Hotel Review: The High Field Town House

What could be more decadent than becoming a tourist in your own city? Living and working around Birmingham means that I'm able to run from one restaurant to another bar in minutes; but how often do we find time to really enjoy what's around us?

I was able to do exactly that when I was invited to stay at The High Field Town House in Edgbaston, minutes from the City Centre.

The High Field Town House is located right next door to The High Field, a delicious gastropub and bar in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

A Victoria villa, the High Field Town House has been converted into a 12 bedroom hotel with a difference.

Firstly, each room is unique and has been individually designed. Filled with both antique and modern touches, we stayed in room number one, a superior room, which is marked out by it's stunning roll top bath and teal colour scheme.

Unlike a traditional hotel, there are no keys. Instead, I was emailed a key code before the stay which we used to open the majestic front door. Making our way to room one on the ground floor, we used a code to enter our room, which means no keys or cards to forget or lose. Inside, we found a beautiful twin double room that had been stunningly and thoughtfully designed.

The main room was huge, perfect for a family, and as well as housing the two beds, sidetables and lamps, also featured a sofa in the bay window, antique mirrored wardrobe, desk and breakfast tray filled with tea, coffee and freshly made biscuits.

We also had two bathrooms. The first bathroom was a real feature room, with a teal painted roll top bath, walk in shower and vanity. From the mosaic tiled walls to the freestanding antique towel rail, there were so many beautiful touches in the room. That's not to say the room was without modern touches however, such as the rain shower head and of course the flat screen TV in the main room.

The second bathroom was more functional, but was not without some cute touches such as the reed diffuser and ceramic soap dish and matching cotton wool holder.

Walking through the hallways, there were still plenty of touches worth looking at, from the lacquered bannister to the fresh flowers.

We went on to explore the reception room and lounge having settled into our room. This was just such a beautiful space to relax in. With a welcome desk, Nespresso machine, honesty bar and complimentary smarties, nuts and crisps, I could have sat on sofa and looked out of the bright bay window for hours.

The furniture is stunning, mid Century but still eclectic, and the teal and chartreuse colour scheme was just beautiful. With an array of seating, tables, complimentary magazines and newspapers, the lounge was wonderfully relaxed.

Should you feel thirsty but not wish to wander to The High Field, there is also a fully stocked fridge and honesty bar, where you simply write down what you've drank and receive a charge for it later. There was everything from spirits and mixers to wine and Champagne available.

We then took part in a mini photo shoot outside the front door. It would be rude not to when it's so photogenic.

There may have been a mini photoshoot in the bar and lounge too.

In the evening, we went out for a cheeky cocktail or two at The High Field too, and found it to be very buzzy on a Friday night.

Following a restful nights sleep in our hotel room, we were ready for breakfast. It's worth noting that despite being on the ground floor, we didn't hear a thing whilst we were there. As much as I expected to hear people coming and going or to hear noise from The High Field, it was remarkably quiet and we slept like babies. I really didn't want to get up, but the call of breakfast was enough to rouse me.

Walking over to The High Field next door, we were warmly welcomed as hotel guests and the manager was kind enough to ask how we'd slept. I do think this is one real benefit of staying at the hotel, and I had no trouble getting served the previous night either!

As well as ordering from the main menu, which includes everything from a Full English Breakfast to porridge, pancakes and even a steak, there is also a breakfast buffet available for £5 which includes bread, jam, cereal, the most delicious fresh orange juice, fruit and croissants.

I was very tempted by the steak, but decided instead on the smashed avocado and eggs on toast, whilst my companion had a variation on the veggie breakfast.

Sadly, after breakfast it came to check out time. I could have stayed at The High Field Town House for days, sitting in the lounge and enjoying the gardens next door.

Staying so close to the city centre, it's unbelievable how relaxed our stay was. Just a short taxi ride from Birmingham, it's amazing how much quieter and relaxed the area is.

A huge thank you to the High Field Town House and the team at The High Field for making our stay so wonderful.

*I was invited to stay and dine for breakfast at The High Field as a guest of the hotel. All views remain 100% my own.

