R&R at Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel & Spa

A Londoner Travels

Royal Ascot is upon us, but this week in June needn’t be your only excuse to stray to this leafy corner of the South East; a stone's throw from London, it's the ideal excuse to escape the city for a weekend. While it may only be twenty minutes away from the racecourse, the Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel & Spa is ideally positioned for a plethora of leisurely pursuits. Within easy access of Twickenham stadium, the golf clubs of Wentworth and Sunningdale, Thorpe Park, Chessington and not to mention the smorgasbord of attractions nearby Windsor has to offer, Macdonald Frimley Hall is the perfect pitstop.

I paid a little visit recently for a spot of well-earned R&R on an overnight break with my sister, a little treat away from her 9 month old for the evening. The hotel, housed in a charming old manor house, sits amid pristinely kept gardens and the surrounding Surrey woodland, the perfect setting for a luncheon on the lawn which we did upon arrival; the fresh pumpkin and sage ravioli was buttery and rich, just the way it should be.

With rooms in both the old part of the manor house and a newer extension, try and bag the former if you can; our suite was full of character, from the original wood panelling and canopied bed, to the huge window overlooking the lawns and the squishy armchairs. The best part was the huge, high-ceilinged bathroom, resplendent with a claw foot tub – my dream – which was certainly utilised with a luxurious bubble bath later in the evening.

The Vital Health & Wellbeing club, consisting a pool, gym, sauna, steam room and treatment rooms, is housed in a separate block to the hotel. Be warned; the pool is open to all residents, so if you're planning a relaxing afternoon spa session be aware that if there are children staying you may well be treated to their accompanying excitable swimming-induced screeching. Not my ideal relaxant, it was somewhat tricky to enjoy my plans for an afternoon reading session and nap with noisy tots around.

Head upstairs to the treatment rooms for a range of face and body treats from Elemis, one of my favourite beauty brands. Plumping for a relaxing and replenishing facial, Holly the therapist expertly refreshed my skin - the best part being a deliciously therapeutic face mask, mixed up and spread over the skin (including closed eyes) before solidifying into a jelly and being peeled off; so satisfying! A relaxation rooms offers a space in which to chill out in post treatment, with refreshments, magazines and blankets to curl up with. My one gripe would have to be that, being situated as it is on the other side of the wall from the gym, it's somewhat hard to relax and snooze when one can hear pumping dance music through the wall.

The hotel restaurant is one of its main draws with an impressive menu featuring seasonal dishes and ingredients. The wild garlic soup with Keens cheddar tortellini packed a deliciously powerful garlic punch and the honey whipped goat's cheese with beetroot carpaccio, squash and caramelised walnuts got satisfied murmurs from the other side of the table. With main courses ranging from pan fried cod loin and truffle polenta to 21 day aged Scottish steak it was a tough choice, but my pan seared Cornish brill fillet with asparagus, samphire, caviar, lobster and tomato dressing (with a side of mash) was definitely the right choice; perfectly cooked fish with a great combination of flavours, surprisingly light and yet satisfyingly filling. I'm told the maple glazed belly and loin of outdoor reared pork with bubble and squeak, butternut and wilted greens my sister plumped for was a pretty impressive dish itself; she certainly enjoyed it. Make sure you leave room for desert; you want want to miss anything on the menu that's as delicious as the white chocolate cheesecake with raspberry sorbet.

After retiring upstairs for a chilled evening with a bottle of wine and a movie, a DIY pedi and a stack of magazines, I revelled in the enormous bed with perfectly proportioned pillows for one of the best nights' sleep I've had in a long old while. If toure looking for an indulgent relaxing spa break, perhaps Macdonald's Bath Spa Hotel might be a better bet as the facilities are second to none, however if you're looking for a base from which to explore the local area with the nice addition of treatments, Macdonald Frimley Hall might be right up your street. The hotel offers a host of packages throughout the year - currently savings of up to 25% off two might stays until 6th September - so it's worth checking in to see what they have coming up.

www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

Posted Date
Jun 17, 2015 in A Londoner Travels by A Londoner Travels