HOME
TRAVEL

Review: Coworth Park

Dreaming of the perfect post-lockdown staycation?

By Rebecca Cox | 3 years ago

This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more

If you’re planning a country retreat the moment lockdown two ends, The Dorchester’s country cousin, Coworth Park, will be waiting. Just 45 minutes from London by car and set within acres of stunning parkland, with polo fields, stables, wildflower meadows and a world-class spa, there’s everything you need for a true escape, without having to travel too far from home. Rebecca Cox checks in…

Coworth Park Review

STAY

There are 70 guest bedrooms to pick from at Coworth Park, with 30 suites and rooms in the Mansion House, with views across the immaculate gardens. With modern, mostly British-made interiors, designed by Fox Linton Associates, there are no country house cliches, rather, crisp, modern furnishings and contemporary art. Look out for the ornate four-poster beds in the form of bird-filled trees in some suites, or take in the view across the wildflower meadow from your copper bathtub through high, Georgian windows. The further 40 suites and bedrooms, including duplexes, can be found in the converted stables and cottages, a short walk from the Mansion House and home to the hotel’s more casual dining option, The Barn. Coworth Park is a welcoming haven for families, and the cottages are a great option for those with little ones or those wanting extra privacy and seclusion.

DO

Whatever time of year you’re visiting, exploring the beautiful grounds should be first on your agenda. The wildflower meadow is in bloom throughout the summer, with several purple flower heads doggedly surviving well into the autumn. The rose garden is a delight throughout spring and summer, while the sunken garden is a butterfly haven in June and July. The hotel is also the only in the UK with its own polo fields, offering, in normal times, a full programme of tournaments. There is stabling for 30 horses and an excellent equestrian centre. There are also tennis courts, should you still have the energy for more outdoor pursuits.

You’ll want to follow all this up with a visit to the award-winning spa, with indoor pool and impressive treatment menu. Treatments are carried out in complete comfort with Covid safety measures in place, with full PPE for therapists and masks worn where treatments allow by both parties. For a warming winter treat, the hot stone massage is relaxing enough to undo much of the damage inflicted by 2020.

EAT

A foodie’s paradise under the guidance of executive chef Adam Smith, Michelin Starred Restaurant Coworth Park is well-worth the drive from the city. The four-course dinner tasting menu gives at least two options for each course and each dish is centred around a hero British ingredient. The rich mushroom course (generous with the truffle) is trumped only by dessert, the Coworth Signature Chocolate trio with Blue Mountain Coffee and salted caramel fillings. Breakfast is a relaxed affair with a generous choice of hot, cold, indulgent and healthy options to choose from, and no need to worry which pastry to choose from; they’ll be round again, shortly.

THE FINAL WORD

If swishy Dorchester glamour with a side order of stunning British countryside is your idea of staycation heaven, book yourself in for a weekender, pronto. The staff are second to none, too.