Best Western Gatehouse Hotel, Ipswich > Reviews > A little gem that is worth finding

Author's product rating:   

Value for Money	Good
Standard of Menu	Excellent
Atmosphere	Excellent
Standard of Service	Excellent

Advantages:	Great food,  great service
Disadvantages:	It misses out on passing trade

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I love dining out with friends and one of our long time favourite places to eat has been the Gatehouse Hotel on Old Norwich Road in Ipswich. This small hotel is away from the bustle of the main Norwich Road and tucked away down what is now a dead end so it can't attract a passing trade but it is well worth the effort seeking it out. We used to dine there regularly but recently it has undergone a change in ownership, some modernisation and extension to increase the number of available bedrooms and become part of the Best Western Group of hotels so it was with some trepidation that I made a booking for an evening meal as it is always a worry when a favourite dining venue undergoes a number of changes.

Booking for the meal was not a problem, we got a reservation for two for a Saturday evening with no problem so I began to look forward to the meal. When we arrived the car park was deserted however we didn't worry as we were quite early. We got a warm welcome from the man behind the bar who took our drinks order and showed us into the dining room where we had a choice of tables all beautifully set out with pristine white tablecloths and sparkling cutlery.

The menu was interesting and varied with starters ranging from around £5, main meals costing from £12 to £18 and desserts costing £5.50. We selected roast rump of lamb on a bed of garlic mash with fresh vegetables and this was cooked to perfection and served hot and well presented. It was absolutely delicious and we both cleared our plates.

We selected the spiced apple spring rolls with cream and were also given an extra jug of cream in case we wished for more. Again this was freshly cooked and beautifully presented and an excellent choice to round off the meal. We finished with tea and coffee and overall felt this was an excellent meal in elegant surroundings with service that we could not fault.

Rather unfortunately we were the only diners in the hotel that night which really was a great shame. Sadly because of the recent refurbishment this venue had 'dropped off our radar' as a dining venue but it is now firmly back on the list. If you are in the area I can recommend it as a place for fine dining, you just need to take the time to find it off the main Norwich road.

Our evening meal including wine cost us £54 for two people which was not expensive given the quality of the food we had and the excellent service. Our dining club is scheduled to visit them for our Christmas meal in late December so I am really looking forward to a return visit with a much larger party and will update this review after that event.

UPDATE
***********
I went again to the Gatehouse on 22nd December for a Christmas meal with 14 friends which gave me the chance to review this restaurant on a busier night. I have to say that the meal was quite simply excellent, we had all preselected our meals from a tasty menu which included Home made Minestrone soup which those who had it said was excellent, Pate which again was well received and my own choice of Crevettes and Avocado which was plentiful and tasty although they did perhaps put rather too much sauce over the crevettes for my taste. Main courses included the traditional Christmas Turkey and my own selection of Pave of Beef which was absolutely delicious, the beef was very tender and extremely tasty. Desserts included Tiramisu, Marmalade tart and my own choice of fresh fruit salad. The meal was followed by coffee, petit fours and mince pies. All for just £22 per head, we had a great night with excellent service and wonderful food. I can thoroughly recommend this venue, Christmas meals can often be a disappointment but not at this hotel, everything was done to ensure we had a lovely evening with fine food and in a welcoming atmosphere, what more could we ask for?

Would I recommend it?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Most certainly, it is well worth a visit if you are in the area. I understand that during the week the hotel is busier as the rooms are well used by businessmen needing a handy base within the area. At present it is quieter at the weekend but this is unlikely to last once word gets around about this little gem.