Enjoy a golf and spa break in Essex. With cosy lodge accommodation, two award-winning golf courses, relaxing treatments and pretty countryside, Stoke by Nayland Hotel is perfect for a weekend break.
For an Essex escape look no further than Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf and Spa. Set in the stunning countryside of Dedham Vale on the Essex/Suffolk border, an Area of Natural Outstanding Beauty, the family-owned hotel has a long and fascinating history.
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The hotel has significantly grown since its humble beginnings as a farm which is home to the much-loved juice brand Copella. A golf course was developed by the Peake family in 1971, and has since blossomed into two award-winning golf courses, a 80 bedroom hotel, spa and luxury lodges. On top of its facilities, the hotel boasts some impressive eco credentials. An estimated £5million has been invested into the installation of renewable energy sources over the last six years.
The hotel goes beyond the use of solar panels, rainwater harvesting and air-source heat pumps. In addition to these features it includes a Biogas Anaerobic Digestion Plant (AD plant), which uses local resources and by-products from the fruit-growing and packing enterprises to produce renewable, green electricity and heat sources for the farms and Hotel. The biomass boilers heat the soft fruit glasshouses, and organic dried digestate provides rich organic fertiliser for crops, orchards and the hotel’s golf courses. It’s no wonder Stoke by Nayland Hotel are highly recognised and often awarded in the industry for its sustainability measures.
If you’re looking for a luxurious mini break, check in to the one of five lodges. Located a short distance from the hotel, each lodge offers beautiful views across the golf course and surrounding countryside and are incredibly spacious. Large open plan living/dining areas and stylish bedrooms make the accommodation a great choice for couples or groups of friends. There’s a chauffeur service to and from the hotel too!
Each lodge has outdoor decking so you can soak up those views. I thoroughly enjoyed a cup of coffee as the sun crept over the horizon, the early morning mist smouldered over the golf course and rabbits darted about – absolute bliss!
With underfloor heating, faux wood burners and cosy interiors, the lodges are ideal for both summer and winter stays. Built on the land that was once the site of a Women’s Land Army (WLA) hostel, the interiors are subtly influenced by its heritage; war song lyrics are framed on the walls and carpets feature 1940s patterns.
Of course, if you’re visiting for a girly weekend you’ll be heading to the spa. Chill out at the swimming pool on a lounger or relax in the sauna and steam. The ‘Girly Getaway’ package includes use of the facilities, a glass of Prosecco on arrival, file and polish on fingers or toes, lunch or afternoon tea and the Rasul Mud Therapy Experience; an Arabian cleansing ritual. Self-apply different colour muds to your body for various levels of exfoliation. Once applied sit back and relax in the heated mosaic chairs.
There are a range of treatments available. I opted for a ‘Decleor Vitamin Glow’ (priced £62) facial. The 55minute treatment started with a back massage followed by various oils and masks applied to my skin to help rebalance and energise skin. I left feeling relaxed and my skin glowing!
If you’re in need of some self care, choose the popular Neom De Stress massage (priced 55min £65, 85min £87). Breathe in the soothing scents as your skin is drizzled with Neom’s de-stress oil. Let your worries melt away while the massage focuses on key stress points on the body.
Dining can be enjoyed at the AA Two Rosette Lakes Restaurant or you can self-cater within the lodge.
Before you leave take stroll around the quaint village of Nayland, a five minute car journey away. It’s a village that time forgot with pastel coloured timber-framed houses, cobbled streets and a cosy riverside pub.
The Girly Getaway is priced from £99 per person
A two night stay in a one-bedroom penthouse lodge at Stoke by Nayland is £350.
Book at www.stokebynayland.com
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