In a month of royal inspiration we explore some of the top spa hotels and estates offering country pursuits ranging from clay pigeon shooting to hiking and horse riding.
Part of the Warner Hotels Group, Heythrop Park is an impressive Grade II* listed manor house dating back to 1710. Surrounded by parkland in the tranquil Cotswold countryside, it's the perfect place to embrace your inner aristocrat, or at least your country sports enthusiast.
First up, let's talk about the hotel and spa. The hotel is beautifully designed, drawing on the property's heritage whilst perfecting the art of modern hospitality. It has multiple dining options, including Brasserie32, where the style is inspired by the Duke of Shrewsbury’s Italian wife, Adelaide, who once relaxed there.
The spa is a destination in its own right. Set within the grounds it's luxurious and welcoming. There's a scented relaxation room, 20-metre pool, sauna and steam room and gym, a spa menu with ample Prosecco, and a collection of treatments from Temple Spa.
As the hotel is set in 440 acres of grounds, it's fitting that they are put to good use when it comes to leisure experiences. As a result, guests can enjoy a range of outdoor activities and country pursuits, including:
A four star country hotel looking out across woodland, the River Tay and Perthshire’s vast and rugged landscape, Dunkeld House Hotel is in an enchanting location for rest and relaxation.
The hotel itself is welcoming and elegant, brimming with historic features whilst also providing a sense of home comfort. Their restaurant is well known for serving the best of Scotland’s seasonal larder, ranging from herbs from their own herb garden and smoked salmon from their own smokery. Naturally, you can while away the evenings with a Scotch whisky in hand as well.
The spa offers another layer of healing tranquillity to your stay. Showcasing Scotland's natural resources, they use Hebridean seaweed-based therapies from ishga skincare in a collection of therapies.
The hotel is set in 280 acres of grounds, while its riverside location makes it an open invitation to get outside and explore. Amongst the activities available are:
Cricklade House Hotel and Fritillary Spa is located in the picturesque Cotswolds, a romantic getaway where everything is inspired by the location. The hotel is based around what was once a private house, built in 1920 and retaining beautiful features such as mullion windows. More contemporary rooms have also been added but with loss of luxury. The hotel's restaurant is well known for its dedication to reducing food miles - they have their own bespoke ‘Cotswold bitter' made just eight miles away, and over 100 gins and whiskies in stock.
The Fritillary Spa is a modern addition inspired by the local Fritillary flower fields. They take a holistic approach to wellness, with large windows taking in views of the Marlborough Downs and the hotel gardens. There's a luxe beauty suite, spa lounge, indoor heated pool, steam room and sauna and a fitness suite, as well as decadent spa therapies available.
The 30-acres of grounds and gardens, as well as the landscape beyond the hotel are a key feature of your stay, whether you're enjoying the view or getting outside and taking in the fresh air. Outdoor activities include:
Chewton Glen is a truly unique destination, not just because it's exceptional at every turn but because it marries five-star luxury with a family-friendly retreat. You can visit for a romantic stay or a holiday with the kids and everyone will have a fantastic time thanks to a range of activities and facilities which make everything a breeze.
The hotel is uncompromisingly beautiful, with rooms and suites all offering contemporary classic style. Their unique Treehouse suites are a particular talking point, set high among the trees in a secluded valley. Meanwhile, their Dining Room is celebrated as an award-winning restaurant and a Three-Star Sustainability Champion. Informal dining in The Kitchen means that you can choose anything from tapas to wood-fired pizzas.
The spa is famously special, not least for its hydrotherapy pool with 13 jet stations. Exceptionally designed, it has a lap pool, steam room, an outdoor whirlpool, drench showers, a 10-seater sauna and an amethyst crystal steam room. There are also 12 treatment rooms using REN, Osaka and Natura Bisse products, as well as a couples’ suite with a private steam room.
Set on the edge of the New Forest National Park, just a short walk from the sea, part of Chewton Glen's charm is the roster of entertainment. Some elements are available throughout the year, but they also take the time to tailor activities to the seasons. - especially Christmas and Easter. There are things for adults and children alike, including but not limited to:
Hoar Cross Hall is an impressive five-star hotel in a Jacobean manor house built in 1871. Its architecture sets the scene for an achingly luxurious getaway, staying in sumptuous rooms and suites, and dining against a backdrop of William Morris wallpaper, Sienna marble mantelpieces, and the 19th century ‘wedding cake’ ceilings.
The spa is a shining star complete with a 26-metre saltwater vitality pool, two whirlpools, a plunge pool, saunas, steam rooms, saunariums, body jets, foot and shoulder massagers, Kneipp pools, heated loungers, a Snooze Room, and a Slumber Lounge. The experience is complete with therapies from Elemis and VOYA.
Amongst the manicured lawns, rose beds, box hedges, and woodland, Hoar Cross Hall has space for a range of activities and outdoor pursuits, including:
Few places are as impressive when it comes to country retreats as the Swinton Estate. Set in 20,000 acres stretching from the River Ure in Wensleydale to the moors, the ancestral seat of the Earl of Swinton dates back to the 1880s and has not lost its magnificence over time.
Guests stay in one of 31 rooms and suites, all lavishly decorated. There's even one set on three floors in the Turret, all with spacious sitting rooms. Then dine in the award-winning Samuel’s Restaurant, known for its use of seasonal, sustainable and local produce, much of which is from the hotel’s own four acre walled garden.
The hotel's spa was opened in 2017 and is a playground for wellness. Inspired by the natural surroundings, inside it has a beautiful 18-metre lap pool surrounded by glass and with a choice of massage features, a classic steam room, an aroma steam room using seasonal natural fragrances and a Finnish sauna. Outdoors there's also an alfresco sauna and shower as well as a 10 metre outdoor natural pool that offers environmentally friendly, natural bathing in bio-filtered water.
Amidst woodland and lakes populated by fallow deer, the iconic landscape at Swinton Estate features moorland horizons and lush river valleys, all of which are a source of great pride and inspiration - perfect for getting out and enjoying the fresh air. Activities available include but are not limited to:
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