Casa Hotel, Restaurant & Bar
You know those times when you visit somewhere and you say; “I can’t believe I didn’t know this was here”? This was one of those moments, as I recently spent the evening at four-star independent hotel Casa. On the doorstep of the peaks, this beautifully designed hotel is in the perfect location for both business and leisure, given its positioning being just a ten minute drive from the M1 J29, a five minute taxi ride from Chesterfield train station and a thirty – forty minute drive from Sheffield and Nottingham and with free parking on site, this makes for a convenient stopover whether visiting on business or for pleasure.
My visit was purely pleasure, as I was keen to try out the restaurant Cocina who has recently won an award as the best steak house of the year at the Midlands Food & Drink Hospitality Awards- something my husband fully appreciated, given he gave their steak a ten out of ten.
Cocina take great pride in maturing their own rare breed Belted Galloway beef on-site, using a state-of-the-art DRY AGER® cabinet, before it is expertly cooked over a Josper Grill to bring out its full flavour. They also source many of their ingredients locally, much of which comes directly from their own Walton Lodge Farm Estate just a few miles away.
As a vegetarian, I opted for the Wild Mushroom Gnocchi, which came in a creamy sauce- one of my favourite flavours on any meal and this did not disappoint, was presented beautifully, with the flavours of truffle oil, mushroom, rocket and parmesan and a good sized portion I was sadly unable to finish, all washed down with a glass of Pinot Grigio Blush and Merlot.
Our check in was smooth and efficient and as we made our way to our room via the lift to the top floor, we became aware of just how big the hotel actually is, with 100 bedrooms and plenty of conference facilities (11 to be exact), all done to a high spec, it was clear to see how much work has gone into making this hotel what it is.
Our suite was huge. With a super king sized, super comfortable bed, sofa, gigantic TV, tea/coffee making area with mini fridge complete with a selection of beverages and a bathroom containing twin sinks and a jacuzzi. The highlight was the terrace, where we had our very own sauna and hot tub- what luxury and something I definitely took advantage of during our stay.
Some of the notable details in our suite were the generous amount of towels supplied (I always find I need more than given, especially when you have the tubs/sauna), robes and slippers in the wardrobe and an iron and board supplied without having to specifically ask. The size of the bed was also a highlight and I find these things all make a difference to your stay when you leave the comfort of your own home and really aid in a great night’s sleep, which is what we both had and needed!
Prior to our dinner that evening, we enjoyed live music and cocktails in the stylish, vibrant in-house bar Barca Bar, which continued the Spanish Mediterranean theme of the hotel in its design, given the owner is Spanish and wanted to inject elements of their home culture into the hotel, which shines through in not only the name Casa, but the bar and restaurants names Barca Bar and Cocina.
The artwork and modern sculpture you find dotted about the corridors, are also all created by Spanish artists, which I enjoyed and appreciated.
The cocktail menu is pretty vast and contains some speciality signature cocktails recently added including Crème Brulee Martini and a Spicy Mango Margarita.
Once we had checked in and settled and prior to dinner, we were offered a show-around of the conference and events facilities to which I of course accepted and was impressed to discover so many state of the art rooms, which ticked the box for any kind of event, meeting or conference. They can quite literally cater for board meetings, co working, private events/weddings, training rooms and everything in-between and at £15 for the day the co working package is proving popular and I can see why, plus they even have an outdoor terrace and seating area, which is included in some of the room hire packages and can include a BBQ, which we saw in action on our visit.
Check out the full list of business facilities here- https://www.casahotels.co.uk/conferences-at-casa/
After a peaceful night’s sleep and a cup of tea on our balcony, we descended downstairs back into Cocina restaurant for breakfast, which was bustling with guests, enjoying a combination of continental and cooked breakfasts. On our table; fresh orange juice, cereal, fruit, a full English cooked breakfast and a cheese, onion and mushroom omelette made to order.
Additional points to note, Barca Bar also offer a casual dining bar menu, which we opted to take advantage of on arrival, given we had missed lunch and so enjoyed small plates outside in the sun including Manchego & Serrano Croquettes, Honey Glazed Chorizo, Crispy Soy Glazed Pork Belly and Fries.
On the whole, this hotel ticks the boxes for a well thought out, stylish stay for both business and pleasure, with impressive conference and events facilities and an award winning steak that, according to my husband- is a must try.
Special offers to take advantage of:
-Monday-Thursday dining offer- £25 per person
– Steak Sensation for 2- £75 for two.
Visit their website- https://www.casahotels.co.uk/
The Sleepy Vegetarian
