Hotel du Vin - an apology

Food ✪ 
Ambience ✪✪✪ 
Service ✪ 

Crescent Rd 
Tunbridge Wells 
TN1 2LY 
01892 526455 



I think I owe the chef at Newcastle’s Hotel du Vin an apology. 

In May I accused his restaurant of mediocrity and overpricing. I assumed it was down to him. I thought they were just having an off day – that’s why I gave the place the benefit of the doubt and 3 out of 5 stars. I don’t give half-stars – the graphics team at The Journal can’t cope with that, otherwise it would have had 2½. 

But now I’ve downgraded it. Because I’ve discovered that the problem with the Hotel du Vin is systemic, not local. Somewhere behind the scenes in the Hotel du Vin chain there’s an executive catering team that hasn’t a clue.

Hotel du Vin

Food ✪✪
Ambience ✪✪✪✪ 
Service ✪✪✪ 

Mon-Fri 12 – 2pm, 5.30 – 10pm (Fri 10.30pm) 
Sat 12.30 – 2.30pm, 5.30 – 10.30pm 
Sun 12.30 – 2.30pm, 7 – 10pm 

Allan House 
City Road 
Newcastle Upon Tyne 
NE1 2BE 
084473 64259 
www.hotelduvin.com/locations/newcastle  

The waitress who led us to our table was ever so friendly, but immediately took us by surprise. 

“Are you on the zoo deal?” she asked. 

“What does that mean?” 

“You get a free glass of bubbly”, she said cheerily. 

My friend and I glanced at each other, then said in unison: “We’re on the zoo deal, then.”