
This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday, ideal for making a long weekend out of the celebration. However, if a trip abroad with your beloved is out of the question, we recommend a staycation instead. Yes, okay, the weather is cold AF in the UK and likely to rain, but what better opportunity to get all cosy and hunker down in the name of romance? Located just a 45-minute train ride from London, you’ll find the Pennyhill Park estate, a hotel that comes complete with a Michelin-starred restaurant, a lavish spa, and of course, cosy guest rooms. I went to check it out; read on for my review of Pennyhill Park.
45 minutes from London, you say?
Pennyhill Park is located in the heart of the Surrey countryside, near Bagshot and Ascot, set amongst 120 acres of parkland that backs onto the Swinley Forest. The recommended route is a 45-minute direct train ride from Clapham Junction to Ascot, followed by a 15-minute ride in a taxi to the hotel’s front door.
Upon arriving, I was immediately wowed: the whole estate has a rustic, quaint village vibe, and the walkway from the first building to the reception is literally an indoor enchanted woodland. Alongside the facilities expected at a hotel, there is also a games room, a cinema room, and a routed woodland walk.
Pennyhill Park first opened as a hotel in 1972, but it has a storied history stretching back centuries before this: it was first recorded as a beacon warning site to herald the arrival of the Spanish Armada in 1609. Since then, it’s been owned by many, including a rector, a civil engineer, and a chairman of the war office committee.
The rooms
There are three room types at Pennyhill Park: Rooms, Suites, and Signature suites. Each has its own design. I stayed in a room, which surpassed my expectations. Despite being labelled as cosy, it was a roomy, decadent space. And my goodness, the shower! I usually judge a bathroom based on its bath, but the shower here had six different heads that washed you from head to foot.
The Suites are larger than the rooms, and offer elements like super king-size beds, and rolltop baths. For Valentine’s specifically, you can opt for a special stay that adds fizz, chocolates and petals on the bed in one of the suites (plus a spa treatment and brekkie – enquire about the ‘Totally Romantic’ package if you’re keen).
Now, if you’ve come into a bit of money recently, or been saving hard year round, perhaps a Signature suite will take your fancy. Costing upward of a grand a night, these are lavish. I’m talking eight-people Jacuzzi in the middle of the room vibes. Private terraces, a landscaped garden, or your very own steam room make up some of the other Signature suites’ key features.
The restaurants
Pennyhill Park has two main restaurants on site, as well as an eatery attached to the spa. Hillfield is the relaxed restaurant option, serving dishes made with ingredients sourced from the Surrey Hills area. I dined here for breakfast, which was delightful. The dishes were totally customisable – I was offered pancakes with my Full English – and the portion sizes were decent. The space is filled with ample natural light and overlooks the outdoor pool.
For dinner, I was lucky enough to try out the second restaurant, Latymer, with its Michelin-starred dining and five – yes, FIVE – AA Rosettes. This wasn’t a meal; this was an experience. I think this is genuinely the best British meal I’ve had. We left full, but not uncomfortably so, and each course was well-paced over the course of three hours.
The evening starts as you are led into an intimate study, where your first drinks and the ‘snack’ courses of your tasting menu are served. Petite, but perfectly crafted, each was a mouthful or two of pure delight. My favourite snacks were sweet yet savoury Delica pumpkin, and the Brixham crab, served like a mousse with an impeccably crafted, delicate crab ‘biscuit’ in the shape of coral. The flavour and texture combinations were astounding.
Next, you’re led to the main dining room, which follows a similar rustic design, with exposed wooden beamed ceilings, and cosy furnishings. Every course has a story to it, presented to you on a little card – including the bread, which comes from a 12-year-old sourdough starter that’s fed at 11pm each evening!
Every course was special, with tender fish or meat abound in flavour, but my favourites were the fresh and flakey Newlyn John Dory fish, served with razor clams, and the Chantecler apple dessert – I’m not a fruit dessert person usually, but the sweetness of the apple and vanilla, plus the crispness of the pastry, was a party in my mouth. And seaweed caramel sauce? INSPIRED.
The spa
In my opinion, no staycation would be complete without a spa visit – and this might just be the best hotel spa I’ve been to. Pennyhill Park caters to every whim you may have, taking care of you from head to foot with bespoke treatments, a large indoor pool, a large natural outdoor pool, and a whole thermal suite that honestly blew my mind with its number of facilities.
The Roman Bath-style indoor pool offers a hidden gem: underwater music. To say I was spellbound was an understatement: it was like the mermaid egg in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as you couldn’t hear a thing above water. Magical! The labyrinth of facilities in the thermal suite was equally as enchanting: I’ve never seen so many treatment rooms of different temperatures, each decked out with Roman tiles and ceiling lights to replicate stars. There was even a foot spa! I loved that there was a swimmable entrance/exit to the outdoor thermal pool from indoors too.
To conclude, Pennyhill Park is a real treat for Valentine’s Day – or Galentines, or even another ‘feel the love’ experience at any time of the year. A stay here does cost a pretty penny, but in my opinion, the all-round experience does match up to the cost. It had some of the best British food and spa facilities that I’ve experienced. I’d better start saving for a return trip!