Assessment: The Lion at Malpas, Cheshire, UK

Sitting within the South Cheshire nation-state, the medieval village of Malpas was once not too long ago topped #1 in The Sunday Occasions listing of the “best possible secret villages to reside in”, praised for its robust sense of network and perfect location. On the middle of the village lies The Lion at Malpas, a sixteenth century inn which has gone through a multi-million pound renovation. As keen on pubs with rooms, we made up our minds to stick for a few nights to look why this pleasant Cheshire gem has develop into this kind of sought-after vacation spot.

The welcome

We arrived at round 4pm and simply discovered a parking spot along side the pub (further areas are to be had on the rear should you arrive later). Stepping thru the principle front, we have been greeted by means of the comfortable glow of a roaring hearth which was once complemented by means of an similarly heat welcome, sooner than we have been promptly passed our keycards and proven to our room in a close-by construction.

The room

The rooms are named after villages just about Malpas. We stayed in ‘Clutton’, a generously-proportioned room overlaying 28 sq. metres. Upon coming into, there’s a comfortable porch house with a field for muddy boots — a considerate contact, given the abundance of strolling alternatives within the area, together with the Sandstone Path which passes simply 2.5 miles to the east of Malpas.

The bed room itself exudes a captivating mix of conventional and trendy design. The mattress is framed by means of a putting darkish, rustic wood lattice that enhances the uncovered beams, including heat and personality. This contrasts superbly with the homely setting presented by means of the lighter tones of the partitions and the wood-effect floor.

Smartly-lit and thoughtfully organized, the room features a dressing desk, a fitted cloth wardrobe, and a small sitting house with a desk and two comfy chairs by means of the window, best for enjoyable after an afternoon of exploring. The en suite toilet lies simply past.

The toilet

The en suite toilet could be very inviting, now not least as it has underfloor-heating and all the time felt so comfortable on every occasion we entered. It’s a modern room with greenish trendy subway tiles at the wall (even supposing they give the impression of being extra gray in my {photograph}!), contrasting with the patterned Moroccan-like ground tiles. A tumbler-screened walk-in bathe, swish under-mounted sink and a heated towel rail give the toilet a contemporary, vintage aesthetic.

Fluffy towels, cushy lights and a ample provide of Molton Brown toiletries equipped a bit added air of luxurious.

The amenities

Breakfast was once incorporated in our keep, and it was once a fantastic option to get started each and every morning. It’s served within the pub till 10am, best should you desire a lie-in or, like us, fancy a morning run previously. Together with a number of cereals and juices to lend a hand your self to, there’s additionally an à l. a. carte menu. You’ll be able to make a choice from classics akin to Eggs Benedict or Eggs Florentine, or delight in a heartier possibility with The Malpas Breakfast or The Cheshire Breakfast—each scrumptious diversifications of a complete English.

Within the evenings, the menu gives pub favourites akin to fish and chips, burgers and right kind pies, along ingenious dishes that transcend conventional pub fayre. Suppose confit duck leg with dauphinoise potatoes and squash purée, or entire butterflied seabass with a lemon, dill and caper butter. A few of the starters, you’ll to find the whole thing from brûléed figs with a goats cheese mousse and walnuts, to king prawns with a kaffir lime butter, chilli and toasted sourdough for dipping.

The Lion at Malpas may be very canine pleasant, with our 10 yr previous Springer, George, ready to enroll in us in maximum spaces of the pub, in addition to keep in our room.

Whilst we spent a lot of our time exploring the native house, there’s masses to stay you entertained if you select to stick within the pub. Together with a well-stocked bar, books, and magazines, there’s additionally a big selection of board video games to revel in. In truth, on our first evening, we discovered the pub internet hosting a full of life backgammon evening—a captivating reminder of the way pubs can deliver folks in combination. It was once pretty to look the gap being utilized in this kind of community-driven method, including to the welcoming setting.

Be sure that additionally to not pass over the ancient chair, just about the pub’s primary front and stored in Malpas because of native citizens, that King James I is alleged to have used when he stopped at The Lion.

The more than a few rooms of the pub will also be allotted for various purposes – helpful should you’re internet hosting a small amassing or tournament, or best should you’re considering of making plans one thing particular.

The site

Malpas is a gorgeous, ancient village – even discussed within the Domesday E-book – within the south-western tip of Cheshire, just about the borders with Shropshire and Wales. It’s a very simple 35-minute pressure from Chester, and now not a lot additional to Manchester or Liverpool, however nonetheless sufficiently some distance from all of them to be in reality rural.

We visited Cholmondeley Fort Gardens which is just a 10-minute pressure away and have been very lucky in that we came about to reach simply in time for an Autumn Tints Guided Excursion with Head Gardener Barry Grain – a 90-minute walk throughout the gardens during which we have been immersed in a wide ranging palette of seasonal colours. The sky was once a bit overcast however this solely served to make the fiery reds, deep oranges and golden yellows stand out much more.

Barry’s intensive wisdom was once shared in this kind of at ease approach that the excursion was once a a laugh enjoy.

The highlights for me have been the magnificent purple maple close to the decorative lake and the brilliant yellow, caramel-scented lime tree that capped off our excursion sooner than we loved a deal with on the café.

At the day of our departure, we loved transparent blue skies so explored a piece of the Sandstone Path at Bickerton Hill on our method house. We now have walked different sections of the course sooner than, however in reality will have to go back to do all of it at some point because it’s fairly stunning.

Different great touches

While it was once pretty to sit down within the pub with a drink, we have been supplied with a wide variety of considerate extras in our room that it might were simple to not depart! A small bottle of gin and a few Fevertree tonics with a welcome be aware, a Nespresso system and a provide of espresso pods, and mini happer filled stuffed with crisps, biscuits, Teapigs tea baggage and comfort sizzling chocolate. There have been even canine biscuits for our dog spouse and studying subject material within the type of a duplicate of Cheshire Existence.

The price

For the extent of convenience, consideration to element, and total enjoy, The Lion gives outstanding price for cash with room-only remains ranging from £99 consistent with evening for two folks.

A dinner, mattress and breakfast keep in a Nation Double room akin to ‘Clutton’, that we stayed in, begins from £199 consistent with evening for 2 folks.

The most efficient bit

The spotlight of our keep was once the nice and cozy and welcoming setting that The Lion at Malpas gave the impression to create so easily — one thing the most productive conventional pubs are famend for. A roaring hearth, comfy lodging and high quality pub meals all contributed to the easiest mix of cosiness, informality and rustic attraction that made our keep an overly homely and inviting one.

The general verdict

There’s one thing comforting about unwinding with buddies or circle of relatives over a pint by means of a roaring hearth in a comfortable British pub. It’s arduous to overcome. However by means of providing the attraction of a pub with the relief of a restful evening’s keep in high quality lodging, The Lion at Malpas takes the enjoy to a brand new degree, with out the formality of a luxurious lodge.

Disclosure: Our keep was once courtesy of The Lion at Malpas.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxurious Go back and forth Weblog and has labored within the shuttle trade for greater than 30 years. He’s Winner of the Inventions in Go back and forth ‘Easiest Go back and forth Influencer’ Award from WIRED mag. Along with different awards, the weblog has additionally been voted “one of the crucial global’s best possible shuttle blogs” and “best possible for luxurious” by means of The Telegraph.