Who can recommend a nice spa / hotel this time in (probably) southern England? Mrs and I are looking for a weeks escape mid summer.. some place with as I said spa treatments, maybe tennis and some nice country walks... AND... good food so we can make sure all those expensive spa treatments go to waste ( waist ? )
Just fyi we’ve been to a couple of the Champney’s resorts and they are fine on the health farm / spa / fitness end but all that bulgar wheat and quinoa at dinner time really gets to you.
I stayed at Chewton Glen about 8 years ago, quite nice hotel, a great spa for the misses and pretty good food for me. It was just the bleedin' bill - house champagne, then, was about £35 a bottle and they had the cheek to add £5 to bring it to your room!
I must have had more money than sense in those days.
Agreed. I have stayed there too but I do think that you get what you pay for. It is a beautiful, well run and discreet country house hotel in a lovely area with superb food and service. I would certainly love to go back.
Never stayed there but tried out the spa day on a couple of occasions which I can highly recommend.
grynch, am sure that there are lots of smaller establishments in that part of England which wont cost that much and probably accept green stamps Why not stay near there and only head to the Chewton for the spa day?
I had stayed at Clivedon a few times previous to the Chewton Glenn visit and that was the benchmark to follow, absolutely outstanding at the time. A much better building and spa, better food, less pompous staff and they didn't charge for bringing champers to your room.
Grynch. These places in England are very expensive, I suggest you follow Summerains advice and use the spas for the day and stay in a local pub!
Agreed. Stayed there many times including one Christmas. For breakfast Santa came around all the tables and then there were roasted chestnuts on the terrace and a local guy brought his hawks along to play in the grounds. It was like a proper big family country house gathering.
If there are a few of you (2 couples say), get a cottage in the old stable block. Much cheaper than the hotel rooms in the main house and you get a small kitchen and a garden.
thanks... with all these suggestions ( and some for *gasp* another forum ) we'll be looking at all the spa stay and spa day visit / live off site options.
If you've got your heart set on a spa day at the Chewton, try this hotel about 5 miles down the road for considerably less. Thats what we did for one my mate's hen do. Stayed here and drove down the road for our spa day:
Well, you did ask. Personally, I favour a swim in the Hallenbad followed by a sauna and perhaps a massage. Save yourself CHF200 there and then.
Most of these 'lux' places will be willing to make special offers; ask for them, even if they're not advertised. Be honest with the receptionist and say you'd dearly like to stay three nights but it's terribly pricey and could they help? They usually do. You'll spend your kids' inheritance on the wine menu, anyway, so in for a penny...