Culpeper's Restaurant @ Chilston Park Hotel in Maidstone

BRILLIANT! We visited once maybe about 20 years ago and were very disappointed, but perhaps because that was because the place was being renovated which spoilt the atmosphere. We decided the time was right to try it again. We had a lovely lunch, our only criticism was the scallop starter which was just 4 very small shellfish with no roes, for £16.00 very nicely cooked etc, but an astronomical charge for such a small dish. I had garlic prawns, far better value for £9. £32 for a main of hake and £28 for lamb two ways. A following pannacotta was superb. Lovely meal at a lovely venue. We're going to stay there come the late nights to see how it turns out as an hotel.

I have been a couple of times for a wonderful afternoon tea at Chilston and never disappoints. I took my Mum and friend for lunch this weekend to celebrate a birthday. Lovely touch on the table, a birthday card from the staff for friend whose birthday it was. I made a request at booking to sit by the window was honoured despite being a bigger table and there were only 3 of us and the restaurant being very busy - thank you. The staff were all friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious, well presented great vegetarian choices too. The dishes were flavoursome and seasoned perfectly. I don’t like fondant potatoes and several alternative options offered without hesitation. Lovely touch at the end when the Chef came to each table individually and told us about himself and his passion for food. Overall was a wonderful experience. It is somewhere I want to go with my family for my 60th in April and very much looking forward to returning. Can’t praise it enough. Fantastic

Food is delish, Service and staff even better. Steak and Peppercorn sauce...to die for. Second time here and we will be back again. Thank you for an amazing stay and dinner

The atmosphere of the Hotel and the services were brilliant. The restaurant was making the effort to put 10 of us sitting together for the retirement celebration. They also left a small retirement card to wish Tina happy retirement. She was very happy. The quality of food was superb and taste very good. The chef went beyond to cook us some fresh custard for the sticky toffee pudding. We was very impressed. We will definitely return.

My wife and I have recently returned from taking lunch in the Culpeper’s Restaurant in Chilston Park Hotel. We were in Maidstone and thought we would treat ourselves to a slap-up meal. Looking at the Restaurant’s Sample Menu on their website we were amazed at the excellent 8 starters and 13 main course options. As a sample menu we knew that we would not necessarily have exactly the same food that was offered on line, so before going to the hotel we had requested the actual menu, expecting the meal to be up to the 2 rosette rating publicised, with a good selection of choices and reasonably sized accompaniments. The actual menu had just 4 starters and 4 mains, in no way matching the number of sample menu internet offerings advertised on their web site. No website notification advising that lunch menus have a reduced number of choices. However, we found just one item on each course that we would be willing to order, so we continued with our reservation. On arrival we were given the menu, which again gave the 4 starter and 4 main course options, (with a choice of desserts not taken). The crab starter (£14) was tasty and of reasonable size. We went for slow cooked pork cheeks, (£24) which were of good quantity, and very tender. However, the sweet potato puree, baby leeks and caramelised gala apples accompaniments should have been listed as garnishes. The leeks had been substituted, potato puree was a large smear and the 4m/m cubes of apple had to be searched for. On complaint this was corrected by the waiter bringing more puree and some extra boiled potatoes. We had ordered extra carrots, knowing this would be an extra charge, but the option of extra vegetables was not listed on the printed menu and thus not priced. On receiving the bill we discovered that some items were more highly priced than advertised on the meal menu, and also on the wine menu. On pointing out these discrepancies on the both printed menus, of which the restaurant manager had no knowledge, the bill was corrected. All the staff were courteous and helpful, but I pointed out that I could be a hotel inspector, and producing a bill with items more expensive than listed on the printed menus was not acceptable. We were the only diners in the large dining room. I now know why.

The Menu offered for both Dinner and Breakfast was very good with options for all tastes. The CHEF himself is very friendly and welcoming and inventive with presentation

Sunday lunch today….great service. Interesting to talk to a staff member who was very pleasant and knowledgable about the group ethics and hotels…..sorry I didn’t get your name. Starter was chosen but were offered an alternative which was absolutely great. Smoked salmon and caviar was a lovely starter. Roast beef was well done for hubby….and as it comes for me…lovely but knife didn’t cut it! Dessert was cheesecake and fruit for me….topped with meringue ….gave meringue to hubby. He had chocolate mousse …looked lovely. Coffee and petit fours for him. House champagne was chilled. Thank you for your attention to detail.

We had a lovely evening at Culpepers restaurant. Staff were extremely welcoming throughout, especially Ludovic who was intent on ensuring we had an enjoyable and relaxed meal. Lamb cutlets cooked to perfection, and portion sizes for me were perfect, however if you are bigger eaters I’d recommend adding 2 or more sides to the mains. This was our first visit and will definitely be returning. Makes a nice change to eat in a good local restaurant with excellent service, rather than a pub in the area. This one didn’t disappoint!

Excellent food and service. We had cod which was excellent. The menu caters for non meat eaters quite well. The food was served quickly.

Just had a business meeting with my Dad. Had the new plant based menu - OMG, Adrian the head chef has really nailed it - the Cauliflower steak is rocking!!! Great service too, big shout out to James who made the evening effortlessly wonderful! I’ll be taking the wife here at the weekend for a impromptu date night!

