2020 was the year of the staycation! Like many, I typically look at overseas locations when considering my next holiday destination but 2020 really made me appreciate what's on offer closer to home. I discovered a few gems last year but one of the standouts for me was Lucknam Park. So, what was it about Lucknam Park that made it so special? Let's start with the property itself ...
The eighteenth-century Palladian Mansion is nestled within a 500 acre estate of listed parkland. The experience begins from the moment you pass through the impressive wrought iron gates and make your way down the stunning mile-long avenue bordered by 400 mature lime and beech trees. The driveway is quite shaded as the trees form a canopy overhead (in fact Spitfire and Hurricane planes were parked here during the Second World War as the towering trees provided the perfect camouflage) and the hotel sits right at the very end in a clearing - so you effectively emerge from the darkness into the light with this beautiful hotel sitting proudly in front of you. I was already impressed and I hadn't even left the car!
This was actually our third attempt to visit Lucknam Park in 2020. We had originally booked to stay in March and then tried again for my birthday in June, but both bookings were cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions. Our luck finally turned in September, when we booked in for what turned out to be the sunniest week of the month. The staff couldn't have been more welcoming, and we were delighted to discover that we had been upgraded to a spacious Junior Suite with a dreamy four poster bed, free standing bathtub and direct access to the beautiful rose garden. A bottle of champagne had been left for us along with a little welcome note - this was certainly five star treatment and the perfect touch for our belated celebrations!
This is the third Relais & Châteaux hotel that we have visited and first in the United Kingdom (click for my reviews of Château Monfort in Milan and Planters Inn in Charleston) and there is one thing that they all have in common - exquisite cuisine. Lucknam Park even has its own Michelin starred restaurant, but I will get to that in a moment - let's start with breakfast. I would love to say that I am someone who bounces out of bed at 6am to do some light yoga before my morning matcha but alas, I am not! I like to ease my way into the day (even more so when I'm on holiday), so I will always opt for breakfast in bed when I can. I had also booked in for a few morning trail rides and didn't quite fancy rocking up to the breakfast room in my jodhpurs and half chaps! Pyjama clad and lingering over indulgent French toast in the little lounge area of our room with the morning sunlight streaming in, or savoring my morning brew with some bircher muesli in the rose garden was a no brainer.
We enjoyed lunch from the Brasserie on many occasions. This was quite an active holiday (making the most of our freedom while it lasted) and we were usually ravenous by the time lunch rolled around. I surprised myself by devouring the signature beef burger, not once, not twice but three times during our stay! This is not standard for me and is testament to the deliciousness of this epic burger. Also, please don't misinterpret this repeat ordering as the result of limited choice, the Brassiere menu has many options from pasta and pizza to chicken, fish, beef or lamb cooked as you wish - all delicious!
Now back to that Michelin starred restaurant that I mentioned earlier - Executive Chef Hywel Jones offers a superb dining experience at his eponymous restaurant which has held a Michelin star since 2006. I wouldn't necessarily describe myself as a foodie and I often favour a hearty meal over fine dining portions, but Restaurant Hywel Jones struck the perfect balance for me and we were suitably satiated following our eight course meal. The ambience was elegant and refined without being stuffy, and the waiters were professional and knowledgeable but also friendly and welcoming. We enjoyed every single course and each one was beautifully presented. We then retired to the Library for a digestif which arrived along with some luscious truffles - the perfect way to cap off the evening!
We were keen to make the most of our time in the countryside, particularly following many months of strict lockdown in the city. We enjoyed many long walks through the gardens, and the fiancé racked up some miles on the running trails while I hit the gym - we even squeezed in a round of golf at the nearby Manor House Hotel (which you can read about here)!
After all those hours in the saddle I was really looking forward to a massage in the spa - but unfortunately I had made a major blunder with the scheduling and somehow managed to book our round of golf at the very same time as our spa appointments. We were already at the golf course when my mistake came to light and this unfortunately meant that we missed out on the spa treatments during our stay. I was gutted as I love nothing more than visiting the hotel spa for an indulgent massage when I'm away (and I couldn't believe I had made such a stupid error), but I must say that the staff were very kind and understanding despite the fact that I had most certainly bungled their scheduling too! Luckily all was not lost as we had booked separate slots (a social-distancing measure introduced during the pandemic) for the spa pool area, which allowed us access to the 20 metre indoor swimming pool and the heated indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy pool overlooking the pretty spa garden. Breathing in the fresh country air while the powerful water jets released the stresses of the previous months was nothing short of heavenly. We will most definitely be returning to Lucknam Park and you can be certain that I will not be missing out on the spa treatments next time around!
The fiancé took some beautiful landscape shots around the estate, my favourite of which is the night time shot below - something a little different from him and a beautiful capture of the magnificent trees that line the driveway!
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