The Vineyard at Stockcross

I love a site visit especially when I feel there’s something to learn, something more to add to the old bank of knowledge, a bit more than a fact-finding visit to an hotel when you come away knowing that the hotel has 49 number of bedrooms, meeting capacity for up to 160 delegates, etc.

It’s the background stories I love, the feeling that your client’s will have an experience rather just a meeting with four, faceless, square walls.

The Vineyard at Stockcross has that, it’s elegant, the surroundings are very comfortable, it ticks lots of boxes in terms of capacities, dining options, etc, but then you open your eyes and you don’t just look but see.

It does help to have someone to show you around who really knows the hotel, but you can take the hints around you and dig a little deeper yourself too.

This wasn’t my first visit, and it won’t be my last.

In the 1960’s the building was rented residential flats. In 1969 Foley Lodge was converted into a restaurant and banqueting centre, refurbished nine years later and finally it came into the hands of its current owner, Sir Peter Michael, who purchased the property in 1996 and relaunched it as the Vineyard two years later.

Sir Peter Michael is an engineer and businessman who built a vineyard in California’s Sonoma Valley some nearly 40 years ago and who brought with him a taste of California wine to Newbury.

So, the basics to start, the hotel is very accessible, just off the A34, plenty of complimentary parking is available which wraps around the hotel, the hotel lobby is very gently and comfortably furnished with plenty of points of interest to catch your eye while you wait for your coffee (cappuccino 10 out of 10), your guest or your meeting to arrive.

The hotel’s name and heritage are very quickly evident. The Vine Bar (lunchtime bites, informal drinks) leads off the main reception area, accessed via a glass floored walkway showcasing the hotel’s extensive wine cellar (30,000 bottles no less) and you can’t help but notice (when you’ve taken your eyes off the rows and rows of wine and reassured yourself that the glass floor below you will hold out), the intriguing painting on the wall directly in front of you.

“The Judgement of Paris” is a modern spin on Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’. It shows the moment when a group of wine experts who were gathered in Paris by Steven Spurrier in 1976 realised to their horror that they had ranked Californian Wines higher than French.

There is a wide range of horror and amusement on the faces of the experts that leaves you in no doubt as to which are the French and the American wine enthusiasts.

Just as an aside the story was made into a film in 2008 called the Bottle Shock starring Oscar winning actor Alan Rickman in the role of Spurrier (available to watch on Amazon Prime, included with Prime membership).

But, we’re here to talk about the hotel as a meeting venue after all, so let’s do that ….

The hotel is an hour from London and 45minutes from Heathrow.

The hotel offers experiences and team building on-site to add that culinary or detective addition to an event, more information here.

There are five meeting rooms of various sizes, each one elegant, understated and with décor that will add a touch of luxury without overpowering your meeting content.

The Sonoma Suite is tucked away at the top of the hotel offering privacy to high level, confidential meeting. It comes complete with a private breakout area fully stocked fridges, a coffee machine and space for catering and refreshments.

The Atrium Suite seats a maximum of x 16 boardroom style, has its own private terrace and own private entrance.

The hotel’s largest suite is the California Suite which can hold a maximum of x 160 for a dinner and can even host a car launch with the ability to physically host a car in the function space.

The Oakville is another of the hotel’s private spaces, again an elegant room with a private entrance, seating up to 100 guests, complete with a mural depicting the owner’s vineyard in California. Located at the back of the hotel, it can also be used with the Calistoga Suite to accommodate a total of x 160 guests.

The Calistoga Suite can accommodate a maximum of x 60 in its own right. Located close to the California Bar, it’s ideal for private groups and private dinners.

The hotel has a total of 49 bedrooms, 32 suites and 17 bedrooms. The Atrium Suites are all split level with either a private balcony or terrace overlooking Deanwood Park Golf Course which is a 3minute walk from the hotel.

But you don’t need to leave the hotel to enjoy some leisure time as the hotel has its own luxury spa with pool, jacuzzi, treatment rooms and steam room.

Oh and did I mention that when I arrived I was asked where Nero was … Nero is my 40kg lump of overenthusiastic, “not yet 3 year old, thinks he’s 3months old still” black Labrador. While this hotel is dog friendly, I don’t think Nero’s yet 5star hotel material.

I’ll keep persisting with the training and hope that, one day, I can be sat in the bar, by the fire with an amazing glass of Californian wine and Nero sleeping by my feet.

Now there’s something to aim for!

If you’d like more information or to check meeting availability contact us.