THE HOTEL REVIEW: THE GREENWAY HOTEL, CHELTENHAM
Review: Val Jones
Nestled at the foot of the Cotswold hills in a small village called Little Shrudington, 1.5 miles off the M5 motorway, The Greenway Hotel and Spa, part of the Eden Hotel Collection, has been created from this 16th Elizabethan country manor, built in striking grey Cotswold stone which exaggerates the visual grandeur. A venue with pure elegance and luxury at every turn.
Through the front doors you enter into the reception lobby, with a desk in the corner of the room, comfortable velvet sofas with a warm neutral decor, polished parquet flooring and a large open fireplace which created a warm, subtle redolence of burnt oak. The staff were very professional making booking in easy.
We were allocated the Elm Suite, situated on the first floor above the Spa, which had plenty of light flooding in through two double patio doors that opened to the rear of the Hotel’s grounds with a view of the mist laden Cotswold hills. The decor had an equine theme following on from the paintings and prints on the corridor walls leading through to the room, complimented by a light tartan colour scheme in the carpet and counterpane. In the room there was comfortable sofa, arm chair and glass coffee table, set with a complimentary tray of chocolate, a fresh fruit bowl, some local literature and a daily news sheet giving details of current and future events . The super-king size bed was draped in soft furnishings and there was a stunning view through the patio doors.
The large beautifully fashioned bathroom had a bath, his and her wash basins under a full wall mirror and a large twin walk-in shower.
The Elan Spa is situated in an extension to the original building, with exposed brickwork, old beams and lively colour scheme. The Elan Spa has a champagne nail bar, retail boutique, 5 treatment rooms, fitness suite, steam room and sanarium and experience showers. Following a light lunch in the Orchard Brassierie we made our way to the hydrotherapy pool and each chose a lounger to relax on and have a quiet read before trying all the facilities and taking a dip in the pool. The winter weather was quite crisp outside we wanted to try out the hot tub situated in the garden area, so donning our gowns and braving the weather we headed out only to be pleasantly surprised by how hot the water was and how much we didn’t feel the cold once in the tub, we could imagine if the weather had been better spending quite a bit of time in the hot tub garden with seating and dining.
I had booked the Elan Spa’s Hero Treatment which takes 85 minutes and targets three key areas back massage, back exfoliation and a personalised facial. My therapist made sure I was comfortable on the treatment bed, temperature of room was suitable and with soft music playing, started my treatment with the back scrub and massage – heavenly! Then she moved on to the facial, tailoring this to my needs, and finally a scalp massage (if you’ve never had one of these it’s a must!) – I can admit to having a little snooze here and there as it was so relaxing. Afterwards I received recommendation on products that would benefit areas of concern with my face and also a diagram further highlighting these areas which I have found very useful in my daily skin care routine. We also discussed my back issues and she again highlighted problem areas and gave recommendations (regular massages, which of course I will just have to have – such a hardship) I also received an after care leaflet with hints and tips on what to drink and what not to do in respect of the spa facilities following this specific treatment.
Following pre- dinner drinks and canapes in the lounge, we were dining at the 2 AA Rosette, Garden Restaurant which is headed up by Marcus McGuiness. Crisp, white linen table covers with traditional pillar candles created an intimate atmosphere. An la carte and seasonal menu are available and we actually did ‘mix and match’ from the both. I can definitely recommend the Crab Salad, Avion Mango, Coriander with a hint of Chilli and a Mango Sorbet, which I followed with the Cumbrian Venison Loin cooked in Smoked Tea, Chervil Roots, Green Peppercorn and Elderberry Sauce. My husband picked the Smooth Duck Liver Parfait, Greenway Garden Preserved Fig Leaf and Pickled Green Fig, followed by a selection from the festive menu; Bronze Turkey Ballotine, Fondant Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce and a Turkey Jus. The Sommelier chose a good selection of wines to pair with the starters and mains. Dessert was a Clementine Marmalade Soufflé, Cru Virunga, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream and a Bergamot Lemon Curd, Clove Ice Cream and Pine Nut Brittle, which was sensational. Overall an exceptional fine-dining dining experience with great service.
After a peaceful nights sleep, we packed our cases with a sad face as we really didn’t want to leave, we enjoyed breakfast , again in the Garden dining room, but in daylight had a wonderful view of the rolling green hills through the glass patio doors, the terrace garden with its meandering paths through eight acres of grounds and the ornamental lily pond stocked with koi carp.
THE GREENWAY HOTEL | Cheltenham | Gloucestershire | GL51 4UG
Rates from £144.00, per room, per night, inclusive of Bed & Breakfast, based on two people sharing.
www.thegreenwayhotelandspa.com