The White Horse

On the edge of the South Downs National Park in the pretty and friendly village of Graffham. The White Horse is set just far enough away from the main hub that it’s surrounded by fields and the forested Downs making its location truly rural. The hotel is a great base for those planning a stomp along the South Downs Way – the hills are just a mile from the village. But guests also visit year-round to discover the many antiques shops of nearby Petworth, or in summer horse-lovers stay to be close to Goodwood. Plus, it's a 40-minute drive to the coast at Bognor Regis.

The interiors of this pretty whitewashed boozer were given a serious new look by Sussex designer Anna Hewitson in 2023. Gentle tones of oatmeal and herb green are all very smart – especially in the restaurant loos where there’s a busy hit of Robert Kime wallpaper and coral panelling in the ladies, in contrast to the dusky blue in the gents. It all matches the new owner Glen Manchester’s plans to turn the place into more of a destination restaurant than local pub. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still cater to village life – for example, playing host to the community’s Christmas carols every year. Coffee and pastries are also supplied to walkers and cyclists passing by from an old horse trailer.

William, the charming general manager, will ferry bags from car to bedroom in a cute wicker wagon. The new owner kept on the majority of staff when he took over in 2023 which means this young and smiley crew are all bedded in and confident with local recommendations. The bedrooms feel separate to the restaurant – in a nice way – and guests are largely left to their own devices. This is not an all-singing, all-dancing hotel offering but there are televisions in the rooms as well as a Nespresso machine and stacks of Bramley minis.

Six bedrooms behind the pub are named after wildflowers and take over the milking shed of this former dairy farm. Rusty-red botanical-patterned fabric headboards and wicker lamp shades complement the pretty wood-panelled rooms painted in tones of sage and bluebell. The artwork is made up mostly of birds and more botanicals, but is well chosen and elegant rather than feeling like a cookie cutter copy from one room to the next. Ceilings are high which helps create a feeling of space, and three of the rooms have decked terraces complete with views of the South Downs ridge.

Probably the biggest change that came with the hotel's recent shake up is Grant Jones in the kitchen. The Le Gavroche-trained chef puts a French touch on local ingredients brought in through relationships with gamekeepers, cheese makers, farmers and even a small fishing boat (run by father and son) at Chichester Harbour. There’s an eight-course tasting menu which might include venison carpaccio (sourced through the Sussex Woods Deer Management Scheme) with a crispy potato flower, hand-dived scallops with parsnip purée and South Downs lamb cutlet and hunter’s pie. Or, take your pick from the à la carte menu which features hearty dishes such as John Dory on creamy mash and a rich beef cheek with a bone marrow crumb.

The wine list is an interesting mix of global bottles – a Hungarian wine comes with a story told by the genuinely knowledgeable team. And puddings are especially good too – maybe a sticky toffee pudding or rhubarb topped cheesecake. At breakfast, Jones adds his touch to the short cooked menu (in addition to a cereal and pastry spread). Steel cut oats, oat milk and salt make up the creamy porridge, and the full English is a refined version of the fried classic.

Double rooms from £225 in low season; and from £250 in high. Breakfast included.

There are no specially adapted bedrooms, however they all have flat access suitable for wheelchair users. Access to the restaurant can be made through the conservatory doors, and ramps are used to help navigate steps to the loos.

Travel cots are provided in the rooms for those with babies in tow and there are fold out beds for guests up to the age of 12 at no extra charge. There isn’t a printed children's menu in the restaurant but there’s always something the kitchen can knock up – sausage and mash or monkfish scampi are favourites. Honey, the pub’s Steiff teddy is gifted to younger guests and there are llama fields across the road – the perfect adventure for excitable little ones.