Surrey


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where"><strong>WHAT? WHERE?</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="669" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/05/Barnett-Hill_736.jpg" alt="Barnett Hill, near Guildford, Surrey" class="wp-image-32507" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/05/Barnett-Hill_736.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/05/Barnett-Hill_736-300x201.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/05/Barnett-Hill_736-720x482.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/05/Barnett-Hill_736-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/05/Barnett-Hill_736-768x514.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/05/Barnett-Hill_736-785x525.jpg 785w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Barnett Hill is a gorgeous Queen Anne style mansion house in the Surrey Hills at Wonersh. The setting is everything. Long sweeping driveway and beautiful manicured gardens which flow down into woodland. The estate is on 26 acres, perched atop a hill, and there’s a real feeling of being miles from anywhere. And yet, handily, you’re only three miles from Guildford.</p>



<p>Add to that the arrival at Barnett Hill of Michelin-trained chef, Steven Newton, and you&#8217;ve got yourself a country house and restaurant worth going out of your way for. From afternoon tea to Sunday lunch, there&#8217;s much to recommend it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vibe"><strong>THE VIBE</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-HIll-entrance-54.jpeg" alt="The entrance hall at Barnett Hill near Guildford in Surrey." class="wp-image-59167" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-HIll-entrance-54.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-HIll-entrance-54-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-HIll-entrance-54-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-HIll-entrance-54-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-HIll-entrance-54-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Built in 1905, this country mansion house is a winning combination of Victorian tradition and contemporary cool. It’s fancy but not fussy, ornate without being overdone, and polished but not pretentious. </p>



<p>The checkerboard floor and grand dome ceiling in the main entrance create a striking Insta-worthy entry, offset with splashes of green.</p>



<p>Along the hall you&#8217;ll find the Oak Room Restaurant &#8211; the main dining room &#8211; which gives it all away in the name. Think handsome oak panelled walls, lavish hand painted wall papers and ornate cornices and ceiling roses. A stone fireplace creates a grand centrepiece, and splashes of green and large windows with views of the pretty garden and woodlands beyond complete the picture. </p>



<p>Next door is the 1905 Bar – named for the year the mansion was built – with a sleek polished-stone bar down one side. It’s well-stocked with a selection of local artisan gins. Both rooms lead out to the terrace.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-amp-quaff"><strong>SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill-The-Oak-Room-Dining.jpg" alt="The Oak Room dining room at Barnett Hill Hotel near Guildford in Surrey." class="wp-image-59433" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill-The-Oak-Room-Dining.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill-The-Oak-Room-Dining-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill-The-Oak-Room-Dining-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill-The-Oak-Room-Dining-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill-The-Oak-Room-Dining-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill-The-Oak-Room-Dining-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill-The-Oak-Room-Dining-1100x1100.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The big news at Barnett Hill is the arrival of new head chef Steven Newton, a Roux Scholarship finalist who&#8217;s worked under some of the region&#8217;s top Michelin-starred chefs. He comes from fabulous restaurants including Woven by Adam Smith at Coworth Park and Steve Drake&#8217;s Sorrel in Dorking.</p>



<p>Steven has big plans for Barnett Hill and in less than a month, has already overhauled the menus including a new Sunday lunch offering. </p>



