Travel: The Horseshoe Inn, Eddlestone

Just outside the vibrant commuter town of Peebles in the Scottish Borders, you’ll find the quiet, picturesque and unassuming village of Eddleston.

The Horseshoe Inn is situated on the roadside and has an inviting charm to its façade. We were warmly invited by extremely hospitable staff who were more than happy to accommodate our quick turnaround to attend a prior engagement. The Horseshoe Inn was acquired by Border Hospitality (whose portfolio also includes the Michelin-starred Plumed Horse restaurant in Edinburgh) six years ago, but in summer 2011 it recruited both a new general manager from the Turnberry Resort and a head chef from the Lemuria resort in the Seychelles, both of Indian Ocean descent no less. The choice of key employees shines through in its award- winning menu.

WINING AND DINING? The Horseshoe Inn falls into the category of a restaurant with rooms – which is not to suggest the standard of rooms is of any lesser quality than the restaurant itself. However, it’s fair to say the Borders have a real lack of establishments offering fine dining experiences. For lunch and dinner there are two options: the less formal bistro or the main restaurant – both are overseen by executive chef Tony Borthwick of The Plumed Horse.

The chef’s cultural influences are present in both menus, whether it be the corn-fed chicken leg in rich curry sauce served with a fragrant basmati rice (containing coconut, raisin, minted cucumber and shallots) from the bistro menu or the pork fillet, caramelised belly, pak choi and spiced marsala sauce. Take these Far Eastern ideas and apply them to ingredients sourced from local suppliers and you are guaranteed memorable food full of flavour. It doesn’t end here though. If you really want to experience the full extent of the kitchen’s ability you can opt for the tasting menu. For a hugely reasonable £85, this is made up of six courses with a carefully chosen selection of five wines. Both the a la carte and tasting menus are served in the distinguished surroundings of the three AA rosette restaurant, whereas the bistro menu can be sampled in the more relaxed bar area. The attentive staff are well versed in all aspects of the dining experience and deliver immaculate standards of service that would make any Michelin restaurant blush.

BUDGET OR BOUTIQUE? Being in close proximity to Edinburgh, it’s fair to say you’d probably pay double the price for a dining experience of this standard. It’s certainly not budget but it does offer excellent value for money considering the quality of the food and the comfortable surroundings in which to taste it in.

WORTH GETTING OUT OF BED FOR? If you can tear yourself out of the soft, warm, king-size bed with it’s luxe 100 per cent Egyptian cotton bedding, the full Scottish breakfast is definitely worth getting up for. In fact the whole breakfast menu is worth shouting about. With a belly full of bacon, eggs and freshly squeezed orange juice, you are more than ready to step outside and take on what the beautiful rolling hills of the Scottish Borders have to offer: golf – there are two courses close by; walking routes in abundance; fishing on the famous River Tweed; and thrill-seekers can check out the Glentress cycling centre. If pampering is more your thing and you want to remain indoors, head to Stobo Castle, which is regarded as one of the top spa destinations in the UK.

LITTLE EXTRAS? When we returned to our room in the evening, not only had it been turned down and little chocolates left on each pillow, the nicest surprise on climbing between the sheets was the small, furry hot water bottle left under each side of the duvet – bliss. The Molton Brown toiletries were a nice touch but it was the small details like the home-made cookies, fresh water, mini-fridge and the aforementioned hot water bottles that really gave it the personal touch.

GUESTBOOK COMMENTS? This is a real hidden gem worth shouting about. There are eight rooms in total; five doubles, two twins and a family room, with a mix of classic and premier categories. Classics start from £100 and premier from £150 on a B&B basis. It’s worth checking the website for offers and news on the blog section: www.horseshoeinn.co.uk, or telephone [phone].