Hotel du Vin Winchester

This original & smallest of the boutique Hotel du Vin chain, comes set in a handsome Georgian townhouse at the heart of the cathedral city & boasts a stylish, shabby-chic French-style bistro complete with adjoining champagne bar. As the name promises, wine plays a key role inspiring the décor – think wine-themed prints & posters, floorboards, polished-wood tables & black leather chairs – & a cracking wine list. The atmosphere’s buzzy, but, like the surroundings & service, equally relaxed, while a walled garden proves a drawcard for alfresco opportunities & its cigar cabin a magnet for stogy lovers. Like the other hotels in the group, the kitchen is driven by fresh, quality seasonal ingredients & a confident, clean-cut modern approach on a menu of one-priced starters, mains & desserts; expect a fillet of halibut served with buttered spinach & forestière sauce to vie for attention alongside a selection of classics, like veal Holstein.