Rowton Hall is a historic stately home in Cheshire, the oldest part of the building being from 1779. Now a hotel, we visited for a one night stay with the dogs to enjoy the food, the accommodation and for my husband at least, the spa.

We stayed in an apartment, which was outfitted beautifully with everything and more you could want for a stay here. The dogs were quick to find a complimentary ball each as well as a packet of food and some doggy treats. I was quick to find the complimentary chocolate of course. Then as quick as that, it was time for afternoon tea.

The afternoon tea was beautiful, included warm scones with clotted cream and jam and delicious sandwiches. I even ate the egg ones they were that nice, and I hate egg butties. They accommodated Steve’s food intolerances brilliantly and he definitely didn’t miss out. He even got a few tips on gluten free bread. The dogs felt like they missed out, but they loved exploring. We went for a walk in the large grounds afterwards before heading back so Steve could go for his pre-dinner massage.

We ate away from the main dining room that evening as we decided to take the dogs with us. I didn’t want them howling or barking in the room until we came back. We were put in a lovely area with a massive old fireplace, which made for some great photos. We quickly chose our food from the menu, which unfortunately was a bit more limited for Steve this time and waited for it to arrive.

We had chosen a main and dessert each. I went for a wild mushroom gnocchi with peas, truffle oil and Parmesan and a sticky toffee pudding. Steve chose the gluten free cod loin, but losing the dairy meant it just came with a plate of vegetables. He picked the vegan chocolate torte with ice cream for dessert.

It was a shame the cod was so ‘dull’. All it needed was a sauce and all that was needed for that was some dairy free butter. My main meal was nothing special but the dessert was tasty. Ah well, onto bed and then breakfast……

I went for a full English breakfast minus the baked beans. It was pleasant enough. Again, Steve struggled. He chose smoked salmon and scrambled egg on toast before realising scrambled egg contains milk. I’m not sure why they didn’t just make it with a milk alternative but I convinced him to try a few poached eggs instead. The lady who served us was so lovely and so understanding. We came away full at least and I was happy I’d had my morning cuppa.

Overall it was a lovely stay in beautiful surroundings. The staff were fabulous and our accommodation was perfect. The best food was definitely the afternoon tea though. It’s a shame, but I wouldn’t visit the hotel just to have an evening meal. There just wasn’t enough choice, especially for the husband, and the food was average at best. I’d come here for the afternoon tea on its own though, but maybe with a glass of champers next time 😜