A honey-hued Georgian stately home sits in the middle of 30 acres of pristine land. Land that needs a team of gardeners to keep it looking gorgeous. In the courtyard of the old stables, where the spa is, sunflowers shoot up to the sky and bend towards the buildings – as if desperately trying to grow tall enough to drink the water from the guttering.
Elsewhere, lambs roam to the right of the croquet lawn, where couples clunk mallets. On the hotel’s sunny terraces, guests in robes melt into sun-beds, staring at endless greenery like the Mediterranean Sea. Round the corner, a small outdoor pool skirted by delicate tangerine walls is brimming with day visitors clinking frosty glasses of vino. Other guests recline with books and satisfied facial expressions. Occasionally, staff pass by with ice-creams under clear blue skies. We’re talking about a summer visit to Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa in Wiltshire, but it could well be a chateau in Brittany.
All of the above. Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa grounds and surrounding area are spectacular, set amidst 30 acres of verdant land. The hotel even comes with an extensive no-dig kitchen garden, which provides the majority of produce to The Garden Grill – the hotel’s on-site restaurant.
Laidback luxury. Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa team members have a knack for gliding between the restaurant, bar and spa area without causing a ripple. Big smiles greet guests, and the views over the British countryside ensure a mollifying environment capable of quietening the most busy mind.
Couples or friends mainly. Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa hosts various national and international guests of varying ages. Most come to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa is in the Wiltshire countryside, close to Warminster. The elegant spa hotel is surrounded by rolling hills and greenery as far as the eye can see. Nearby, the River Wylye winds around the hotel’s private no-dig kitchen garden, looking like a Monet painting on a summer’s day. Warminster train station is only seven minutes away, while Bristol airport takes just over an hour in the car. Longleat Estate, a well-known safari park, is a short drive away, as is Stonehenge. The majority of guests, however, visit the hotel in search of serenity.
Each space at Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa is unique, but there’s a consistent language throughout: think bucolic country home meets regal summer dwelling. The Georgian house, dating back to 1817, retains some historic features – the odd fireplace, a stable block, an elegant Doric temple, and a plaque in the cellar commemorating the year the building was completed. Ian Taylor, owner of Kaleidoscope Hotels, was in charge of the most recent refurb, which has bright, bold, maximalist interiors at its heart. The Garden Grill, the hotel’s excellent restaurant, has a more contemporary feel with bold artwork, spherical lighting fixtures, and bright-coloured booths.
All 34 rooms at Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa are individually designed, though in a similar whimsical-cum-eccentric fashion. Imagine gold headboards, floral wallpaper, clashing patterns and elaborate furnishings. One room has a hand-painted blue cloudy sky ceiling with a model hot air balloon floating by. Others are pared down with muted tones and a classic, elegant finish. Most rooms, however, offer knockout views of the surrounding countryside or the hotel’s picture-perfect gardens blossoming with acidanthera, tithonia and clary sage. All dwellings have tea-making facilities, recyclable water cartons, homemade shortbreads and Tony’s chocolate bars – a sweet touch. The most desirable garden suites (there will be 10) have private hot tubs, terraces and sofas. They also come with hampers packed with crisps, San Pellegrino and other snacks. Fluffy robes and slippers are standard, and most rooms have smart TVs with Netflix.
The Garden Grill, Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa’s on-site restaurant, is well worth a visit. Overseen by talented chef Philip Lewis, its traditional British menu is packed with no-nonsense locally sourced dishes (90% of ingredients come from the UK). Most of the vegetables on its veggie and vegan-rich menus come from its own no-dig garden just a hundred metres away.
Having lunch on the sprawling terrace with cracking nature views is best. The garden salad is a must if you’re keeping things light. It showcases the best of the hotel’s seasonal, hyper-local produce – fresher than a new pair of trainers. The set lunch menu offers good value (£25 for two courses and £30 for three), boasting many options, from prawn and vegetable tempura, soups and tomato salad to burgers, truffled polenta and Cajun chicken with rice or salad.
By night, the a la carte menu comes into play. It features a solid blend of fish, meat and vegetable-centred dishes. The Southwest scallops are out of this world, the chicory and fig salad zesty and fresh, and the steaks are glorious – well-cooked and completely overindulgent. It’s essential, however, to save room for dessert. There are seven, yes, seven, options to choose from on the menu. The warm Bishopstrow honey tart is sickly sweet and moreish in all the right ways, and the freshly baked brownie is on another level.
It’s also worthy of note. Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa has gone one step further than shunning the extra charge for solo diner’s debate by offering a complimentary fizz to anyone wishing to dine alone.
The service at Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa is straight out of the top drawer – reliable, earnest and unstuffy. Reception workers welcome guests like they’ve known them for years and recommend things to do, like walking to the no-dig garden. They also manage to highlight the boring stuff (check-out times, etc.) politely and efficiently. Elsewhere, smiley waiting staff tend to tables with confidence, knowledge and adeptness. Allergies are dealt with with extreme care and attention to reassure the diner. In the spa, the lovely staff greet patrons with warm smiles and are happy to show off the facilities, hand out towels or point you to the outdoor pool.
Bishopstrow Hotel & Spa isn’t short of facilities. However, the outdoor pool is one of the biggest draws and probably the most desirable to locals on sunny days. The hotel also boasts a spa facility with various Voya (an organic brand) and Elemis treatments. There’s also a sauna, steam room and indoor pool that needs a little TLC but is soon to be refurbished. Those keen to keep in shape can visit the small gym, serve a few aces on the old-school outdoor tennis court or walk around the hotel’s 30 acres of land. However, the hotel’s no-dig kitchen garden is perhaps the most charming attraction of all. It’s bursting with goodness – berries, carrots, purple broccoli, lettuce, chives, beetroot, rhubarb and wildflowers – and sits beside the River Wylye, a small stone bridge and an adorable Doric temple built in 1770. Guests can wander around and pick out something for lunch.
Fact box
Rooms: Rooms are available from £193 bed and breakfast, and £25 per dog per night
Address: Boreham Rd, Warminster BA12 9HH
Website: bishopstrowhotel.com
