Known for its impressive luxury as well as its warm welcomes, Luton Hoo is a luxury spa hotel that’s not to be missed, as Senior Spa Consultant Emily discovered when she visited for a winter mini break…
The first thing that strikes you when you arrive at Luton Hoo is just how incredibly grand it is. I had never been anywhere quite like it and was surprised to see both families and couples enjoying the beautiful space as I had assumed it would just be for romantic breaks. That’s one of the beautiful things about this hotel - it’s grand, but also extremely welcoming.
The sense of history is also palpable as you arrive, and it’s something that a lot of people come for. As you drive up to the hotel (especially in winter when it gets dark), it’s all lit up with old fashioned lamp posts. It feels like arriving at a palace; it’s huge, and as soon as you walk in the concierge is there to open the door for you and treat you like royalty.
We stayed in one of the Junior Suites in the main Mansion House (there are others in separate buildings in the grounds). It was bigger than my entire house and definitely adds to the luxury spa hotel experience.
As you walk in you have a private lobby. Then there’s a lounge area as well as the bedroom itself. The high ceilings make it feel even larger than it is, and it has grand furnishings including beautiful curtains befitting a historic country house. The bathroom is about the same size as the bedroom again, complete with a Jacuzzi bath, a shower, two sinks, and its own music system.
The attention to detail at the hotel is lovely. For example, the pictures on the wall include little histories that tell you who they are and their relationship with Luton Hoo. All the rooms are named after different prestigious people who have stayed there, which is a lovely touch.
We had dinner in Adam’s Brasserie, which is in a separate building on the estate. You can walk there or get a Luton Hoo taxi. The restaurant has its own bar, so you can have drinks first if you want. This is their less formal dining experience, and you can choose to sit at tables, or in booths around the edges.
We had a three course meal; some of the food is quite elaborate so it’s definitely worth experimenting and trying something you might not have tried before. That said, we went for classic calamari, steak, fish pie, and a chocolate tart with ice cream for dessert. All of it was nothing short of wonderful. Unsurprisingly, we walked back to the hotel afterwards, which was a good thing to do after all that food!
For breakfast we ate in The Wernher Restaurant, which is in the mansion house and is also their fine dining option. The room is insane and definitely worth eating at least one meal in it while you’re here. The walls are decorated with marble and the chandeliers are magnificent. It’s an amazing experience and they have everything in the breakfast buffet you could possibly want, but you can also order anything you like as well.
The luxury spa is beautiful, but not huge in terms of the range of facilities. There’s a big swimming pool, a hydrotherapy pool which would fit eight to 10 people in it comfortably, a sauna, steam room and loungers all the way round. So there’s a nice amount of space to enjoy a morning or afternoon with friends, relaxing and taking in the environment and one another’s company.
There are also six treatment rooms upstairs. We didn’t have treatments on our visit, but all the Spabreaks.com spa packages include them. It’s a lovely place to spend time and you could definitely visit for a spa day and include something like afternoon tea, but it’s at its finest if you enjoy it as part of the whole Luton Hoo experience and really take the time to enjoy the grounds, food and hotel as well.
One of the great things about Luton Hoo is it’s so easy to get to. It’s just off the motorway, or you could get a taxi from the train station, but once you’re there it feels as though it’s in the middle of nowhere. The grounds are vast and there are deer roaming. It’s so peaceful and the air feels so clean. There’s also lots to do, from tennis courts to beautiful rock gardens to stroll in. The spa manager said that when she first went there it was like a scene out of Snow White because of all the wildlife. There are flower gardens and an enormous lake as well, so it’s definitely worth going for a walk while you’re here.
Personally, I think the best way to experience Luton Hoo is to stay overnight, so you can really benefit from the whole experience. There’s no question that it’s a romantic destination that’s ideal for couples. However, it’s also somewhere that friends can really enjoy quality time together. I wouldn’t recommend it for huge groups, but for four to six people it would be lovely, or two friends together or mothers and daughters. Either way it’s an incredible place for time out and a little luxury.
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