The Retreat at Elcot Park

Arrive frazzled, leave feeling the best version of yourself, thanks to all the fitness-fostering activities on offer at The Retreat at Elcot Park. It’s a true wellness haven, featuring a sleek and stylish gym, along with a fitness studio dedicated to strengthening, stretching and challenging you from top to toe.

Hotel guests can work up a sweat in style in the Matrix gym, where high performance equipment from treadmills to bikes keep you entertained and track your workouts. Or hit the studio where an alphabet of classes from Aqua to Zumba are available for a small fee, subject to availability. 

Having fun in the fresh air is also firmly encouraged here. Stroll, power walk or jog around the grounds, or head further afield for nature walks to a local vineyard. Bring your walking boots because the nearest village, Kintbury, is steeped in heritage and nature. And because it’s just two miles away, the best way to explore it is on foot.

Reconnect with friends over croquet, or have a fun game of doubles on the tennis courts. You can bring your own rackets, or borrow them from the hotel. And if you’re feeling zen, yoga and Pilates classes are held in the studio, outside in the tranquil walled garden or under the age-old oak trees.

Ultra-indulgent spa breaks need ultra-indulgent eating and drinking options to match. Luckily at The Retreat at Elcot Park you’ll find the food is every bit as fine as the spa treatments. But where should you head first? Here’s a quick rundown.

The Atlas Room

Glam up and head down to the stylish bar and lounge, where you can begin your evening sipping an expertly mixed cocktail along with an early evening snack.

1772 Brasserie

Named for the year the original house was built, 1772 Brasserie has bistro classics that are the stuff of legend. Relaxed yet elegant, people rave about its oysters, ribeye of salt-aged beef and the crispy cauliflower popcorn served as nibbles.

Stretchy waistbands at the ready because the brasserie also incorporates the light-filled Orangery where the breakfast buffet groans with waffle, pancake and bacon-butty stations. 

Yu Pan-Asian Restaurant

Tuck into awesome tasting menus featuring sushi, tempura and curries at the hotel's fine dining ‘occasion’ restaurant, where rust-red walls, mounted woven fans and bamboo mirrors set the scene for sophisticated dining.

The Courtyard

If you need a mid-morning snack, there is a deli/bakery in the courtyard for grab-and-go pastries and coffee.

The Terrace

The Terrace is open during the summer months and offers a variety of light bites and drinks, as well as a barbecue on certain nights.

Scone lovers? Step right this way, because The Retreat at Elcot Park does a fabulous afternoon tea. And, as you might expect from a hotel named The Times and Sunday Times’ hotel of the year for 2023, it’s something extra special. 

Its ‘Highclere’ afternoon tea (named after the famous estate, just down the road) is served alongside fabulous views on the Terrace if the weather’s playing ball. Otherwise you’ll enjoy three tempting tiers groaning with sandwiches and sweet treats from the sumptuous Orangery. If you’re here at Christmas expect seasonal sandwiches, cranberry scones and festive cakes, like spiced citrus Madeleines, mini mince pies and delicious mulled wine jelly.

Want to turn your spa day into a spa stay? We don’t blame you. There are 55 vibrant, colourful rooms and suites spread over the original house and its newer extension, and all boast sumptuous sheets, luxurious toiletries and beautiful design by Taylor & Turner.

The hotel has countless ways to make you feel like an extra special guest, too. The little treats start from the minute you check in, from the complimentary glass of wine you’re handed on arrival to the tipple of ginger liqueur you’ll find in your room. You can even raid the help-yourself pantry for homemade cookies and brownies!

Check-in time is from 4pm and check-out time is 11am. For spa packages, arrival times vary, so please check your booking confirmation.

Although the spa isn’t fully wheelchair accessible as yet, the hotel has a number of features that make it easier for guests with disabilities to move around and enjoy the facilities. There are five ground-floor bedrooms that are wheelchair accessible with wet-room style bathrooms. Access is being improved to include the spa and upper floor.

No, there’s no strict dress code at The Retreat at Elcot Park so there’s no need to pack your most glamorous formal wear (unless you want to!). Saying that, many guests do decide to dress up a bit when dining in the brasserie 1772 or Yu Pan-Asian Restaurant, but it’s totally up to you.

You’ll find The Retreat at Elcot Park in Berkshire about an hour from London. It’s near the tranquil village of Kintbury, between Newbury and Hungerford in the Kennet Valley. With the North Wessex Downs close by it’s great for long walks, or head to Highclere Castle, the location for Downton Abbey.

The Retreat at Elcot Park is fabulously family-friendly and offers a number of facilities for little ones. While the thermal facilities are adults-only, younger guests can use the heated outdoor pool between 9am and 10am and 3pm to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 12am and 3pm to 5pm at weekends. In the afternoon sessions they even get the inflatables out!

With activities laid on during the school holidays, you’ll also find a large outdoor play area, games room and a TV salon. Picky eaters will love the kid-friendly dishes on the children’s menus. Cots and highchairs are available on-request, and the hotel has a number of family rooms, which can accommodate up to two adults and two children.

It is! Well-behaved dogs over the age of one are given a warm and waggy-tailed welcome here, with several dog-friendly rooms on the ground floor providing outside terrace access. There is a £40 per night charge per dog and they’ll be given their own dog welcome pack on arrival. 

No dogs can be left in the room unattended or set a paw in 1772 or Yu Pan-Asian Restaurant. But that’s not a problem, as you can dine with your pal in the Atlas Room or Orangery, as well as on the outside terrace when the weather is fine. 

If time on a golf course helps you swing into relaxation, you’re in luck. While there isn’t a golf course right on-site, here are two very close by. Nearest to The Retreat at just three miles away, the nine-hole Deanwood Park Golf Club features rolling downs and tranquil rivers. Slightly further away at six miles, Newbury & Crookham Golf Club is one of the oldest and prettiest 18-hole courses in England.