Home is Where the English Heart Is
What can I say Paul, I’m a city girl through and through but Sally’s blog certainly did open my eyes to the extent of wonderful places we have in the UK that are just crying out to be explored. So I took heed of your advice and decided to face my fear of muddy fields, rogue farm animals and no wi-fi and drove my glistening new Range Rover Evoque off into the British wilderness.
First on my list for a quintessentially British experience had to be The Arden Hotel in beautifulStratford-Upon-Avon, once home to the legendary William Shakespeare whose name lives on with the wonderful Royal Shakespeare Company. I took advantage of the Arden’s hugely popular RSC Theatre package and enjoyed a luxurious night in one of their unique ‘Feature Rooms’ before trotting off to see the classic ‘Taming of the Shrew’ (and I almost understood every word!)
Although the Arden was absolutely divine I did feel like I cheated on your task slightly Paul, particularly as my diamante-encrusted Hunter wellies were still in pristine condition, so for my second British jaunt I headed to Lainston House Hotel in Hampshire.
Lainston House is set in 63 acres of lush parkland with clay pigeon shooting and falconry being their most. After a full day of wandering through gardens and woodland, I have to admit I loved every minute of it. popular activities. I even impressed myself as I trekked along their astonishing avenue of lime trees and discovered an enchanting 12th-century chapel on the way.
Although I especially loved coming back to a fabulous meal prepared by award-winning executive chef, Andy MacKenzie – turns out you can get good food outside the M25!
This little exploration has been the perfect antidote to my crazy city life – although I did hear DVF is having an end of season sale tomorrow which I might just need to pop back to the bright lights for!
Let me know if there’s anywhere in the UK that you think is really special and might even tempt me away again.
Paul’s Reply to Melissa:British countryside
Many congratulations to all the properties featured in the Conde Nast Traveller Spa Awards, extremely well deserved and a great accolade. No denying that a good spa sesh does wonders for the skin and soul but my recommendation for you MV is to get out-and-about into the great British countryside, enjoy some fresh air and see what’s beyond this London metropolis – it will do marvels for that fresh, youthful look that seems to be all the rage at the moment. Whilst we have some of the best hotels in the world here in the capital, some of my favourites are away from the bright lights and tucked away in the heart of the British countryside.
Now, not that I was cheating on your blog MV (you know you’re my number 1!) but I was checking out another favourite of mine, Sally Shalam’s Britain – it’s full to the brim of top tips for exploring all that is Great about Britain. Go and check it out and you might be inspired!
Happy New Year
Happy 2012 everyone!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year break and hopefully a luxury getaway too! Did anyone have any exciting holiday adventures? Do tell!
My time at Tylney Hall for Christmas was wonderful and allowed me to fully embrace my festive feeling as it was dripping in the most beautiful decorations I have ever seen, mince pies galore, as much mulled wine as I could manage and evenings spent listening to local choristers under their stunning Swedish pine tree. Perfection.
For New Year I decided to continue my traditional festive holiday and head to Scotland – home to Hogmanay and from what I’ve heard the best New Year party you can find and as I’m now travelling solo yet again (unfortunately I was left forsaken under the mistletoe this year with only my slightly inappropriate Uncle for company) a good old New Year Bash is exactly what I need. When else do you HAVE to find someone to kiss at midnight?!
When staying in Scotland there is only one place I go and that is the Marcliffe Hotel & Spa on the outskirts of the beautiful, historic city ofAberdeen. A stunning white mansion surrounded by 11 acres of delightful parkland estate, this traditional Scottish refuge offers guests seasonal Scottish produce in its restaurant, a sensational spa and a fine-art collection including a display of 140 cheese dishes! Strange but true!
As the clock struck midnight and 2011 came to a close I realised I’d spent more of the night marvelling at the various cheese types on display that working the room – oh well! So my New Years Resolutions for 2012 are to Try Something New, Learn Something New and Meet Someone New.
Word on the street is that 2012 is going to be a fabulous year for the world of luxury – my sources tell me that Rolls Royce have had their best year yet and SLH is going from strength to strength.
