; those on the first floor have balconies perfect for an al fresco breakfast. From $267. 01983 856333

http://www.afar.com/highlights/island-cuisine-at-a-boutique-hotel

Yahoo – Isle of Wight review

tom — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 15:18:18 +0000

Amanda Statham reviews The Isle of Wight dining at both The Hambrough and The Little Gloster in Gurnard and more.

Click this link to read the article

The Times – Food and Drink

tom — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 12:58:21 +0000

Robert Thompson and the Isle of Wight Tomato company featured in The Times – Saturday 16th June written by Tony Turnbull with 6 of Robert Thompsons delicious tomato recipe ideas. Try them out at home.

Click here to see

Delicious Magazine

tom — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:46:00 +0000

Robert Thompson and The Hambrough have recently been included in Fiona Simms recent feature of the Isle of Wight in the Hungry Traveller Section. June 2012 Copy that focuses ont he gourmet delights of the Island and it’s ever popular produce.

The Times Britains Best Beach Hotels

tom — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:38:20 +0000

Recently listed in The Times Britains’s Best Beach Hotels. “Not quite beachfront, but only one street away from the café-lined Esplanade that runs alongside Ventnor’s beach, The Hambrough has seven rooms in a contemporary style; six with sea views and the seventh overlooking St Boniface Down. Lovely though the hotel is, it is almost secondary to the owner Robert Thompson’s cuisine. The youngest chef to gain a Michelin star, he produces classic food with a twist, served in an informal atmosphere.” James Ellis

The Sunday Times, Hardens Top 100

tom — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:05:53 +0000

Robert Thompson and The Hambrough have been announced in the Hardens top 100 for the first time at 17th in the UK.

2011 has already been the most successful year for Robert and his team. The Hambrough has taken home a respectable Eight awards including: AA’s Funkiest B&B, 3 AA Rosettes, 20th in the Good Food Guide, 28th in Square Meal BMW Awards, AA’s notable Wine List, AA’s Critic’s choice 2012 as well as being placed at 17th In the Hardens Top 100 restaurants. “Its always great to get the recognition for all the blood, sweat and tears that are part and parcel of this hugely satisfying job. The whole team are over the moon”

The venture continues to go from strength to strength in it’s bid to re-vitalise the Isle of Wight’s image of “old Victorian holidays” and has brought the Island’s best producers together with award winning dishes crafted by the creative hands of Robert Thompson (The youngest chef to gain a Michelin Star on his own accord). “There is simply no excuse when you have such an amazing array of quality produce on your doorstep, 3 years on and still I find myself discovering new producers ”

The full Sunday Times Food List, listing the top 100 restaurants in Britain, will be published in The Sunday Times on October 30.