Set in the secluded leafy suburbs of south-west London, Cannizaro House offers a characterful location to while away a wintry evening and rest your weary head.
After a confused taxi driver struggled to negotiate his way there, we eventually arrived at this magnificent home away from home. Although the building is grand, the service felt discreet and relaxed, and I felt instantly calmed walking in on a Friday evening. The main reception area has a real buzz, with a grand piano, cocktail bar and real fireplace making the place cosy.
As well as the hotel and restaurant, meeting rooms are available in all shapes, sizes and styles, and are easily adapted to suit the occasion. The staff at the hotel work extremely hard to make your every wish a possibility, often transforming the whole house for weddings and functions.
We were given one of the many recently renovated suites, complete with high tech underfloor heating and luxurious furnishings. Each room is individually decorated with carefully selected furniture and special wallpapers, I particularly loved the retro pink flamingo design. Many guests become attached to a particular room, and can’t bear to stay anywhere else, but after seeing a few, I’d be happy to stay in any of them!
Our room had numerous indulgent features, with an epic four-poster bed and lush dark blue and black décor. A desk is available in one corner for the more studious guests and a big flat screen TV occupies the other corner. I danced around the bathroom in amazement at its size. Fully modernised and filled with soft enveloping bathrobes and Duck Island toiletries, it was an absolute indulgence.
Once settled, we went to satisfy our hunger in the restaurant. This eatery deserves recognition, bringing in customers who inhabit the hotel and visitors from afar. The daring chef prepares intricate British dishes with character and flair. The autumnal menu offers a variety of intriguing flavours. After warm bread and farmhouse butter, we were treated to mini amuse-bouches from the kitchen. I adored my pumpkin soup with crème fraiche, sweet and very smooth with a kick of spice. Following the waitress’s recommendations, for starters we chose Lobster Lasagne which went down very well, my guest mentioned its clever construction and luxurious creamy taste and I went for the Goat’s Cheese Salad. This was nice with an assortment of interesting textures and flavours. However the cheese, with a smoky burnt edge, was rather overpowering, and I would suggest a smaller portion size.
For mains my date was brave selecting the Lamb with Sweetbreads while I opted for the more conservative choice, Duck with Kale. Both were cooked to perfection, tender high quality meat seasoned delicately and paired with cleverly complimenting vegetables.
A pre-dessert lemon mousse was a delight accompanied by our digestif cocktails, Polish Martinis. Cheese and Pistachio pudding completed the meal, prettily presented though lacking the inspiration of the mains.
Rising from an immersive night’s sleep, we were back in the conservatory dining room for a delicious breakfast. If you can leave time to stroll in the picturesque grounds, the Italian and Rose Gardens are especially pretty, and a lovely place to picnic in the warmer months.
This transformed stately home achieves a feat many cannot, incorporating a modern hotel with a fine dining restaurant; the walls play host to ever-changing pieces from local artists.
Cannizaro offers couples a weekend retreat to rest and recuperate, families a place to eat and explore and friends a welcoming hotel to reminiscence and catch up. I’d definitely recommend this hotel and it would be ideal if you are watching the tennis at Wimbledon, but be warned – it’ll cost you more than a few punnets of strawberries!
Visit the Cannizaro website here.