We went to Culpepper’s for lunch today and having looked at a sample A la Carte menu online were surprised to be given a menu with burgers and the like on offer, not mentioned on the website. We asked if the A la Carte was only available in the evenings and were told yes. Upside was the chef agreed to cook us something off the A la Carte menu, a big tick. My husband told the waiter he has an allergy to vinegar and the waiter wrote this down. He chose smoked salmon as a starter and pointed out he couldn’t have the pickled cucumber that went with it. The salmon came up with the pickled cucumber so had to go back to be changed. His next course was a rib eye steak and came up with a dressed salad in the plate!! What didn’t the chef understand about an allergy to vinegar? The serving staff were extremely apologetic and the cost of our 2 glasses of wine were removed from the bill but this isn’t the point, allergies must be taken very seriously. We will not be returning.

We treated our mum to an afternoon tea at Chilston and we really enjoyed the hospitality and quality of of the food we all enjoyed. We were looked after by our waitress and they are to be commended for their genuine friendliness and service that ensured a fantastic visit.

Celebrated my 75th birthday with dinner here 10 days ago - incredible service, food and wine. Five of us were royally treated from arrival until departure enjoying perfect personal and friendly service from Karen and excellent food whether it was the scallops, mussels, best ever beef tartare, for starters followed by the finest beef fillet in the Wellington, superb venison or the tender rib-eye on the bone as mains presented in the most perfect manner - a personal visit from the chef at the end of our meal could be considered the "icing on the proverbial birthday cake"! Well done Culpeper's.

We enjoyed a dinner to celebrate a birthday and had the pleasure of being looked after by Lewis and our waitress Kiri. We were made to feel welcomed and it was obvious that both members of staff were genuinely polite, friendly and helpful. Credit must go to the kitchen team who provided our meals that were of a very high standard of quality, quantity and presentation. We look forward to a return visit soon and thank you for a very enjoyable visit.

Rated 3 of 5 because of the 5 course tasting menu, one course was a sorbet ( not a course) and one - the soup-was, in my opinion, the amuse bouche. Bread was excellent so didn’t go hungry. The Tasting Menu needs to be more spectacular. In the meantime it maybe best to stick to the a la carte. Service was very good.

Four of us treated a dear friend to dinner at Culpeper's Restaurant for her special birthday - such a lovely place, delicious food and wines - and friendly, cheerful staff, especially our waiter, James (hope that is right) and our waitress - it makes such a difference.

We stayed overnight and our package included a 5 course tasting menu. It was a very unimaginative menu, no accompanying wine flight and with the exception of one very good waitress, the rest of the staff were inexperienced children. The starters of carrot soup and tiger prawns were tasteless. The second course of parma ham was served with jarred pickled onions. Then came what was supposed to be sorbet. In my view that's not a course, it's a palate cleanser. And more disturbingly it clearly had dairy in it and was actually ice cream! Then came the main course. The broccoli and mash were fine but the duck was hideously overcooked, to the point that it was impossible to cut without a steak knife. The pudding of sticky toffee pudding was like a school dinner - a massive slab of dry, over microwaved sponge. If this tasting menu was designed to showcase the chefs' best dishes, he should seriously consider a change of career. The portions were huge and it was basically 3 courses, with a weird little cup of soup at the start and a scoop of bad ice cream between starter and main. With such poor cooking, it's no surprise that on a Saturday night in the height of summer, there were only 10 diners in total in the restaurant. The highlight was the bread and butter. Enough said.

My husband and I had a breakfast last Saturday as he had an appointment nearby.. excellent service, the waiters are very helpful.. my husband had full English and I had continental, and you can have as much as you want. We walked around the surroundings after breakfast, there’s a lake or pond which is very relaxing, there is ample outdoor parking too.

