Right on the Thames (and with Hampton Court to the right), this is The Mitre
What do we need to know about The Mitre?
The name Mitre is used quite a lot, particularly for pubs, and used to be a reference to a religious connection (a mitre is part of a bishop's clothing). This particular Mitre is a hotel that happens to be right next to Hampton Court which of course used to be home to a very famous clergyman, Cardinal Wolseley. While the hotel has been there for a while, what's of particular interest right now is the chef who's now in charge of things at the Signet Collection of hotels, of which this is part, and that's Anglo chef Mark Jarvis.
Where is it?
When we said it's next to Hampton Court we meant exactly that. It's right on the doorstep of Henry VIII's old gaff - less than a couple of minutes walk will take you to the front gates of the palace. Train-wise, it's Hampton Court station itself you're looking for, also very close by at just a few minutes walk over the bridge across the Thames, and that's just a short 30-minute journey from Waterloo.
Any hotel that greets you on a late winter's day with a glass of hot port gets an immediate upvote from us.
What can we expect from the hotel itself?
Its closeness to Hampton Court means there's a lot of historical significance wrapped up in The Mitre. The original building, known as The Toy, traces its origins back to the time of Henry VIII, and it was also used by palace guests of Charles II back in 1665. It's been reconstructed since then, the current building dates from the mid-18th Century, and is Grade II listed.
There have been quite a few changes since then, of course. The most recent was a complete refurb in 2020, when it was relaunched by The Signet Collection.
How about the rooms?
There are only 36, so we're very much in boutique hotel territory here. They range from the smaller (but still well-appointed) classic rooms, right up to the biggest suite which is, naturally, The Henry VII suite with a separate lounge and four-poster bed. We stayed in one of their "Culture" rooms:
This room was "Mary", one of the Royal rooms, and had a great view (see below).
The view of The Thames from "Mary"
It's also worth knowing that if you book through their website, you also get free tickets to visit Hampton Court Palace, and that's a very handy extra considering those are just shy of £30 each for an adult.
What about the food?
The hotel itself has two separate restaurants, each taking up a floor of the round section of the hotel that you can see in the photo at the top of the page. The top floor is The Boat House, where breakfast and afternoon tea are served, while the lower floor is the main restaurant. Both of these, given the nature of the building, have fantastic views of the river. If you can swing it, a table by the windows overlooking the Thames is absolutely where you want to be.
Mark is in charge of the food throughout the hotel, and that's most evident in the main restaurant - 1665 Brasserie. He's previously worked at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Texture, but he's probably best known as the chef who launched Anglo in Farringdon.
Here, the food is best described as taking brasserie classics and giving them a contemporary twist. Here's a taste of dinner at the restaurant.
Cauliflower popcorn, chilli, spring onion, teriyaki dressing (£8) - an absolutely fantastic snack
Prawn cocktail with compressed cucumber, roasted baby gem, sriracha mayo (£13) - an excellent version that's a little on the deconstructed side, but this means that you don't have the usual concern of ending up with just lettuce at the bottom of a glass.
Crispy ham hock terrine, with mixed leaves and a burnt apple puree that was a perfect accompaniment (£9)
Venison Guinness Pie, roscoff onion, mashed potato, jus (£23). Other than the menu you see online, there are lots of specials on the night and this proper pie was one of them. Based on this, if a pie is on the menu - go for that.
Hampshire farmed pork belly with black pudding, caramelised roscoff onions, hay smoked mash, red wine jus (£22)
Whisky creme brulee, Mitre shortbread biscuit (£10) - excellent shortbread too. If you're staying, you'll find a packet of these hanging on your door when you check in.
Chocolate and Earl Grey Torte, citrus chantilly (£10) - top marks for using chantilly instead of the usual creme fraiche.
And where's good for a drink nearby?
Handily, there's a well-reviewed pub right next door to the hotel, called The Mute Swan, that's clearly very popular because we couldn't find a seat on a Friday evening. If you can grab one, that's definitely worth a look. The hotel also owns the café called The Coppernose that's next to that if you're looking for a coffee.
As for the hotel itself, there's some space around the 1665 Brasserie for a drink too, and we'd definitely recommend one of their cocktails.
There's an extensive cocktail list, but this was a seasonal special - an LBV Sidecar with Courvoisier, Taylor's LBBV and cacao liqueur (£14)
And how about breakfast?
The hotel's Stay and Dine package includes a full English breakfast the next day so you might as well take full advantage. You could always walk off the calories with a stroll along the river afterwards.
Breakfast is part buffet, part cooked menu and it's a delight to be tucking into a full English overlooking the river in the morning.
Overall thoughts
The Mitre combines a great location, both on the riverside and next to one of the UK's best historical attractions, with a genuinely good menu by a top chef. At only a 30-minute train ride from the centre of town, it makes for a great overnight getaway spot if you fancied mixing food with a little bit of Tudor history.
More about The Mitre
Where is it? Hampton Ct Rd, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9BN
How much? Room prices start at £180
How to book the restaurant: Book online or call 020 8979 9988
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @mitrehamptoncourt
Hot Dinners stayed as guests of The Mitre. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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