Paul, can you give us the inside goss on where’s hot for 2012?!
Merry Christmas from Melissa
Thanks Paul, the Square Mile Masked Ball was a great start to the festive season and definitely put me in the Christmas spirit. Therefore I have decided this year to banish my inner-Scrooge and fully, 100% embrace all that is great about the holidays with a stay at the divine Tylney Hall in the depths of beautiful Hampshire.
Nothing embodies the spirit of Christmas more than this majestic Victoria mansion set in 66 acres of gardens, parkland, lawns and lakes – perfect for an afternoon stroll to walk off those Christmas lunch calories! 
I can’t wait to sit by the fire in Tylney Hall’s exquisite dining room with a glass of brandy in hand and crispy chestnuts roasting.
Whether you’re embracing or escaping Christmas this year, I hope you all have a wonderful festive season, full or happiness and cheer wherever you are.
I’ll see you in 2012 for another year of fabulous adventures!
Christmas Wishes
Well your advice has yet to steer me wrong, so I’ve decided to take two weeks in the Austrian mountains as a belated Christmas present to myself. In order to truly get my fill of snow and mulled wine I’m booked in to stay at both the Jagdgut Wachelhof and Bentleys House. 
I booked through the Club of SLH as usual and they couldn’t have been more helpful with booking both hotels and transfers in between. I’m now an official ‘Honoured member’ so I even got an extra night stay and upgrade! Can’t wait to get to the mountains now, the powder is calling to me.
Where to spend Christmas is an annual dilemma for me; I can never decide whether I want to fully embrace the festive spirit, decorating the tree and indulging in one too many glasses of sherry or if I just want to escape it all somewhere sunny and return with glowing skin once the madness is over. What would you suggest?
While my Christmas plans are currently at a stand-still, my Christmas shopping however has taken off marvellously thanks to the new SLH Hotel Gift Certificates. 
They’re gorgeously presented and there are lots of options, so this year all my family and friends are going to be getting either a gourmet, spa or honeymoon break – lucky them!
My personal favourite is the gourmet certificate that I chose for my godmother who thinks herself as a bit of a Delia in-the-making – I think trying out the Indonesian market and cooking lessons at The Balé in Indonesia would be right up her street.
Xmas Shopping
Paul’s Reply:
The Val d’Isère cocktail party sounded brilliant, I love the RAC and the ski crowd are a brilliant bunch.
For your ski trip, why don’t you try out both?! I know the inner ski-bunny in you is just dying to get out so I’m sure adding a few more days on the slopes won’t be a problem.
The Jagdgut Wachelhof is brand new to SLH so would definitely be worth checking out before anyone else, I know how much you love to get an exclusive peek!
And if you’re after privacy then Bentleys House will be perfect, you even get your own private butler so you won’t have to lift a single tired finger.
Regarding your hat dilemma; you’ll be forgiven for thinking I am a fashion guru on the slopes (I saw you checking out my trusty bobble-hat last year) but not sure I can help much on that one…
I can however help with your Christmas plans, where will you be spending the holidays this year?
Melissa from Milan to Ireland
After long days running around Milan and meeting up with all my favourite fashion friends, there was nowhere better to rest my tired, Manolo-beaten feet than at The Gray Hotel.
The city’s most stylish and creative hideaway; it’s all steel, glass, ebony, silk and vibrant animal prints. Milan was a whirlwind of shopping, parties and celeb FROW spotting – so much so I was exhausted and Mr Italian had to treat me to a spa break to recharge.
I think someone had been checking out my copy of the new Tatler Spa Guide as I was whisked off to one of my favourite countryside SLH hotels, the gorgeous Park Hotel Kenmare in Ireland – one of Tatler magazine’s top ‘Long-Weekend Wonderlands.’ 
(Big congrats also to the fabulous Les Sources de Caudalie and Cowley Manor who also topped the Tatler lists recently!)
