We’d been given a Spa Breaks voucher last year and decided to use it as a stopover on our way to the ferry for our trip to France. Thus making less driving in one go for my husband.
WE chose Cottesmore as it is close to the Pease Pottage junction at the bottom of the M23 and about 30 minutes from Newhaven Port for our ferry. Also because I used to go to Girl Guide camp near there and so would stir some memories.
The Hotel is about a mile from the M23 junction with its own long private driveway. We parked and entered reception. We were immediately greeted by the receptionist and Beryl, the accommodation manager. One small piece of paperwork and we were given the keys to our room. Having established that we’d not been there or on any Spa break before Beryl took us to our room and pointed out where breakfast and dinner would be served on the way. These were both upstairs, so I’m not sure if suitable for significantly disabled visitors. That we should return to reception when we were ready and they would provide towels and robes for use in the spa/pool and take us to the treatment rooms for our booked massage.
Our room was really quite big with a good size double bed, en-suite bathroom with bath and shower over, giant tv, a desk, comfy chair (only one though), stool, tea and coffee making faciities and hanging space for clothes. There was a large window/door which opened onto a small balcony with views over the golf course. Sadly the weather was not good enough to use that facility (early February) but it was not why we were there. Also, the all important wi-fi.
We gathered our swimming things and set off back to reception. Again we were greeted and shown where the changing rooms were and given the promised fluffy towels and robes as well as lent £1 coins for the lockers.
The area was quite compact and from reception you could see the 15 metre pool and the gym – although I don’t think I’d want to ‘work out’ in a gym with a great glass wall that everyone could see me through.
The changing rooms were clean, with soap/shower gel provided as well as hair dryers. Only thing that would have be nice to have was a spin dryer for costumes after the swim.
There was a poolside shower to rinse off before swimming and between using the other facilities. These included a good size sauna, a small steam room and a jacuzzi. All excellent and we used them all again the next day too.
We’d chosen a 25 minute back massage as our ‘treatment’ and this was in a separate building and was very relaxing and enjoyable.
Dinner for the spa break customers (there was one other couple on a similar break) was from a special menu with a choice or three starters and mains including a vegetarian one in each course. The food was excellent I had smoked salmon starter and steak main. The desert was less good, but I’m not really a desert person anyway. This was all included in the voucher with only drinks extra. WE had a nice bottle of red wine which cost £21.
WE slept well and next morning headed to breakfast. Tea, coffee, fruit juices, cereal, bread to toast, jam, honey … all on a buffet table to help your self. Then a menu for cooked breakfast and we chose to have the full English. Very nice.
As we had to check out of our room by 10.30 we packed our bags and put them in the car, but kept swim things out and stored them in the locker as we were welcome to stay and use the spa facilities for the rest of the day.
We then went for a walk around the grounds to let breakfast go down and watched some of the keen golfers on the golf course. Down a lane we found Cottesmore school and what a fantastic building that was too.
We returned to reception, collected our robes and headed to the pool again. Whilst it was only 15m it was deep enough to swim front crawl and get quite a few lengths in. I probably couldn’t have done that if there had been more than about 4 people in at the same time. There were ‘sun’ loungers and local club members were also there. They seemed very friendly and we chatted to a few when in the sauna.
Everything was easy, relaxed and we’d certainly consider doing it again.
We departed about 3pm and headed to the next location on our trip.
“Cottesmore Spa”:http://www.cottesmoregolf.co.uk/health-club-spa/
