Are you dreaming of a weekend getaway this summer? Forget spending half your time travelling to a lavish hotel abroad (or at home), when you only need to venture 18 miles from central London. Because, the Grove awaits.
Branded “London’s country estate”, the luxurious hotel sits within 300 acres of beautiful, private Hertfordshire countryside, and this tranquil getaway feels miles from any form of city rat race.
First built in the 18th century, the country house was once the home of the Earls of Clarendon, but despite maintaining its traditional period architecture, the interiors are a pleasant surprise, with contemporary design cleverly blended into the grand setting.
There are the high ceilings, sumptuous furnishings and elegant antiques you’d expect for a Grade II-listed building but these sit seamlessly alongside fun sculptures, statement chandeliers and eye-catching artworks.
The Grove is a country retreat, that’s for sure, but one whose aesthetic values are very much in the 21st century.
The rooms, too, are the perfect blend of traditional and contemporary. Mine had an enormous bed that it was genuinely difficult to tear myself away from, wonderful countryside views and a large sofa to lounge on, while my bathroom included standalone bath, a separate shower and plenty of lovely products to enjoy.
A popular simcha venue, you may well have first discovered it at a wedding or bar mitzvah: it’s an excellent place to hold a party, with all the charm of being in the countryside without the hassle of getting somewhere remote.
But any excuse to return, especially if you didn’t get chance to discover the championship 18-hole golf course and an excellent spa, Sequoia.
If you’re visiting Sequoia, leave plenty of time - and then double it. As well as 18 treatment rooms, where you can enjoy everything from mindful facials to hot stone massages, there are plenty of places to unwind: silent relaxation rooms, complete with all the magazines you’ve been meaning to read, Jacuzzis, a therapeutic vitality pool and of course the enormous indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
For more active guests, there’s a fitness studio and aerobic studio with plenty of complimentary classes, and volleyball and tennis courts.
After working up an appetite in the spa, there are a number of restaurants and bars: I had dinner at the Stables, a gastropub-style restaurant serving comfort food in a warm, cosy atmosphere (seared Shetland Island salmon with coriander was particularly delicious).
Breakfast the next morning was a treat enjoyed from the comfort of my room: unlike many hotels, you can choose a la carte breakfast items served straight to your room, such as American high-stacked pancakes, eggs Benedict or French toast.
But one of the best things to do is absolutely nothing. For the majority of my stay there, I simply found myself some space in one of the many sitting rooms, flopped onto a giant velvet sofa in front of a fireplace, drank lots of tea and read the newspaper.
And even with a big wedding taking place, plus a major football team staying over to train, nothing could shake the feeling of calm and tranquility that the hotel brings you.
