'My 24 hours at The Grove was a welcome - and much needed - reprieve from real life'
It was a last-minute decision to head to The Grove but I needed to get away from the kids, cough, I mean, husband, cough, I mean, work.
Scratch that. Let’s just say I needed some headspace so I rallied a few others and hit the road. Joy of all joys, The Grove couldn’t have been easier to get to. Literally minutes from the M25, a total synch from central London.
With 200 rooms and an 18-hole golf course, I was expecting a few people milling around in lanyards, but how wrong was I? Stepping inside the hydrangea-filled lobby was like walking into an ultra-smart resort somewhere like Oman or Mauritius. Ok, not quite, but you get the gist.
What’s the vibe?
Smart and chilled with a surprise around every corner. In the formal gardens among trees planted 400 years ago, I stumbled across a Terminator-style metal skeleton climbing out of the Italian lily pond. Later, choosing to take the stairs instead of the lift, I was met by a video installation of a naked man going about his gardening complete with bird sounds. What a hoot!
There’s a wonderfully wild and overgrown walled garden with its own little restaurant – and tucked behind that, a beach! Ralph’s Beach, I quickly learn, is the place to go during a heatwave. Oh, and during summer months there’s also outdoor cinema courtesy of Everyman. As a member of Leading Hotels of the World, I was expecting the hotel to have a certain ‘it factor’ but I wasn’t expecting quite this much colour and fun. It has personality to match its scale.
Do the new Mansion rooms live up to the hype?
Yes. 100 per cent. As part of a dramatic three-year revamp, these rooms – nine suites and 16 bedrooms in the original 16th century part of the hotel – have come up trumps. My suite (17) had parquet floors so deliciously textured I wanted to roll around on them naked. Every marble accent, linen pelmet and fringed cushion has been carefully thought through by Martin Hulburt’s crack team of interior designers. The calming sage colour scheme, the Bamford bathroom amenities, the mahogany furniture… I could go on and on, I absolutely loved my room.
The real prize though, was the view. Three sets of panelled windows overlooking meadows of wild grass and acorn trees as far as the eye can see, golf buggies zipping back and forth.
What about the wellness offering?
The Sequoia Spa is shiny, modern and big enough to get lost in. In March, the management parted ways with Elemis and brought Bamford on board which isn’t a natural fit (there’s no comparison with the Daylesford mothership in Somerset) but nevertheless it provides a useful toe-dip into the all-natural British brand. I opted for a Bamford Facial which consisted of 45 minutes of strong, oily kneading of the muscles around the cheek, brow and jaw (who isn’t prone to a bit of jaw clenching these days?). Wow.
I left the treatment room feeling plumped and primed, wondering how I’d gone so long without such a thing. Facility-wise, there’s all the usual steam, sauna, hydrotherapy etc plus a chic black mosaic pool, but what I really needed was some quiet time so I took myself off to a silent shrine of a room with low lighting, giant beds and a mesmerising fish tank for a cup of tea. Bliss.
Can I eat healthily?
Definitely. We had lunch on the terrace at The Stables. You can smell the woodsmoke before you arrive and everything from the ‘grill’ section of the menu is excellent. I opted for line-caught tuna tartare with chili, lime and soy to start, followed by grilled spatchcock chicken served with green beans and shallots.
For something quick and easy in the evening, the buffet spread at The Glasshouse is as good as any you’d find in a glossy international hotel: sushi, bresaola, ham hock, roasted carvery, curry station and a dessert spread with a chocolate fountain but for me, when I see a buffet, all I see is food waste… Madhu’s, the hotel’s elegant Indian restaurant was much more my scene. A trio of dining rooms with starched tablecloths and a vast choice of curries, rice dishes and dal spiced to perfection. It’s popular with locals so be sure to book in advance.
What else is there to do?
Masses. There’s axe throwing, laser-clay shooting, hot-air ballooning, biking, tennis, three walking trails across the 300-acre estate and a championship golf course beloved by Denise Van Outen.
My gang chose to pop our archery cherries and were surprised by a number of things, not least: the beautiful artistry of the wooden bows, how competitive the sport is, and what a good upper body work-out it can be. Getting up early and scampering into the dewy forest to do something I’ve never tried before was a revelation. I was craving a break from the norm and The Grove totally delivered.
Mansion rooms at The Grove start from £580 BOOK NOW
Spa days at the Sequoia Spa start from £240 per person. For more information visit The Grove, a member of Leading Hotels of the World.
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