<p>The Sunday offering is unashamedly British in spirit with an ethos for local provender. There&#8217;s a choice of two courses or three from an artfully curated menu that combines the classics of a Sunday roast with more innovative offerings. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_36.jpg" alt="A dish on the menu at Barnett Hill Hotel, near Guildford, in Surrey." class="wp-image-59430" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_36.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_36-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_36-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_36-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_36-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The seabass starter had me at, well, seabass. This delicate combination of cured fish with blood orange, daubs of yoghurt, sea herbs and sumac was a knockout in every sense. My only regret was the absence of a hunk of bread to mop up the sauce. A proclamation overheard from a nearby table about the soup of the day (carrot and coriander) &#8211; &#8220;it&#8217;s the best soup I&#8217;ve ever eaten&#8221; &#8211; sealed its fate on the order for Mr M. High praise, yes &#8211; and justified too, I&#8217;m told.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_54.jpg" alt="Sunday roast at Barnett Hill Hotel, near Guildford in Surrey." class="wp-image-59432" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_54.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_54-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_54-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_54-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_54-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The mains were a tempting choice of sirloin, pork belly, scallop and prawn fishcake or artichoke and mushroom pie. I&#8217;d have been happy with any of those, but opted for the sirloin. Mr M chose the pork belly. All mains come with cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, red cabbage, greens and, of course, Yorkshire pudding. I think of myself as a connoisseur of the roast and this one was superb. The beef was the perfectly pink, potatoes crispy on the outside, light and fluffy inside, cauliflower cheese wonderfully cheesy but not drowning in sauce. And those Yorkshire puds? Perfection on a plate. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-afters"><strong>AND AFTERS?</strong> </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_118-2.jpg" alt="Dessert at in the Oak Room at Barnett Hill Hotel near Guildford in Surrey.
" class="wp-image-59436" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_118-2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_118-2-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_118-2-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_118-2-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_118-2-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_118-2-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2025/03/Barnett-Hill_FEB25_118-2-1100x1100.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>There are two options plus local cheeses: dark chocolate mousse and rhubarb and lemon with raspberry sorbet. I went the lighter, fruiter option and left the chocolate to Mr M. Grand choice on my part, especially as the chocolate offering was generous and rich (so when Mr M couldn&#8217;t quite finish it, I selflessly helped out). Truth be told, both were gorgeous.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stay"><strong>STAY</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="714" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Barnett-Hill-2021-81.jpg" alt="Barnett Hill Hotel, in Surrey" class="wp-image-37432" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Barnett-Hill-2021-81.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Barnett-Hill-2021-81-300x214.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Barnett-Hill-2021-81-700x500.jpg 700w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Barnett-Hill-2021-81-150x107.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Barnett-Hill-2021-81-768x548.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/10/Barnett-Hill-2021-81-735x525.jpg 735w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Why not come for lunch or dinner, then stay the night at Barnett Hill? There are 56 bedrooms and suites spread across the Mansion House, Courtyard and Gardener’s Cottage. Rooms are individually styled with luxury as the central theme. Think grand four-poster beds, freestanding bathtubs, luxe velvet furnishings and quirky accessories. Colour schemes range from vivid and contemporary cerise to cool and calming ice grey.&nbsp;<a href="https://surrey.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/uk/hotels-inns/review-barnett-hill-near-guildford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Read our review.</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kid-friendly-nbsp"><strong>KID-FRIENDLY?&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>While the Oak Room Restaurant at Barnett Hill comes with more than a whiff of grandeur, Sunday lunch tends to be a more relaxed affair and older children would certainly feel comfortable here. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-dogs-too"><strong>AND DOGS, TOO?</strong></h2>



<p>Dogs are welcome in the bar and on the terraces, but not in the Oak Room Restaurant. There are also dog-friendly rooms if you fancy staying over.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disability-access"><strong>DISABILITY ACCESS</strong></h2>



<p>The Oak Room Restaurant, 1905 Bar and amenities are on the ground floor, Barnett Hill has rooms with disabled access.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-out-amp-about"><strong>OUT &amp; ABOUT</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/08/Barnett-Hill-Gin-Afternoon-Tea-AE-237.jpeg" alt="Barnett Hill Hotel in Surrey" class="wp-image-49070" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/08/Barnett-Hill-Gin-Afternoon-Tea-AE-237.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/08/Barnett-Hill-Gin-Afternoon-Tea-AE-237-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/08/Barnett-Hill-Gin-Afternoon-Tea-AE-237-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/08/Barnett-Hill-Gin-Afternoon-Tea-AE-237-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/08/Barnett-Hill-Gin-Afternoon-Tea-AE-237-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/08/Barnett-Hill-Gin-Afternoon-Tea-AE-237-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The gardens at Barnett Hill Hotel are lovely &#8211; and worth a wander. They flow down into the woodlands where there are also marked walks if you fancy stretching your legs a little more. </p>



<p>You’re also not far from the&nbsp;<a href="https://silentpooldistillers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Silent Pool Gin Distillery</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denbies.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Denbies Wine Estate</a>&nbsp;and some lovely National Trust venues including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/polesden-lacey" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Polesden Lacey</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/hatchlands-park" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hatchlands Park</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/winkworth-arboretum" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Winkworth Arboretum</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Watts Gallery</a>&nbsp;is also nearby and well worth a visit.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict"><strong>THE MUDDY VERDICT</strong></h2>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> Foodies will love Sunday lunch at Barnett Hill which combines classics with more inventive cooking. A good choice for couples, groups of friends and families &#8211; especially those wanting something a bit more special than the average pub roast dinner. </p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> A noisy afternoon out with the girls or groups looking for a wild time. While children are welcome, it’s not the best place for raucous tiny tots.</p>



<p><strong>The damage:</strong> The two-course Sunday lunch at Barnett Hill is £35 and three-courses is £45. If you fancy the cheese board for afters, there&#8217;s a £10 supplement. </p>



<p><em><strong><a href="https://alexanderhotels.co.uk/barnett-hill/food-drink/the-oak-room-restaurant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Barnett Hill Hotel</a>, Blackheath Lane, Wonersh, Guildford GU5 0RF</strong></em></p>



<p></p>


Review: Sunday lunch at Barnett Hill, Wonersh

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