There’s nothing like a bit of self care so when I got the opportunity to visit Heythrop Park in Enstone, Chipping Norton, I knew I had to grab it with both hands.
The Grade II listed country house and grounds is inspired by Italian Baroque architecture from 300 years ago and boasts 337 rooms in total.
I was invited to review one of the hotel’s newly launched spa packages and had a fantastic time doing so.
To share the fun, I decided to bring my boyfriend along to try out Heythrop’s facilities with me.
When visiting a spa, I normally think of non-stop relaxing and lounging but Warner Leisure Hotels’ Heythrop Park has so much more to offer.
Not only did I enjoy relaxing, I also had fun trying my hand at archery, eating lots of food and exploring the Cotswolds – here’s what I got up to.
Heythrop Park’s location
Living in the East Midlands, the drive was a very doable one hour and 30 minutes, making me wonder why on earth I’ve not travelled to the Cotswolds before.
The drive was an easy one and gives you a great view of the surrounding countryside once you’re off the motorway.
There are plenty of activities at the hotel from afternoon tea to a round of golf but I’d also recommend visiting more of the Cotswolds if you can.
The hotel recommended some nearby places to visit and we had a bit of an idea of some places we’d like to explore.
Having the car with us meant we had the chance to see a few quaint villages and towns including Chipping Norton, Bourton-on-the-Water and Moreton-in-Marsh – all of which boast gorgeous buildings.
Because we were able to get out and about easily when we wanted, I’d definitely recommend driving to the hotel.
You can find out more about Heythrop Park and book your stay via the website.
The room
We stayed in a Manor Apartment in the Manor House and well, the room was huge.
I really like that the décor of our room was oldy-worldy and fitting with the Manor House's architecture combined with modern colours like the baby pink and blue of the bedroom.
The ensuite was also very spacious with a shower and a free-standing bath plus twin basins and of course a toilet.
The windows all offered a lovely view of the grounds and while I escaped reporting on election night, we tuned in to some of the action on the very generous-sized TV that was in our room.
When enjoying some downtime, there was plenty of space to relax with both a sofa and armchair available.
Having not stayed at a spa hotel before (I've only been to spas for a day), it was nice to know I could fully relax and look forward to the next activity.
The food
We dined at the hotel’s Brasserie32 and The Market Kitchen restaurants.
Brasserie32 was a nice and quiet place to enjoy food – we enjoyed afternoon tea in the Wedgewood Room (accessible via Brasserie32) when we arrived, a three-course evening meal and a breakfast here.
The afternoon tea had plenty of sandwiches, cakes and huge scones with plenty of jam and cream. In fact, we said it could’ve easily been split between three people rather than two.
The sandwiches were very nice as were the scones but some of the cakes weren’t to my taste but I left feeling happy and full to the brim!
The Brasserie32 menus offered lots of choice and being a true foodie, I was pleased to see so many dishes I’d not tried before or that had a different twist to them.
The Market Kitchen is quite a bit bigger than Brasserie32 and was often filled with guests tucking into various meals.
It was nice to have a buffet option as well as table service so you could choose which one suited you.
We enjoyed a three-course evening meal and a breakfast here too. The choice of food here was also extensive.
Overall, the food was very enjoyable and I liked trying lots of different dishes but I wasn’t left blown away by the flavours.
If you’re looking for a quieter more sophisticated meal I’d recommend Brasserie32 but if you prefer the hustle and bustle of a busy restaurant and the freedom of a buffet option, I think The Market Kitchen would be right up your street.
The entertainment
I thought the entertainment and activities at the hotel were spot on, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Having had a busy summer so far, the thought of a back and scalp massage was perfect so I was excited to have one booked in for each of us.
As someone who is also on a bit of a skincare journey, having a facial was also a highlight and we both enjoyed relaxing.
We both went for the 30-minute Drift Away back massage and the 60-minute My Kinda Skin Facial.
I thought the facial was really thorough and my skin was glowing as I walked out of the treatment room.
One thing that really stood out was that I was asked what kind of skin I had and what I use in my current skincare routine.
This might have only been tailored to a female appointment though as my boyfriend wasn’t asked the same.
The back massage felt less thorough but this could've been because we had half the time for that treatment. Nevertheless, it was a relaxing experience.
The spa offers an indoor swimming pool as well as a steam room, a sauna room and two outdoor hot tubs.
I would’ve liked to have spent a bit more time in the spa but the itinerary we had planned was very busy and I’m grateful we got to try a good taste of what the hotel has to offer.
Our stay was Wednesday to Friday and apart from the meals in The Market Kitchen and the entertainment at night, it felt like there weren’t many people there which added to the tranquillity when exploring the spa’s facilities.
On Wednesday night we got to see Steve Hewlett, a ventriloquist you might recognise from Britain’s Got Talent.
He came fourth in the talent show and his performance was brilliant. He had the crowd laughing and I was really impressed with how good he is at ventriloquism plus the comedy script was also very entertaining.
On Thursday night, we saw Remixed, three male singers, perform pop songs from the noughties as well as some older songs.
The trio said they put their own spin on the songs but they didn't sound too dissimilar to the originals which I didn't mind too much as it meant I could still sing along.
While at the hotel, we also tried our hand at archery and with both of us having only done it once before on primary school residential trips, it was going to go one of two ways.
Thankfully, we both did well and enjoyed perfecting our techniques – of course there was some rivalry and competitiveness in there too, especially when the instructor announced we were going to start scoring after some practice.
We did archery with two other couples and we had fun as we tried to beat our partners in the scoring.
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I did manage to beat my boyfriend by two points which, of course, I’ve not let him forget!
We also took part in a gin tasting masterclass which was interesting and opened my eyes as I discovered the difference a bit of ice can make to the flavour of gin.
The host allowed us to make three flavoured gin and tonics plus a bitter lemon and discussed them with us while we took sips of each gin straight, then with ice, with ice and fruit and with ice, fruit and tonic or bitter lemon.
We got to mix the Bombay Bramble Gin which I’ve tried before and then we tried Bathtub gin and Slingsby’s Gooseberry Gin.
Being a bit of a lightweight, I wasn’t fond of drinking the alcohol straight but I think it was good to try the gin at all stages.
Overall, my favourite gin was the Bathtub gin which was the only one we mixed with bitter lemon – I think this is what helped give it a refreshing taste.
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