THE SPA HOTEL REVIEW: MALLORY COURT COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL & SPA
Review: Laura Spencer
This stunning country house hotel is set ten grand acres of grounds and has 43 luxury bedrooms and suites and the luxurious Elan Spa. There’s also a treat in store for foodies with The Dining Room restaurant which boasts 3 AA Rosettes and is a celebrated fine dining restaurant in it’s own right, clocking up the most accolades in the region. For a more informal dining venue The Brasserie has a laid back vibe and also holds 2 AA Rosettes. Ideally located near Royal Leamington Spa, Warwick Castle and Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon, this is a really well positioned hotel should you want to explore the surrounding area.
As we arrived the reception staff were polite and nothing was too much trouble. The porter took our bags straight to our room. We were staying in one of the two Master Suites, a very good size room with gorgeous period-feature, large leaded windows looking onto the terrace, expansive grounds and rose gardens. This suite had plenty of room for two comfy chairs with coffee table, king bed (which turned into a two singles if needed), and a dressing table and chair. I was glad to see MY essential in-room gadget – the Nespresso machine. Soft furnishings were decked out in neutral shades of beige, grey and a splash of luxe copper. The mini bar was well stocked with complimentary water and fruit juices, and snacks of fruit, dried fruit and nuts. The bathroom was spacious and featured a luxurious white and grey marble finish and compromised of a walk-in double shower and a large bath. ESPA toiletries were aplenty (we also loved the ESPA Restorative diffuser which made the bedroom smell amazing), along with white fluffy towels, slippers and robes – perfect for chilling on our terrace after a busy day at the spa.
The Elan Spa is brand partnered with the fabulous beauty brand ila, and also features treatments from Espa and Orly. The extensive spa ritual menu will make it so hard to select just one treatment (you really may have to treat yourself to a few!) There are also a comprehensive range of spa days, mini-breaks and retreats including Mindfulness, Digital Detox, and Stress Management The Spa Café offers a nutritious concept based on mix and match oriental-inspired protein bowls and super food salads. The outside spa terrace really does offer a pool with a view from the Vitality pool (heated and not as powerful as a Jacuzzi, which made it all the more relaxing.), which was my favourite stop as the sun was shining.
I was booked in for an Ila Spa Kundalini Back Massage (75 mins) which was actual pure bliss. To start the therapist gave me a foot massage using a foot scrub then I laid face down on the massage bed for the core back massage (I asked for medium pressure which was just perfect). This was followed by Marma therapy, chakra balancing with warm herbal poultices and ending with a soothing leg massage. After having plenty of massages before, I can honestly say I’ve never had one that made me feel so relaxed (I may have woke myself up with a snore), I would definitely book this ritual again.
In the evening we headed to The Dining Room restaurant, known for its’ modern British cuisine derived from the finest, locally sourced produce from both external suppliers and the restaurant’s own garden. The wood paneled interior is offset with crisp white table cloths and gleaming glassware. Diners have a choice of the seasonal or tasting menu, and although the tasting menu is highly acclaimed, we opted for the seasonal menu and were tempted with choices of Cured Loch Duart salmon, with avocado, radish, and cucumber essence, along with the Salt chamber aged venison, garden beetroots, cavolo nero, and preserved blackberry jus. My favourite dish however, had to be the dessert; an apple cheesecake with an apple sorbet on the side which was refreshing and light. All the dishes definitely exceeded any expectations. We choose a well selected bottle of (Rockhampton) Sauvignon Blanc, a house wine, but an excellent one at that. After dinner, bar staff even made us a cocktail that wasn’t on the menu, so thank you bartenders’ fort the great Mojitos!
After dinner we watched fireworks and floating lanterns from the party that was being held in the hotel’s function room, and before we knew it, we became ‘party-crashers’ (ok, we WERE actually invited by the lovely follow guests to join them after striking up a conversation with them at the hotel bar), so, all in the name of serious journalism, of course, we had to join in when invited, and we can safely say this is indeed the place to have a special party (think big birthdays, weddings etc), There was a great band playing and this brilliant crowd certainly knew how to throw a celebration – we even ended up in the family photos at the end of the night (a story for another time maybe?!).
Next morning after a little lie-in (ahem), we chose a traditional English breakfast, but as I’m trying to make healthier options where possible, I asked for several changes to the dish and these were all accommodated with a smile. It was nice to be asked how we liked items cooked as this added to the standard of service and was definitely typical of our stay.
We bid a fond farewell to Mallory Court; a fantastic place to visit for a relaxing spa break with amazing food, fantastic service at every point, and not to mention the fabulous fellow guests – we left promising ourselves we would arrange a return visit.
MALLORY COURT COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL & SPA
Harbury Lane | Royal Leamington Spa | Warwickshire | CV33 9QB
View the spa menu, breaks and treatments here: