” SWINGING LOVERS”

February 2000

For wilder, hotter sex, try swinging from the rafters. . . literally. At Hundred House Hotel, revel in the sensuous charms of an antique brass bed with lavender-scented sheets, garlands of fresh herbs around the room and, suspended from an ancient beam, your very own upholstered swing-seat (patchwork scatter-cushions guarantee a happy landing)! !

Snuggle up in front of the log fire in the cosy panelled bar, before lingering over a candlelit St Valentine's Day dinner of trout terrine with tender oysters, cajun chicken with spicy pepper sauce and kirsch creme patissiere with fresh strawberries,

The next day, wander hand-in-hand through the enchanting grounds with a large working herb garden ­ if you can tear yourselves away from that swing for long enough. . .

After a busy week at work, a romantic weekend in the Shropshire countryside was just the ticket for Stuart and I. As we headed up the motorway to the tiny village of Norton, we played a guessing game about our mystery hotel. We hoped for cutesy country and a four­-poster - and we got a whole lot more!

Our cosy retreat, The Hundred House Hotel, was no ordinary inn. How many hotel bedrooms do you know that feature your very own velvet-covered swing? Pulling up outside the stately Georgian pub, it looked the most unlikely place to hold such a saucy secret.

Entering the traditional inn, we received a warm welcome from Henry Phillips, who runs the hotel with his wife, Sylvia, and two sons. An equally friendly waitress showed us to our room, aptly named Fennel & Dill after the hotel's impressive herb garden. A bouquet of lavender, daisies, thyme and dill lay waiting on our antique iron bed and a glimpse around the room revealed a basket of rose petals and a display of pink roses. This was true aromatherapy and instantly put us in the mood for seduction - and that was before we'd tried the velvet-covered swing waiting enticingly in the corner.

After the four-hour drive, we were happy to have drinks brought up to us and enjoy a long soak in the luxurious, free-standing bath, before slipping beneath the sheets. Sylvia is to thank for the whimsical decor and has a penchant for pink and patchwork. From beneath the drapes of our impossibly girly bed, complete with flowing white drapes, we giggled like teenagers as we marvelled at our delightfully eccentric surroundings.

Having fallen in love with our room, we began falling in love ­with each other all over again.

Eventually we tore ourselves away from our romantic haven, ready to explore the outside world. We made it just in time for the hotel's full English breakfast, then decided to visit the nearby Victorian town

at Blists Hill, a surprisingly authentic tourist attraction with Victorian-style shops, cottages and factories set in 40 acres of woodland.

As we wandered through the cobbled streets past actors dressed in Victorian­ style outfits, I thought I'd walked straight into the set of a Dickens novel. First, we visited the old-fashioned bank to exchange money into Victorian coins, then we worked our way around the village to the fairground - where

Stuart managed to win me the very romantic prize of a coconut.

Three hours later, I was transported back to the present day for a bit of retail therapy as we stopped off at the shopping centre in the nearby town of Telford.

I bought a new pink top, to make me feel pretty and sexy, ready for our romantic meal ahead. The Hundred House restaurant has a deserved reputation as the best place to eat in the area, so it's essential to book ahead. One look at the menu and we could see why. There was a mouth-watering choice of traditional British and modern European food, with plenty for vegetarians, too. A bowl of fresh herbs - sage, lemon balm, mint, rosemary and dill - awaited us with a message inviting us to add whatever we liked to our meal. So we decided to push out the boat and ordered a bottle of champagne. If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, I was well and truly there.

After enjoying a few more drinks in the cosy, wood-panelled bar, we headed to our room to swing into action! Luckily, the swing could still hold our weight after the enormous meal, and the pink heart-shaped scatter cushions guaranteed a soft landing.

The next morning, we followed the hotel's signs for the Lovers' Walk. A flower-lined archway led to The Hundred House's famous herb garden, featuring over 50 varieties. The abundant flowers and herbs combined to provide a sensory explosion, especially for nature-deprived Londoners like us. As we strolled into the flower garden next door, with its hidden seats and pathways for lovers to explore, I realised this is the gardening world's equivalent of Viagra. Scent-sational!

The Fennel & Dill room at The Hundred House Hotel costs from £125 per night for two sharing, including breakfast. It offers a special two-night dinner break for £150 per person per night (with Sunday night free if you spend over £40 in the restaurant). The average price for dinner is £35 per head with including wine. For further information, contact The Hundred House Hotel on 01952 730353 or visit www.hundredhouse.co.uk.

by Amanda Riley