I’ve only visited the Park Hotel in Kenmare once before when I was younger and my father was obsessed with their 16-year old malt whisky which he insisted was the best in Ireland. I’m glad to say that our long-weekend focussed much more on SÁMAS, the hotel’s deluxe destination spa than the local tipple.
The spa is a delightfully unexpected juxtaposition from the antique furnishings and oil paintings found around this grand 19th century building. The spa itself sits in a wild-grass-covered Scandinavian-style eco-lodge and absolutely exudes modern glamour. The sparkling interiors offer thermal suites, tropical showers and Mr Italian’s highlight, a 40°C pool open to the elements.
After three luxurious days of dining on classic and modern Irish cuisine, trying my hand at their 18-hole golf course (which only proved to further demonstrate my horrendous hand-eye coordination) and allowing the SÁMAS therapists to buff my skin to new-born quality with their gorgeous new Sisley treatments – the Park Hotel Kenmare definitely exceeded my expectations as more than just a haven for Irish whisky-lovers.
New York Travel Tips
Sounds like you had a fantastic night at the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Awards; I’ve just picked up the October issue and it was great to see various SLH hotels gracing the winners’ lists – you definitely should check out the Aquapura Duoro Valley Hotel in Portugal at some point, they serve some of the best local wine I’ve ever tasted!
But onto New York City eh? A brilliant decision – autumn is definitely the best time to go in my opinion. When staying in the city The Inn at Irving Place and The Iroquois are the most luxurious boutique hotels you’ll find. My top tip would be to have pre-dinner drinks at the superb Martini Lounge at the Inn at Irving Place, it’s where all the city’s most eligible bachelors hide (well, we’ve got to go somewhere!) Let me know how it goes…
Your Autumn Plans…
Sorry to hear Hans was a no show! As European summer draws to a close, maybe it’s time to venture a little further afield than Scandinavia, both on your travels and your man hunt?
We’ve got some fantastic offers for the Autumn from around the globe – take a look and let me know your thoughts on where’s hot for Autumn. Love to hear your predictions on where the cool crowd and the glitterati will be hot-footing to in the coming months.
PK
Melissa Vinelli’s Summer Holiday Diaries
Thanks for your tips everyone! For all you spa junkies check out this new blog www.spa-confidential.co.uk for spa news, musings and inspiration. According to them, “Relaxing is a serious business” – I couldn’t agree more!
I’m not sure if it was your description of the eucalyptus scented steam bath and wood-fired sauna, or the image of a strapping Nordic spa therapist called Hans which it conjured, but I decided to plump for Pädaste Manor on Muhu Island. With Hans in mind, I left the Chef in London and invited my friend Aurelie. A true Parisian, she’s on holiday for the whole of August too and appreciates a spot of pampering.
Reached by a 20 minute ferry ride from mainland Estonia, Muhu Island is a totally unspoilt island in the Baltic Sea. A 16th century haven, the hotel is grand but homely, and the spa offering is second to none. With the voice of Spa Confidential echoing through my mind, Aurelie and I repeated our mantra “Relaxing is a serious business” and threw ourselves into two days of rigorous spa-ing. After sweating it out in the sauna and plunging ourselves into the icy “Siberian” tub, it was time to sample the treatments. Pädaste Manor use centuries-old Estonian herbal traditions in their spa treatments – but it’s not bearded hippy territory – one of their spa packages includes a glass of Chardonnay and a hot tub session with a bottle of Laurent Perrier – my kind of Spa!
We both opted for a Scandinavian Salt Body Scrub and then The Ultimate Skin Treatment which comprised all of the below treats –
The Ultimate Skin Treatment, full day
Seawater hot tub at the bay
Rest & relax
Oatmeal & yoghurt scrub
After-treatment full body goat milk butter crème nourishing
Light lunch
Aloa vera & cucumber wrap
Rest & relax
Body & Soul, Traditional Swedish massage with essential oils
Afterwards we slung on our party dresses and had dinner at Alexander, the fine dining restaurant which opens into the gardens – D.I.V.I.N.E!
No sign of Hans though – oh well, a girl can dream!
