Inn on the Hill

Those who remember the old Haslemere Hotel are in for an agreeable shock when next they visit this pleasant Surrey town, for the hotel has had major surgery, re-emerging from the operating theatre as the Inn on the Hill. Ah! I hear you say, another quiet hidey-hole turned into a place where you can't hear the barman's softly murmured tip for the 2.30 at Sandown. Well, maybe, but arguably the Inn on the Hill is more in keeping with the spirit of the age, whatever one may think about that.

Under the management team from the Tailor Made Pub Company, who already have The Percy Arms at Chilworth and The Sun Inn at Rake to their credit, an entirely new concept has manifested itself, with a luxurious restaurant serving international dishes in a contemporary environment against the background of a chic, modern bar area.

Amongst the changes deployed are slate floors, leather upholstery, a chill-out sofa area, wireless broadband and chunky oak furniture. Without doubt this new concept heralds a new dining experience for Haslemere. To start with they open at 7am, starting off the day with a variety of interesting breakfast options, and remain open until 11pm.

To those for whom the ritual of breakfast has progressed beyond the harassed, makeshift dash round the kitchen, with one eye on the clock and the other somewhere halfway between the shaving mirror and the coffee percolator, there is a choice between the Full English, a marathon affair that makes an Ulster fry look like a light snack, or a Daybreaker, a more reasoned approach to the same problem, Highland eggs, eggs Benedict, a trilogy omelette, a very conscience-free Continental, or for the really hard-pressed freshly baked croissants with a selection of fillings, all served with fresh fruit juice and a pot of tea or cup of coffee. Wow! Have a nice day.

Nor is lunch an affair for the faint-hearted, though I suppose with some restraint you could manage it. Starters list some ten choices, with finger munchies as a real option, a platter to share, with onion rings, potato skins, chicken goujons, chicken wings and garlic bread. After that there is an almost bewildering selection of sandwiches, salads, Tailor made ploughman's, where you start with a basic dish before moving on to build your own complete lunch from over 20 items - what did I say about restraint?

Then there are the now famous Tailor made burgers and steaks, not to mention the dozen or so main dishes that have to include at least some of everybody's favourites.

Let's assume that all the above has passed you by, the evening has come and at last you can relax - what does the Inn on the Hill hold for you? The answer is a very great deal, and the worst problem likely to be encountered is one of choice - again. Amongst the starters look out for the trio of fish, or the homemade ricotta and borlotti bean paté.

It would be almost an act of treason not to go for a Tailor made steak, especially as you can build you own variations, but if you did you eye might well stray to the seafood espetada, a maritime take on the traditional Portuguese dish using fresh fish chunks, prawns, squid, peppers and lemon, marinated with lemon and dill, with a lime aioli and garlic butter.

For puddings you may feel you have to avert the eyes as the credits roll for the Tailor made coupe of luxury ice cream, but if you do be warned that beyond is located the List of Indulgences, an exercise in temptation that will probably end up with you choosing the hot chocolate fudge cake with cream, or ice cream.

Eight luxury en-suite rooms with broadband and flat screen televisions are available for the overnight traveller, as well as a large garden for roaming in during the hotter months. So given the choice between a tip for the 2.30 at Sandown, or the new Inn on the Hill, where would you go? Quite right - they were nearly always loser's tips anyway.