The Retreat, Elcot nr Newbury
To my mind we’re talking hunting lodge beautifully restored. You can imagine walking through the main entrance, and out into the hotel’s 16 acres, in full shooting kit (clay shooting of course) and not looking an inch out of place.
There are two driveway entrances. Bearing in mind that the hotel isn’t fully opened when I visited, I did loose my bearings to start with but it’s not difficult to regroup very quickly. The main entrance is for residents, you can drive straight up to the hotel’s entrance via a gravel driveway, leave your luggage at the door and pop your car into the car park.
I took the second driveway, straight into the car park. There is a side access to the hotel which leads off the car park which is a simple, logical trot through the courtyard (I’ll come back to this area), into the hotel. Follow the corridor to the main entrance.
The Lobby Lounge
I met Alec Jeeves, Director of Sales of the new Signet Group. The Mitre Hotel, Hampton Court is The Retreats sister hotel, soon to be joined by one other, further updates to follow. Alec introduced me to the hotel, it’s four meeting spaces and its facilities.
MEETING ROOMS
Off the main entrance you have the first of the hotel’s meeting rooms, the Whiskey Library. This room was in use during my visit but think Library and replace books with bottles of whiskey! Maximum capacity is x 14.
Next door to this is the Portobello Suite, maximum capacity is x 36. This is a beautiful room which features peacocks and parrots on hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper.
There are two restaurants, Yu, a Pan Asian styled restaurant . This is adjacent to the Portobello function room. This restaurant is open Wednesday to Saturday evenings and can quite happily double up during the daytime as a private catering room for refreshments and lunch. You can access Yu from Portobello via an interconnecting door. There is direct access from a main corridor too so, for complete privacy, delegates holding a meeting in the Portobello can have their refreshment break or lunch set up before each break and move through to Yu completely undisturbed.
Even the corridor linking the Portobello and Yu is beautiful and very distinctive. And as for the loo’s too!
Inside the Lionesses room
Just further beyond the small foyer area, adjacent to the meeting space, there is a small screening room. More for family use than corporate but a very nice touch.
DINING
Back to the main entrance, bear right and you’re into the hotel’s main lounge area. As you enter, to your right and at the front of the hotel is a lovely function space, the Oyster. Ideal for private dining or pre-dinner drinks. This room can currently seat x 14, but this may increase to x 18 maximum with a new table looming.
This function room has windows overlooking the front lawns of the hotel and a single door access to the outside space. It can be closed off, but I would class it more as semi-private from a “can still be seen from outside the room” type of set up.
Moving through the lounge towards the back of the hotel and the hotel’s main restaurant, 1772 (the year the hotel was built). You pass the Orangery which unfortunately I couldn’t see, but this will more function space, the largest in the hotel. Capacity will be approximately x 80 for a dinner.,
The Portobello Room
Maximum capacity x 36. Featuring de Gournay hand-painted wallpaper.
WELLNESS AND SPA
Beyond the restaurant lies the hotel’s infinity pool with views over the North Wessex Downs. Just part of the hotel’s spa, wellness and leisure offerings.
The hotel’s spa includes three treatment rooms, a private flotation tank, an indoor hydro pool with sauna and steam rooms and a Matrix equipped gym.
In the hotel’s grounds there are tennis courts, a children’s play area (situated a little further away from the main hotel!) and a walled garden.
There are plans to erect a conservatory, like the one that previously stood in the gardens, and this could become another very useful addition to the hotel’s existing meeting and event space.
Within the grounds also stands the oldest Monkey Puzzle tree in the UK and with yet more plans in discussion could come the addition of static glamping options within the grounds.
More information on the hotel’s spa can be found here.
ACCOMMODATION
The hotel has a total of 55 bedrooms including suites and some family rooms with charming second bedrooms each containing a brightly coloured bunkbed that kids would love to climb into and sleep!
There are 7 entry level rooms which are generous in size. Whatever the standard of room you opt for there is always a glass on wine to welcome you on arrival. Higher category rooms also feature four-poster beds and roll-top baths.
And there are also three snack pantries dotted along the accommodation corridors with complimentary snacks and soft drinks.
There are lovely surprises that means that the hotel keeps giving options and ideas. In the courtyard where I entered there is a coffee shop, this can be used for delegates refreshment breaks. It’s charming with gravel and patio areas, planters, garden furniture and a very sweet mini outlet area. This is where you’ll find a beauty salon, a wine merchant and a deli-cafe. Thoughts are heading towards a local farmers market style event and live music.
The hotel is one of five places in Berkshire to hold a hot air balloon licence too. There’s certainly plenty to keep you occupied at this hotel when you’re not in conference session!
Day delegate rates are around the £80 inc. VAT mark at the time of writing. Date of site visit, 19th May 2022.
Plot your journey here.
Want more information or to check meeting availability contact us.
