Meet at Rastella on Friday 26th April for our first Cocktail Club of the season. We’ll be serving up some of our favourites from the brand new menu from 5pm – 11pm.  Here’s a sneak peek at the menu; 2 for £10 CORNISH ESPRESS …

My sous chef Aiden and I went for a trip to visit Jude at Kota in Porthleven to see his kitchen and have a chat. After doing the tour Jude opened his fridge and there were echoes of snapping and clacking under camouflage of a wet cloth, they …

Team work makes the dream work and we have now developed an exceptional team in the kitchen and front of house. When you work in a kitchen you will spend more time with your fellow chefs than your Family, Partner or friends. It takes time to …

We Love food and drink, who doesn’t! Whether the sun is just past the yard arm or to set you up before a night of decadence we’ve slaved long and hard, putting in the hours, sampling the finest of liquors and blending to perfection …

Room to reward asks charities to nominate volunteers and staff who consistently go above and beyond in their support, their commitment and impact, whilst their hotel partners pledge numerous room nights throughout the year to reward and give …

Photography Workshops at Merchants Manor Uncover the secrets of the professionals with the guidance of photographers Clare Ball and Ben Mostyn. Their two day exclusive workshop offers an insightful and enjoyable journey, sharing their wealth …

One of my fondest food memories was with my Dad and some friends on Arniston beach sinking ice cold oysters in the hot sun, I remember eating 45 of them that day age 9. A few years later we were once again in amongst the sand cliffs and aqua …

Whilst we could spend all day writing down all of the things we love about our great town, we’ve made a list of our top five reasons. Discover for yourself and fall for Falmouth this summer.   1. Home of Sub-Tropical Falmouth is …

Bobotie If someone were to ask me about an iconic South African dish it would have to be Bobotie. Nothing sums up our History and cultures quite like it. The dish originated from Holland, brought to Cape Town by the Dutch in the 17th Century, …

  As members of the NOW Force for Good Alliance we form part of an inspirational shift in the travel industry, striving to be accountable and transparent about sustainability. NOW Track & Book is a new tool to help you find, track and …

Whilst we were all tucking into our turkeys this Christmas our yoga pro Emma spent a month in Goa, completing a 300 hour of study in Ashatanga and Vinyasa Yoga. Emma’s knowledge now proceeds 500 hours of Indian teachings including Ashtanga …

We are proud to be part of the Preferred Hotels and Resorts Lifestyle collection. Even more so this week as we celebrate being part of the first hotel chain to be awarded Number One by TripAdvisor as their Global “Most Excellent” Large Hotel …

On a misty Cornish evening we set off for the bright lights of London via the A30 as our flight was cancelled due to the North Coast fog. Arriving after midnight we had the roads to ourselves as we made our way past Harrods, Buckingham Palace …

Early on in this balmy Cornish summer we set sail on Lowen, our 1978 Westerly Centaur, navigating in the direction of the Helford river. The crew for this voyage being my family and our Staffy Sally who proudly boasted her life jacket barking at …

Try Chef Hylton’s Cornish gem of a recipe. Spread with a thick layer strawberry jam, lashings of Clotted Cream and a pot of tea.  Guaranteed to taste even better packed as a picnic and served at the beach. Scones Makes 12 480 g …

We are proud to be members of Slow Food, an organisation that I have known of since I first started cooking. For me there has always been a connection to nature and food beyond the obvious. Food harvested and eaten on a beach will be the best …

Embarking further into our mission to create a green and more efficient approach to the way we travel. The  recent installation of a combined heat and power (CHP) unit will run the baseline energy (electric and heat) demand using the natural gas …

  Smother yourself in delicious temple spa products whilst helping us take steps in saving the planet. We’ve updated our in-room products from 30ml bottles to 300ml in a bid to rid ourselves of plastic waste.  This means that each …

Merchants Manor – Ethical Update Merchants Manor Spa Hotel has proudly become the first hotel in the UK to join a global project to create a sustainable future for us all. The NOW force for good is the first global community that brings …