Food Review: Tapas Revolution at Grand Central

Grand Central is fast becoming one of my go to places in Birmingham. Whether I've just come back from a trip to London or want to meet friends for something to eat in somewhere super convenient, Grand Central has it all. It's no bad thing that there are plenty of gorgeous shops to pop into whilst I'm around too, and I love to run into Jo Malone, L'Occitane and Neal's Yard Remedies if I'm waiting to meet someone.

I was recently invited to try out five new dishes at Tapas Revolution. Launched in July, the new dishes include a gazpacho, honey and lemon chicken wings, spinach and goat's cheese empanadillas, lamb chops and a lettuce and Manchego salad.

However, I was also able to try out classic dishes from the menu, all created by Tapas Revolution founder Omar Allibhoy.

Having won the award for Best Spanish Restaurant at the Birmingham Food Drink and Hospitality Awards 2016 earlier this year, I was looking forward to my chance to try out some Spanish dishes.

Despite visiting Barcelona back in June, I didn't manage to try much tapas whilst I was there, mainly because I'd been warned away from anywhere that served buffet style food, in favour of venues that cook fresh. I did of course get to try a lot of paella, but I was eager to try more small plates.

Seated at a balcony seat with great views of the hustle and bustle below, we were offered drinks first whilst I looked at the dedicated gluten free menu. It was great to see such a detailed menu which even outlined which dishes were at risk of cross contamination.

I decided to go for the Ginabelle, a plum gin infused with red berry tea and served with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic and forest fruits (£9). This was a gin revelation for me, as someone who loves gin but also has a sweet tooth. Don't get me wrong, this was no strawberry daiquiri, but there was just a touch of sweetness which I really enjoyed. There is of course a range of Sangria options available too, Spanish inspired cocktails, more gin tonics, red, white and rose wine, craft beers, and of course soft drinks including horchata and authentic Spanish lemonade.

Next, we ordered Queso Manchego y membrillo (£5.75), Manchego with Quince paste to nibble on first. I love cheese, so there's very little else I need to say other than that I also love quince.

Our food arrived as it was ready, to ensure nothing was left to stand. We ordered Chuletas de Cordero, roasted lamb chops marinated with spices and served pink (£7.95), Jamon Serrano del Consorcio, 18 month cured ham (£5.25), Gambas al Ajillo, tiger prawns with garlic and chilli oil cooked in a terracotta dish (£7.95), Arroz Negro, black rice with prawn and squid served with alioli (£5.25), Huevos Rotos, baked chorizo sausage, potatoes and egg (£5.50) and finally, Patatas Bravas, roasted potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and alioli (£3.95).

My favourite dish of the bunch had to be the Arroz Negro. There's something about the salty flavour of squid ink that I just adore, and this dish was so full of flavour, it was far from a boring rice dish. With the addition of a few chunks of squid, this was the standout star. Of course, the cheese and ham were as good as I would expect, relying on a good palate to source the finest flavours.

The lamb chops were perfectly cooked and pink as promised, but I would have liked the earthy spices to have been given a kick with the addition of some sharp citrus flavours or a hint of chilli.

The prawns were fine, but could have done with being finished off on a grill or pan to add colour to the dish and an extra depth gained from grilling or caramelising the dish.

Finally, the potato dishes were well cooked and spicier than I expected. The alioli was most welcome here.

As much as I wish I could eat churros, unfortunately they're not gluten free. In lieu of ice-cream, we finished off our meal with an excellent espresso each.

The service we received at Tapas Revolution was excellent, attentive and very friendly. The atmosphere was buzzing and lively, thanks I imagine to an excellent half price offer on sangria from 4-7pm daily and 2 for 1 on gin tonics. When we visited, the restaurant was full of friends catching up and work colleagues breaking bread, and mainly sangria, making it a great place to eat and drink in unpretentious surrounds.

I'd happily return for the paella next time, and for those of you who can eat gluten, there were some excellent looking dishes including the calamari, empanadillas, croquetas de jamon and of course churros.

Have you ever been to Tapas Revolution? What were your thoughts?