I think anybody would find it hard to argue with the fact that the hospitality industry has had it extremely tough over the past year, and I think most people have the greatest sympathy for those trying to run a business in this environment. However, I also think that most realise need for anyone in that industry to ‘up their game’ now that restaurant visits are allowed again following a lengthy lockdown. I rarely write reviews, but I tend to do so when something is either outstandingly good, or outstandingly bad. Unfortunately, today’s experience was very much the latter.I decided to take my mother to Chilston Manor Hotel in Lenham for a birthday lunch. Both of my sisters were married and held receptions there, so I knew it to be a lovely place. The surroundings were still as beautiful as they always had been despite the recent lockdowns and the day’s disappointing weather. Unfortunately, the dining experience was one that I would be happy to forget.As we were seated at our table, we were asked what we wanted to drink without being offered a drinks menu, so we ordered a bottle of sparkling water and said that we would order more drinks with our meal once we had seen the wine list (which was not provided, even then). We were presented with a menu that clearly, had had little thought and frankly, made no sense at all. It may have been trying to be eclectic, but if so, failed miserably, to the point of being a below-par pub menu with a few easy-to-cook extra items thrown in from the a la carte menu. I understand that menu-planning is somewhat difficult in these strange times, and has to be planned around what will be available, but this menu was more confused than confusing. Our orders were taken, and the waitress disappeared before we had a chance to ask for the wine list again. It was extremely difficult to grab any server’s attention because they were rarely in the room, and when they were, they didn’t look at the customers. It wasn’t like the restaurant was busy – far from it – it was practically empty. Of the twenty or so tables, only three others were occupied, each with only two customers. The serving staff weren’t deliberately ignoring us, but they did do just that. They were pleasant when we spoke to them, but they didn’t seem trained to look out for customers.When I eventually managed to grab someone’s attention by raising my hand like a schoolchild, I asked to order some drinks, the waitress asked what we wanted, but I had to ask again for the wine list. Our drinks orders were taken just before the starters arrived. I had two oysters, that were perfectly acceptable. My partner had devilled eggs and my mother was given a bland cauliflower soup, with was presented without a spoon, and some bread without butter. My partner had to go and search for a spoon for my mother from the cutlery drawer because there were no staff available. When a waitress did eventually appear, we asked for butter. She reappeared with a dish just as my mother finished her soup. The butter was a lump floating in melted butter where it had clearly just been microwaved.Then came the mains. Oh dear. The mains… My partner had ordered the cold meat platter, which was three tiny morsels of charcuterie, some olives from the jar that had gone dry from being left out too long and a couple of small rolls that had been served straight from the microwave – the price of £13 seemed a bit steep for no culinary preparation and a very small amount of cold meat. My mother ordered fish and chips. Fine. They were just about passable in a ‘low-budget motel’ kind of way, but I can’t say there was anything particularly good or bad about them. I ordered a lobster roll in a brioche bun. The measly portion of over-cooked, tasteless lobster was strung out as much as possible to present itself as a thin line of meat on top of some straggly lettuce served in a solid brioche bun. When I say solid, the bun was like a brick. I so rarely send anything back to the kitchen in a restaurant but this was inedible and I felt somewhat offended that a chef could care so little about sending what was clearly an incredibly stale brioche roll out to a paying customer. So I did just that. I sent it back and explained why I was sending it back. Some time later, I was presented with a slightly less stale brioche bun and the same contents from the previous roll that had been scraped out (possibly reheated because it was so unbelievably rubbery) and slapped into the new bun. It was disgusting and I just couldn’t eat it. I did eat the tiny amount of lobster, but to be perfectly honest, I wish I hadn’t. It was the worst lobster I have ever experienced.Now, to be fair to the staff, when they asked how the food was, I did tell them that I couldn’t say that I had enjoyed it and they asked me to explain this to the manager and the head chef who both appeared separately to apologise and were perfectly pleasant. They did offer me a drink on the house, which I refused, and anything else I wanted from the menu, but my appetite had subsided by that time. I should also mention that they removed the lobster from the bill. We ordered coffee – one americano and one filter - which was delivered with one cup and we had to ask for the second. I don’t need to say any more about that. So, in summary, the experience was poor, the service was poor, the food was abysmal, and the ambience was non-existent. It is such a shame because the setting is stunning, as is the building itself. The staff we saw were polite and pleasant, but had no knowledge of the items on the menu, clearly had very little experience of serving, and also presumably little or no instruction. Just a few tweaks and this place could be amazing. A bit of staff training on service (and common sense), and an overhaul of the lunchtime kitchen staff (I do hope they are not the same team in the evening!) with a chef-designed intelligent and focused menu, and it would be a totally different experience. Perhaps even a little light background classical music to help the ambience in a quiet service?I sincerely hope that they can make some changes and pull through because if they continue in the manner I experienced today, I cannot see that they will attract favour in what is likely to be a tough time going forward for all in hospitality. It would be a true shame for such a beautiful place to fall from its previous heights.

Wow! We have just enjoyed a truly sumptuous meal! The scallops and bacon, with cauliflower purée and lobster sauce were exquisite. The chateaubriand, melt in the mouth. Ordering and pick up were effortless. Thank you, it has made our night! I would heavily recommend that you try the takeaway menus on offer. We have had a few now and they have all been excellent quality and value for money. Also excellent bacon baps to take on a walk. A very contented Vic and Simon.

We dined here twice when staying for a weekend - the dining room is beautiful, formally laid out but that fits the style of the building. Having said that there is nothing pretentious about it at all, the staff are knowledgeable, helpful and very friendly and the service first class. The food is a delight, beautifully presented and very tasty, you are able to choose from a very varied menu which is both creative and pretty.

We ate here on two consecutive nights, whilst staying for a mini break in the hotel. The dining room is lovely - very elegant and with many original features, such as the plaster work ceiling and antique musical instruments in the adjacent reading room. The menu is a bit of an oddity - some haute cuisine flourishes, such as the slow cooked beef cheek - other dishes more at home in an upmarket pub, such as burgers and fish and chips. Everything we selected was very nicely cooked, well presented, piping hot and with good quality ingredients. We thought the appetisers were the highlight, including scallops with a broad bean hummus and a very good goats cheese souffle. Service was generally good, although with a skeleton crew it could be slow, especially when the waitress spent time engaging with other diners. Good wine selection. Expect to pay £40-50 pp with wine for a three course meal.Staff wore face masks all the time, tables were well spaced, lots of sanitiser evident.

