Can a one-night stay feel like a real break? It can at The Grove in Hertfordshire. By Carol Muskoron
Recently there has been a boom in ‘nanobreaks'. Instead of going away for a few days, or even for weekend, people are increasingly going away for a single night to recharge their batteries. Recent figures show that the number of UK holidaymakers seeking one-day breaks has gone up by 29% over the last year.
Some people go to France for the day, but we didn't feel terribly adventurous, so we dumped the kids at my mother-in-law's and drove off to the Grove Hotel, which is just outside Watford - about 20 miles from where we live.
Just up the M1 and down a private road, you can tell you've reached the Grove when you get to the parking area, which is festooned with Porsches and top of the line Range Rovers. It's a five-star hotel - based in an old country house - and has a clientele to match. And, of course, it's incredibly relaxing.
We arrived in time for a light lunch on the patio - salmon salad and a pot of coffee. Everybody was terribly friendly, the service was attentive but not overly fussy, and we started to feel at home immediately.
After lunch we decided that, as it was a warm day, we'd go for a swim. The outdoor pool is in the old walled garden. The water is deliciously warm - no need to brace yourself as you enter the water.
We were so chilled out that we almost forgot that I had booked myself in for a facial at 5pm. The Grove's Sequoia Spa has won prizes for excellence. And I can see why. You start off in a relaxation room, in your white robe, munching on dates and drinking herb tea. You're then called to the treatment room. My facial included an incredible massage - I felt as limp as a strand of spaghetti by the end. Wonderful!
The hotel itself is luxurious without being ostentatious. In the walled garden there ' an old greenhouse, which has been filled with period furniture and where my husband and I had an impromptu game of snooker. I have missed spontaneity in my life recently, and coming across that snooker table really hit the mark.
In the evening, my husband took a long bath while I read a book and then we came down for dinner. We ate at the Glasshouse, which has a buffet meal - buffet is a word that doesn't really do the restaurant justice. The choice is huge and it is all beautifully laid out. The trick seems to be to put small amounts on your plate and go back for several helpings. It's a lovely meal. My husband particularly enjoyed the halibut; I tasted it and it was light as a feather. I adored the roast beef and the sushi - very authentic.
The following morning we had a light breakfast and then - after coffee on the patio - we borrowed a couple of bikes (free for residents) and went for a ride. The hotel grounds happen to adjoin the banks of the Grand Union Canal, so we rode through the woods, then back along the towpath (maps are provided with the bikes).
There was just time for a quick snack and another swim in the outdoor pool before we left. It didn't feel as if we'd just been there for a night - we felt we'd had a real adventure, together, in wonderful surroundings. We noticed that there were lots of families with young kids there and I have a feeling that a night there with the children would also be incredibly relaxing - not least because they have an award-winning nursery and a fun man-made beach and volleyball court near the outdoor pool. I might take the kids next time...
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