A stay at Pennyhill Park
If the England rugby team need somewhere to recharge their batteries after a tough game then they needn’t travel very far: their training ground at Pennyhill Park hotel in Surrey is just a drop kick away from one of the best hotel spas in the country.
Pennyhill Park has been the training home of the England rugby team since their World Cup-winning performance in 2003, but Pennyhill Park hotel itself dates back to the 19th century.
In the summer months, the garden at Pennyhill Park is perfect location for afternoon tea
After a succession of owners, Pennyhill Park was bought by Exclusive Hotels in 1982 who expanded it considerably from its original 17 bedrooms.
Now there are 124 bedrooms ranging from doubles to suites and junior suites, with no two rooms alike This expansion does mean that the hotel is vast – you definitely need the map you get at check in, which reveals the various wings, terraces and gardens at Pennyhill Park as well as the fine-dining restaurant and bar and most crucially, the Pennyhill Park spa.
Pennyhill Park spa
Covering 45,000 sq ft and with eight indoor and outdoor pools (one with underwater music), saunas, steam rooms, bubbling hot tubs, ice-cold plunge pools and a salt scrub ice cave, Pennyhill Park spa is perfect for a spa break. There are over 20 spa experiences on offer and those who book direct can enjoy spa access from 3pm on the day of arrival to 2pm on the day of departure, so you can really maximise the spa holiday vibe.
The indoor pool at Pennyhill Park’s luxury spa
This award-winning spa is one of those places where you could happily spend a whole day and the whole night too – sitting outdoors in a jacuzzi as the sun goes down makes for a memorable evening).
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As well as enjoying every aspect of the spa, I was also treated to an excellent Diamond Energy facial – an anti-ageing, anti-stress treatment which left my skin glowing – and it was lovely being able to emerge from the treatment room and flop straight into the thalassotherapy pool.
The spa is open in the evenings too (don’t worry, the outdoor pool is heated)
For guests – or rugby internationals – who like to work a little harder, facilities at Pennyhill Park also include a state-of-the art gym, fitness classes, tennis courts and 120 acres of parkland with paths and cycling trails, while those who want to fully indulge can head to the spa’s restaurant in their fluffy towelling robes for a spot of lunch, or have drinks and snacks delivered to their loungers from the al fresco poolside bar.
Book Pennyhill Park on Booking.com
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Pennyhill Park bedrooms
With 124 bedrooms, all individual designed, no two rooms are the same at Pennyhill Park. There are doubles, suites and junior suites, some with four-poster beds, balconies, private patios and even a Roman-style marble bath.
We were given a junior suite in the Gatehouse Wing, which had a very smart bathroom (roll-top bath with waterfall taps, walk-in shower, two sinks a and TV), a large main bedroom and steps up to a lounge area on the mezzanine floor.
It was hard to tell what you would actually do in the lounge area – have a cocktail party perhaps? – but the high ceilings gave a great feeling of space and luxury.
Our junior suite bedroom at Pennyhill Park
Our upstairs lounge
Our posh bath
The 124 rooms and suites at Pennyhill Park have very different styles
Pennyhill Park restaurant
In keeping with Pennyhill Park’s general air of indulgence, we had a couple of very good cocktails at the bar before dining at the Brasserie – which has since been renamed Hillfield restaurant – which overlooks the spa garden, romantically lit in the warm Spring evening.
The hotel also has a more formal restaurant, the Michelin star Latymer, with a la carte dining as well tasting menus ideal for special occasions, but the food at the more casual restaurant was first class, as was the service from our charming and efficient waitress Madison.
Our starter of Coronation chicken at the hotel’s second restaurant, the Brasserie
Loin of beef, Beef Wellington, spinach and dauphinoise potatoes – all excellent
We started with Coronation chicken with cauliflower and coconut puree and torched mackerel with crab and avocado before enjoying some superbly cooked Beef Wellington and loin of beef with dauphinoise potatoes.
We finished off with an excellent selection of British cheeses and felt extremely well looked after as we ambled back through the hotel to our room.
The following morning there was a wide breakfast selection of cooked and cold options, including a vast range of freshly-squeezed juices, and then it was time to try out the circular walk around hotel ground before heading back to the spa to continue the indulgence.
Those not on a strict rugby training regime will find the whole Pennyhill Park experience extremely relaxing.
The view of Pennyhill Park from the grounds
Hotel information and to book Pennyhill Park
Pennyhill Park hotel and spa,
London Rd,
Bagshot,
Surrey GU19 5EU
Book Pennyhill Park on Booking.com
Visit Pennyhill Park on Tripadvisor
Pennyhill Park is part of the Exclusive Hotels group of luxury British hotels, which includes A picture-perfect Cotswolds stay at The Manor House, Castle Combe; Luxury spa break at South Lodge near Horsham, West Sussex; Lainston House hotel, Winchester: a delightful Autumn stay
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Whatley Manor Hotel and spa: a luxury Cotswolds gem
Luxury spa break at South Lodge near Horsham, West Sussex