Myself and my partner have visited this restaurant twice now, we love it. We were served by Marc (Desseux) on our last visit and the service was outstanding. We felt very safe & the food was delicious. We even got to enjoy a glass of wine outside before our meal. Marc had a lot of knowledge on the menu and the wine list, he was very helpful. We will be coming back! Thanks Marc!

Chilston Park offers a variety of dining experiences and rooms to dine in. The main dining area is large and nicely laid out with white tablecloths and silverware which suits the character of the building. (It can sometimes be cooler but was lovely and warm the last time we went). The food is always well presented but isn’t always up to the same standard. The serving staff are very pleasant. If you eat too much you could always have a pleasant walk around the grounds afterwards.

This is a nice dining room, with an elegant feel. The staff are bright and friendly and are very willing to help. However, given that they have a fix menu, they had run out of the lamb, steak, etc., by 8.15pm on a Saturday night. I ended up with Chicken and my partner had the risotto; mine was fine but his was undercooked. The deserts were also poor, the custard was very thin, and the cake was gritty. We overlooked these issues as the wait staff were very good, however two tables beside us were really unhappy. In a middle-aged couple beside us, the man cried. I have never seen that in a dining room! He cried tears of distress, in front of his wife, saying to the duty manager, that that was the worst meal he had ever had. I think that that was overstating it a bit but…Oh dear, really need to do a lot better.

We stayed in a suite in the hotel so booked a table in the restaurant. The standard of food was not as expected and proved expensive for the food we received. Lovely hotel but we would not eat here again. Lamb was ordered pink but when it arrived it was well done. We returned it but it was brought straight back and we were told it was braised so would not be pink. If my husband was told that when ordering he would have chosen another main. I ordered cheese as dessert which arrived icy cold rather than room temperature which meant it was tasteless so I left half of it.

Not particularly extensive but well presented. Menu doesn't change so becomes repetitive after a few days.

Lovely surroundings in historic country house hotel, very attentive staff and beautifully presented tasty food. Mains around £18, starters and deserts around £9. Lots of local meat, veg and cheeses used. The hotel dining room was the original dining room of the house, very ‘Downton Abbey’.

Lovely hotel with super staff (the lady maitre d' was very jolly) and the hotel is absolutely classic Georgian with the most amazing ambience. Very little ripped out and spoilt and the ceilings and fireplaces are to die for.We booked for the set lunch which was on special August offer and were very pleasantly surprised to find they had not reduced size nor quality when the dishes arrived.lovely, lovely experience will go back

I last reviewed this restaurant in March 2018 and if you look at the review then, management recognised that they needed to do something to raise service standards. Well, 18 months later it has got worse and not better. The food one again was excellent, but the service in the restaurant is really poor for a place which has 2 AA rosettes. From entering the restaurant and being given a table with a chair with a broken arm which resulted in the response from our waitress, "oh you've got the broken chair!" that sort of sums the place up. They clearly know they have issues, but don't seem to know how to deal with them as I realised when I spoke with the restaurant manager after refusing to pay for service. Breakfast was also a bit of a shambles and the problem seems to lie with the fact that there is no strong leadership. The younger staff respond to each and every request in the restaurant with a response of "no worries!", which points the finger of blame and responsibility very firmly at the manifest lack of training of a good standard. With proper leadership these guys and girls could be really good, but if they don't even understand what it is they are doing wrong, then they have little hope and unfortunately it speaks volumes about the brand too. How I wish the establishment could understand the issues and raise their game, but it seems they either don't know what to do or indeed they just do not care.

The food was simply amazing and the service was faultless. The waiting staff were very friendly and helpful, making dining here a very enjoyable experience.

If you like fish and meat then you have a great choice but on the main course there is only one vegetarian and one vegan choice and if you don’t like curry, and I don’t , then no vegan choice but chef will do you a selection of vegetables with potatoes. I think it is now time that hotels and restaurants woke up to the fact that diets are now changing to plant based food and therefore more choice should be available. The staff in the restaurant were polite and helpful.

My mother and I have just returned from a one night stay at Chilston Park Hotel. While there, we booked a table at what we hoped would be a memorable dinner at Culpeper's restaurant. Soon after being seated and ordering our courses, we received an aperitif of cream of carrot soup followed by our starters; all of which were impressive. Unfortunately, this was to be the end of our enjoyment. For our mains my mother and I ordered the turbot (£29) and the lamb. The fish was tasteless, bland and covered in a gloopy sauce; highly disappointing for such an expensive course. My mother received a strangely organised minced lamb dish swimming in masses of sickly sweet potato. Upon returning this, she received the calves liver which was inedible, incredibly tough and worse than the first main! By this point we were saddened and disheartened by the poor quality of what should have been exceptional food. Following this, we were reluctant to order dessert. After persuasion from the waitress we ordered the ginger fool and the saffron pana cotta. Similarly, both were disappointing; my mother's fool was void of any hint of ginger and mine was filled with inedible, large chunks of honeycomb. For such a highly recommended and reputable restaurant we were left aghast at the poor quality of food served to us. We are usually easy going people and are more than happy to pay premium prices for exceptional cuisine. Sadly, Culpeper's was one of the most underwhelming dining experiences we have encountered, and this is the sole reason for our rating the establishment so low. I would recommend that anyone staying at Chilston seek an alternative restaurant outside of the hotel, as Culpeper's abominable prices do not represent the quality of it's food.