Living in Falmouth it is hard not to get into Sailing, the town has such a rich sailing heritage with near perfect conditions for the novice and experienced sailor alike. As a surfer I have spent a fair chunk of my lifetime in the sea and have …

On a lovely sunny Cornish day, of which we have had quite a few lately, myself and two senior members of the kitchen team took a trip into the farm lands of Mylor. We met up with Sam from Westcountry Fruit sales in a lush field just outside of …

Who remembers a time where you would walk into a bar, order for a gin and tonic and wait for the “ice and a slice?”reply?  When lime instead of lemon was the new cosmopolitan garnish for a Gordon’s and Slimline? For all you lovers …

For a chef, knives are the tools of their craft.  They allow the imagination to run wild in curating a dish and through mastering their skill they learn how to respect their produce.  Keeping his questions sharp and on point, Chef Hylton chats …

Pick a spot outdoors in the subtropical gardens or pull up a chair at Rastella and let us feed the family during graduation. Join us for lunch anytime between 16th and 28th July and tuck into three courses for just £18. We’ll even throw in …

In April 2016 we took a foraging walk down to Swanpool beach and returned with an abundance of sea weeds. After playing around with them in different preparations we had an excess of sea lettuce or ulva lactuca. The pastry section were preparing …

Friday 22nd– Sunday 24thJune 2018 Wend your way to Discovery Quay  and beyond for 15th Annual Sea Shanty Festival on Friday 22nd June, for a weekend of sunshine, local ale supping, and hearty foot-stomping shantying. Tune into a sea-loving …

One day on instagram an image popped up of a young farmer tending his flock near Porthleven. I  contacted Steve (The Cornish Lamb Co) directly and went to the farm with my wife. I love Porthleven, it has a very Cornish feel about it and happens …

Words by Chef Hylton Espey In December 2002 I walked into a restaurant and asked for a job as a Commis chef. The owner offered me the position and said something I will never forget. ‘You start tomorrow morning, go buy Kitchen Confidential, read …

Located outside of Truro, on the Roseland Peninsula, Tregothnan is the home of the Boscawen family, an estate steeped in history and residence to a thriving tea plantation. Selling its first homegrown tea in 2005, the company was founded by …

Last year’s blackberry season began unusually early which leads us to believe that given the recent hot spell we are likely to see the first fresh pickings in just a few weeks. Don’t be fooled into believing that blackberries are only for …

We have a foraging loop which takes us from the Manor on the hill down to Gyllyngvase beach, around to Swanpool and through a forest back to the restaurant. On this 1 mile loop we discover nineteen different foraged greens over the seasons.  

Words by Chef Hylton Espey. The coastal path walk or paddle to Maenporth from Falmouth is a must for any traveller. You have the option (depending on the weather) to explore the coast from land or sea. The walk is fantastic and you get away from …

Words by Chef Hylton Espey. Every dish starts with an inspiration, it may be an experience, the season, a nostalgic memory, farm visit or an adventure in nature. I carry a notebook with me all the time as you can never predict inspiration or a …

‘Nature inspired cuisine with a focus on the landscapes, flora and fauna’ – Hylton Espey From local foragers, butchers and garden marketers to the love Chef puts into every dish on the menu, we have one mantra in the Merchants Manor …

After being seduced by the Manors devotion to using the finest, fresh local ingredients -Discover South African born and raised Chef Patron Hylton Espey. Now two years into his journey at Rastella, he talks openly about his passion for food, …

Welcome to 2018 and welcome to our brand new wellbeing space, one of Cornwall’s largest fitness studios. Affectionately named The HOP House, a throw back to the family history of the Carne family who owned the house and brewed beer for over five …

Since the launch of the in-room therapy range by Temple Spa, we just haven’t been able to stop smothering ourselves, in fact we love this professional spa and skincare brand so much we have now expanded to include therapy treatments at the Linen …

We had the wonderful Sophie Baker, from Muddy Stilettos, join us for a day of relaxation at our Linen Rooms Spa this week. Here is her review of a rare moment of me time at the Linen Rooms. I picked a bad day to travel to Falmouth last week – …