Had a family event for a significant birthday, standard was 3 courses, first was the usual sandwich, interesting choices Ham and mustard, coronation chicken, salmon, egg mayonnaise and one other - sandwich’s were ok but nothing special, nor real choice if you are going for standard. Then comes two scones, one plain and one fruit one, cream and jam, no butter and I must say a little tight with the cream and jam, I like mine smothered, but no chance here. Lastly come a choice of 5 each cheese cake, lemon meringue, chocolate, macaroon and rhubarb tart - small but very filling. All in all I did enjoy the venue with piano music and wonderful grounds.

We stayed over night in this fantastic hotel.

Beautiful grounds, fabulous building and elegant feel decor

My husband and I visited Culpeppers Restaurant for a meal to celebrate our 43 anniversary. Loved the experience from beginning to end. Started with a glass of fizz in the lounge and was then shown into the restaurant for a delicious three course meal. Each course was beautifully prepared and very tasty. The service was friendly and they were very helpful in selecting each course. Can’t wait to go back.

The restaurant has a 3 rosette AA rating which is obvious from the quality of the food and presentation. You will definitely need stretchy clothing!

Firstly, We have previously had wonderful experiences at the Chilston including afternoon tea and staying the night in a luxury room. We had not however dined at the restaurant before and it's fair to say, we will not be doing so again any time soon.

Ate with friends here last night and we had a brilliant evening. The service was friendly and welcoming. Thank you Zac and the food was lovely. We had the three course menu accompanied by a super selection of breads. Coffee served in the lounge after with chocolates ended the evening. Well done to everyone and we will be back.

We visited Chilston Manor today for my nans 83rd birthday , after checking the website for afternoon tea it was quick and easy to book a table for 3 .

although I picked the wrong starter for me the food itself was fine , very hot , the wine flowed everyone was satisfied

Visited on a travelzoo voucher. Please avoid unless you want a menu straight from the 80s/90s. I had a starter of pork terrine which was the best of the 3 but was lacking in flavour. Main was ruined by burnt skin on fish which overpowered anything else on the plate. Dessert was truly shocking. A crumble with crunchy rhubarb and smashed ginger biscuit sand on top. If you are looking for nostalgia and hanker for pleasant surroundings and a time when British food was mocked globally, this will be just up your street!

Very disappointing meal, specially the service. The main dish arrived 50 minutes after the starter was finished, which was really too much. We had to wait for the starter too. The waitress barely apologised and could have been more attentive. The dining room was half full so they were not overworked. Granted, they had several private parties but they knew about it in advance and could have hired the adequate staff/help in the kitchen and in the dining room. The menu was a set menu with limited choices, so NO EXCUSE! The food was overall very good (Salmon and trout rillettes were superb). Beef was all right. Dessert was excellent too. For the price paid, the service should be first class and not ruining the experience. What a shame, because the chef is great.

Inclusive dinners on table d'hote menu - very good. Attentive but unobstrusive servce. Good service with younger trainees working well. Relaxed and enjoyable overall.

The food was excellent and well presented, clearly the chef is outstanding. Service was a bit off the mark when compared with the food, but perfectly acceptable. Prices were fair and the dining room had a warmth and friendliness about it.

Chose 3 starters and created my own tasting menu. Scallops, duck confit terrine with pickled vegetables and a salmon, dill and cream cheese roulade. Homemade breads. Rioja. Absolutely stunning. Professional and friendly staff. £40.

The Chef and staff should be congratulated on producing imaginative and delicious dishes, all beautifully presented and served by friendly attentive staff.

The food was good but a over priced. The staff are helpful, professional and friendly. Over all I enjoyed my experience and the ambiance of the restaurant.

Christmas 2017 was our first Christmas away from family and friends, by ourselves, so we decided to go away to this hotel for their Christmas package. During our stay we had all of our meals in Culpeper's restaurant. This ranged from afternoon tea on arrival on Christmas Eve, through a 4-course black tie meal in the evening, a 6-course gourmet Christmas Day dinner and an a-la-carte meal on Boxing Day evening. We also had breakfast each morning, some cooked fresh and brought to the table and some on the hot and cold breakfast buffet. Throughout our stay we could not fault the quality of the food being served. The meals on both Christmas Eve and Boxing Day were of a very high standard. However, the 6-course gourmet dinner on Christmas Day was of even higher quality and was an excellent meal, considering that it was prepared and served for many guests all at the same sitting. The quality and taste of each course was outstanding and our compliments go to the Chef and his team for producing such a wonderful meal, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Should we ever find ourselves alone again at Christmas due to family being elsewhere during the festive season, then we would definitely consider staying at Chilston Park Hotel again and enjoying their fabulous Christmas food in Culpeper's restaurant.

Anniversary dinner in the evening was very good. We had dinner bed and breakfast deal which gave us free table d'hote menu. We mixed and matched with a la carte without any problem.

Highly recommend this restaurant - top quality from taste, presentation, service and surroundings. Great menu, very varied and the staff...

Really good food, thoroughly enjoyed every course and the service was outstanding. A really good choice of dishes to cater...

Loved our evening at the restaurant. Food Devine and staff extremely friendly.. car taxed wait till we go again

We dined at Culpeppers and were so impressed with the service, ambience and food. We were made to feel so at home and comfortable. The surroundings were beautiful and the food delicious. The rump steak was lovely. We were well looked after by Joe who was lovely. Will definitely return.

The facilities and ambience were excellent so our expectations were quite high especially after a warm greeting from reception. Unfortunately from there it went slightly downhill and a very mixed approach to the service. After we finished our first drinks we were not asked if we want anymore, even though waiter came 3 times to our table so we had to ask in the end. Our first course was brought out swiftly as was our main and dessert. Main course was really nice, chargrilled steak but both starters were a little tasteless. I expect fine dining and amazing tastes when paying these prices.However the service was far from fine dining, the staff were too chatty and even a bit inappropriate at times when trying to engage in conversation between courses with us. After dessert it took 30mins for our tea and coffee to come out and against staff weren't too bothered about it, just seemed like they wanted to get home judging by their conversations with other staff. Overall just seemed a bit dull and staff didn't seem like they were trained as they should be which of course isn't their fault,maybe management should address this.

As it had been over a year since our last visit we were pleased to be met by a young, enthusiastic waiter who brought us our aperative in the Marble Lounge. This amusing young man looked after us throughout the evening.

My wife and I had an overnight stay at the hotel and had dinner in the restaurant in the evening. The main problem was that we ordered our meal at 1945 and received our main courses at 2120 having been asked and been told that the kitchen was very busy with the number of groups in the hotel that evening. We had received a small apple sorbet to keep us going and the restaurant manager did waive the cost of our main courses as compensation. One does feel that the restaurant takes second place to the parties.

Lovely setting. Candle light and romantic. Excellent service and excellent food. I would go there again. Nice for special occasion.

The food and service were absolutely amazing. We had a nice table by a window with a lovely view. Dinner was very peaceful in a beautiful room. The pana cota was amazing.

Dinner here was excellent, the menu choices extensive and varied, the dishes very well prepared and most artistically presented. The dining room is beautiful at night (it's the breakfast room in the morning) with candles on all tables, creating a really nice atmosphere. Everything was delicious and service was attentive and prompt. My only complaint was that they wouldn't take us in until rather late in the evening, even though once we sat there were clearly many empty tables. But other than that, a memorable dining experience.

Went for a family afternoon tea, had 2 under 10's and they did a special kids afternoon tea with hot chocolate. Our sandwiches were lovely but the cakes were out of this world and such a choice of teas.

Chilston Park Hotel is in a rural location and accessed by a long driveway with cows grazing in the adjacent fields. The good sized car park is very close to the hotel entrance. On entering, the Reception staff directed us to the restaurant. There is a small bar where to get a pre dinner drink and to select your choice of dinner from the menu. Staff were pleasant, helpful and efficient. The restaurant is well prepared and inviting. The menu selection was fair with an option to choose from the A la Carte for a supplement. My only criticism was that salmon seemed prevalent, appearing in the Chef's surprise pre starter, the fish parcel starter, and also in the main course so you could inadvertantly have three courses of salmon instead of one. Having said that, the food was well prepared although a little more sauce with the main meals would have been welcomed. Our choices were salmon, and chicken with a bacon wrap. Service was good and unhurried. The overall dining experience was good, but just something to bear in mind is that the hotel is a very popular wedding venue so don't be surprised if your anticipated quiet dining experience may be shared with pre or post wedding guests.

We have loved the atmosphere of Chilston Park and the Culpepper environment for many years, even with a variety of culinary experiences.We have already reported on more recent experience and would be delighted to report on a the ability to test the current fine dining performance.However, as well reported to the management, we have been unable to book a table as the hotel has been totally booked by weddings.Tried again today for 9th and 10th August, midweek, with the same result.Our conclusion is that this hotel/ restaurant is no longer available as the choice of the client but rather to the business convenience of the hotel group.Therefore we cannot recommend it for local fine dining!

It is lovely at Chilston Park, a beautiful county Manor House - steeped in history with many original features, beautiful decor and pieces of furniture . In a wonderful setting it is a very popular wedding venue, it was busy even on a Wednesday evening which added to the atmosphere and ambiance. We dined in the Culpeper restaurant which has views of the beautiful gardens. There was a choice of table d'hote and a la carte as well as a tasting menu . We chose the table d'hote - a lovely - amuse bouche - watercress soup, thick creamy and full of flavour - delicious crispy sea bream with brown shrimp sauce and a crushed herb potato - just great. Dessert a chocolate tart with ice cream - yum - all tasted wonderful was beautifully presented and excellent service . Highly recommend :)

Stayed at the hotel so tried this resturant ,had a package but staff very helpful to explain that we could upgrade to Al a carte which was very good.Scalloped delicious and perfectly cooked,I had the lamb which was very nice so very happy with resturant experience.

Great food served in the classic surroundings of an elegant country house hotel. Attentive, but non-intrusive service.

Great afternoon tea, sandwiches were made fresh, so was the cakes and scones, tea/coffee refilled when needed, the staff were very friendly and very helpful, price was very reasonable

I must first say, what a lovely hotel in beautiful surroundings. We booked for a family meal through travelzoo. The restaurant is very nicely set out. The staff very polite and friendly. The food was exceptional some of the tastiest dishes we have had anywhere. I have no trouble recommending this hotel and restaurant. It is certainly 5 star service and food.

Went for evening dinner with my husband on a saturday, lovely varied menu and the food and service were superb

We really enjoyed our special meal with Mum. Vegetarian options were good. Only drawback is that in order to bring in business they have off peak wedding offers and unexpectedly we shared the venue with a noisy pre-wedding party. It didn't spoil it for us but clearly did for a few other diners, especially a couple celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary and who were looking for a quiet weekend without the kids.....you would expect that on a Sunday night !

We enjoyed our meal here, the portions were more than I wasa expecting. Our server was a lovely guy that made us feel welcome. He also recommended some wines. My husband is a picky eater but he loved all of the three-course meal. The dining room is just lovely and felt romantic. We will be coming back soon.

The period decoration and furnishing are complemented by serving of an extensive menu wonderfully presented by friendly efficient waiting staff.

We stayed at the Chilston Park Hotel for one night the service we received from start to finish was first class. We had dinner and Breakfast in the culpepers Restaurant. The food was amazing and the service was attentive but not over the top we were left to have our meal without being interupted with staff asking if everything was alright. We will certainly be going again

Very nice meal very good service and staff very helpful and polite. Good portions and served looking delicious!

Only had breakfast in this restaurant, it was very nice. There was plenty of choice of cereal, continental, fruit or cold meat. My wife had a full English, I had an omelette both were very nice. Service was good, the restaurant very clean and spacious. Proper leaf tea, plenty of milk, more than enough for more than two cups each

We had dinner-Table dhote and breakfast. Dinner started with an amuse bouche which was prawn cocktail, followed by twice baked cheese souffle and steak and trimmings with chocolate parfait and berry fruits-all very delicious, could not fault. Huge range for breakfast I had eggs benedict, fresh orange coffee and toast-again fantastic, the only fault for me was the coffee was a little too strong but that is personal taste.

Visited this venue for a birthday meal. Knowing the sort of venue it was we dressed up. Needn't have bothered as many diners were in jeans. They have 3 menus. A taster, a la carte and a set menus. We both opted for the set menu. The food was average We both ordered the lamb shank with a juis. This tasted like a very strong beef stock. They also seemed to dress the spinach in it. This made it over powering on the taste buds. Although the food was nice the service was very poor and slow. I would return here for a special occasion but it wouldn't be my first choice. It averages out at £50 a head for the set menu with a drink each.

We had the a la carte menu and there was plenty of choice and the food was delicious. The restaurant staff were attentive and friendly. Breakfast was equally as delicious with cooked food cooked to order. Also an extensive cold buffet available with cereals, fruit, cold meats and cheeses and pastries.

We have known Chilston Park for more than 20 years.The management and quality has been challenged but the environment remains as excellent for fine dining.In the past year, in attempting to book an evening meal, we have been told that a ‘total hotel wedding booking’ means that there was no accommodation for local diners. ‘Gareth’ the then manager, indicated that we had no ‘profit’ priority!However, we booked a table for 4 on 25th Sept and indicated that it would be an 80th birthday celebration!What did we find:Lack of management continuity, Gareth gone, new French manager gone, waiting for new man, tomorrow!New restaurant staff, French maître d’ hotel, who had not a clue as to the source or grapes in French wines and an untrained an inexperienced service. We were never asked if we liked the dish and had to demand follow up on wines or bread requirements! The menu was not inspiring with a very boring table d’hotel but mostly the meal was acceptable and enjoyed. However my Lamb was difficult to dissect with the knife provided and although the sauce was excellent the French beans were hard and undercooked, also identified by my wife in her fish selection.This fully reported to the head waiter with an minor bill adjustment.Not a single recognition of a birthday celebration!Our opinion:A local hotel which no longer values local custom.A hotel with corporate and financial objectives which do not consider long term staff loyalty and continuation of customer service as a priority.An overpriced, unsympathetic and non gastronomic restaurant which has to make some significant changes to keep any place in a choice for Kentish eating!Not to be recommended!

Stayed here with the "Sunday club" package. Included a cream tea which was lovely and dinner which was fabulous. Table d'hôte menu but there was a lot of choices. Well cooked & well presented. Didn't want meal to end! Requested a different dessert that wasn't on menu of ice cream & fresh fruit which was no trouble at all. A bottle of Tempranillo to accompany the meal was lovely if a bit over priced!Breakfast was lovely too .... Cold buffet of fruit/ cheese/ pastries etc... Hot from menu served at the table!! Pancakes & fruit were amazing!Staff friendly as they were definitely short and were busy!

My friend was given Afternoon tea for two as a present at this hotel. At £21 per head it was very disappointing. A few tiny finger sandwiches with very poor bread, margarine not butter and uninspiring fillings. Poor quality ham, scrape of cream cheese with cucumber for example. No offer of refill of tea. The only good part were the cream scones. The tiniest of tiny cakes. Service was practically non existent. Had to ask for teaspoons. To be avoided at all costs.

Great service and an imaginative menu. Seating in wonderful period surroundings or outside if you prefer. This is the place for a special occasion.

Please do try the pickled mackerel or the foie gras with duck confit. Dine on the fillet of beef with some buttere spinach on the side. Finally treat yourself to a chocolate fondant !!!

We had dinner here whilst staying in the hotel. It was mid-week and the restaurant was full. There was a choice of taster menu, a la carte, or table d'hote. The food was well, presented, and well cooked. Service was very good. I would certainly recommend eating here if staying in the hotel.

Had a wonderful sunday lunch here with friends. We had 3 smoked fish starters and my husband had the ham terrine, all were lovely and we then had the roast, friends had the chicken and my husband and I had the beef, all plates cleaned, I then finished with the cheese board, again a clean plate and all very good value at £25 a head. A lot of people around us had opted for the afternoon tea, which looked very sumptuous.

I booked afternoon tea as a treat for myself, my mum, gran and my friend following a morning of shopping for my wedding dress in London.We were seated in the marble lounge which was pleasantly cool given that it was such a warm day. The decor was decadent without being pretentious.My mum and gran ordered English breakfast tea, whilst my friend and I ordered coffee. I was pleased that the milk served with the coffee had been warmed (I cannot bear cold milk in coffee as it cools it too much). Unfortunately, they had not given us enough so I requested more milk and jug of water (we were rather warm and thirsty from travelling in the car). We were given a larger jug of milk quite promptly, but disappointingly, it was cold.Our afternoon tea arrived and consisted of a very generous selection of finger sandwiches, cakes, pastries, scones and a lemon posset. The only things I didn't enjoy were the strawberry macaroons (tasted a little artificial) and the ganache on the chocolate cake was too rich for my taste; however, my gran and mum particularly enjoyed it! The fruit tart was delicious; the pastry was thin, light and crisp with a beautifully smooth crème pâtissière.Unfortunately, after this, service became very slow, which amazed us, as neither the lounge, restaurant or garden patio area was particularly busy, yet there seemed to be sufficient staff available. We waited a long time for water; my friend had to find someone to request it again. After a length of time we still hadn't received any water, I requested it again with a member of bar staff who apologised profusely and brought iced water and glasses to us without delay. He was very polite and friendly. Despite this, we had a very pleasant afternoon at Chilston Park Hotel; the grounds are beautiful and the location is very quiet and idyllic. I highly recommend the afternoon tea and will definitely visit again.

Ate here whilst staying in Chilston Park Hotel. Service absolutely wonderful. We had the table d'hôte menu. It was relatively expensive, but cheaper than á la carte.However the food was delicious. I had serious food envy of the cauliflower soup that my mum ordered - absolutely delicious. The beef main course was great - the best bit of beef I have eaten in a long time. Tender and cooked to perfection. As I mentioned before the service was wonderful. Led by Joao it was efficient & attentive. It made the whole evening a wonderful experience. Thanks.

The food was very good and they did try to cater for a celiac. Rather overpriced for what we got. The ambiance is very nice and the staff really try to be helpful. I thoughly enjoyed my starter and dessert and my husband really enjoyed his main course!

Lovely food and service was great. Not exactly cheap but worth it for our wedding anniversary and we will definitely be returning.

Delicious, delectable and delightful food. Efficient, professional and friendly staff. We returned for each of the three nights we stayed at the hotel. Thanks

I guess some would say plain and simple good ingredients but the secret was the cooking and presentation and plenty on the plate which compensates for our reaction that it was not the cheapest but certainly worth it.

Nice Atomosphere, choice of traditional sweet or savoury Afternoon Tea, with large choice of leaf tea, a request for vegetarian sandwiches and a glass of champagne was no problem. I would definitely recommend

Many thanks to the staff for accommodating us at an earlier than usual afternoon tea.My Grandmother was delighted. The whole package here is lovely, from the moment you arrive to the minute you walk into the main buillding, it is all fantastic.Afternoon tea brought with it some lovely sandwiches, scones, cakes and lots of tea!All was fantastic!Many thanks and I hope to return again soon!

Atmosphere was lovely. Friendly polite and obviously smart well trained staff.The Sunday Lunch was the best I have had anywhere for a long time. Totally delicious, gorgeous.You will not be disappointed. The 3 course meal is very reasonable considering the ambiance, quality, surroundings and service.

I arranged a Sunday Lunch for my parents who were both 80 within a week of each other and celebrated their 55th Anniversary a month later.Their bridesmaids attended too - so lots of octogenarians about the place!I arranged it with Hayley in advance, pre lunch drinks on the terrace, chose our table, selected the wine, coffee on the terrace again and it all went off without a hitch.The weather was perfect, which obviously helped.The food was excellent and the service great.This is one of my favourite spots in Kent

If you count the cream team tea and the breakfast we had three meals with Culpepers. I would say all three were great and no major problems anywhere - in fact - for a hotel this size - it is a miracle that it was good to outstanding the entire time. I definitely want to return as soon as possible....

Amazing food the beef melted in your mouth , good portion size was very full afterwards the service was fantastic the waiters made us feel very welcome

During our stay at the hotel we had the above meals in the restaurant, standard was very high and food was very notable. Safe were pleasant and attentive.

An absolutely fantastic meal, from the amuse bouche to a stunning chocolate pudding, just gorgeous, loved it.