The Relais Henley
Site visit date 29th November 2022.
With the emergence of the new breed of hotels; boutique, home from home, co-working, creative, inspiring spaces, luxury feel hotels, comes the Relais Retreat brand.
Two hotels, one in Cooden Beach (near Eastbourne, 1hr 37 via train from Victoria Train Station in London), the other located in the beautiful, typically English, Thames riverside town of Henley. Famous for the annual transformation into the home of the Henley Royal Regatta, this lovely, quaint location now has another reason for you to visit, rest and stay a while.
Background and location
The Relais Retreat Henley, formerly the Red Lion Hotel, was spotted and transformed by owner, Grace Leo into a most beautiful hotel.
The hotel has a total of 40, rowing inspired designed, bedrooms, each one varying in size and shape which is a given when you realise the age of the hotel, which started life in the 16th Century, over 500 years ago, as a coaching inn and is a Grade II listed building so uniformity is not a word you can use here.
Rowing Inspired Bedrooms
Charm, on the other hand, is a word that springs to mind.
The hotel does not have its own car park, but surprisingly that didn’t present a problem at all for our visit. Set just back from the river’s edge, we managed to find roadside parking (maximum stay is 2hours for a mere £1.40, not bad), for longer stays, other options are available including the train stations car park. A short, 4minute walk from the hotel, and a potential permanent solution for the hotel with negotiations afoot to offer hotel guests a fixed parking option (parking fees will apply).
Once you arrive at the hotel there are many attractions are within walking distance, including the famous Leander Club based on the Thames, opposite the hotel and the River and Rowing Museum, a 10minute walk from the hotel.
Hotel Reception
The hotel’s main entrance is on Hart Street. Doors open to a small inner lobby and then the hotel’s roundel reception.
There is no bank of receptionists to greet you, but a very pleasant, manned welcome desk to check you into the hotel and, if there are guests occupying those seats, the very charming Rishi, who greeted us with a warm smile, will immediately set about making you comfortable and welcome.
All residents are escorted from reception to their rooms, unless you care to find your own way and, let’s face it, you’re not going to wander for long with only two floors of rooms (and there is a lift if you’d rather avoid the stairs). Subtle nods to the rowing heritage can be spotted around the hotel including the direction signs to point the way in the bedroom corridors which are formed from small rowing oars.
Point to note, all bedrooms have air conditioning.
Dining Options
Public and Meeting Space
If you’re at the hotel for a meeting, whether that’s meeting a friend or colleague for lunch or for a business meeting, all these areas lead very neatly off the main reception area.
To the left you have the Quarterdeck Bar, a small, charming area, dark, but warm, snug, and inviting both by day and, possibly even more so by night, with original wooden beams and green accents.
Directly in front of you there is the Restaurant Dominic Chapman, complete with suspended rowing boat, this 50-cover restaurant has floor to ceiling windows and doors to the far end, filling the restaurant with natural daylight and offering access to the courtyard beyond. Outdoor seating is available for the warmer days and nights with access also to the hotel’s 8 courtyard bedrooms.
The Courtyard itself, used to be the hotel’s car park but can now be used for activities, BBQ’s and even marquee-covered for larger events of up to x 100 guests.
To the right of reception is the hotel’s deli, a light, airy space serving coffees and paninis (I can thoroughly recommend the ham and cheese panini, thank you Marc Buxey). The hotel’s relaxed meeting space lies just beyond the deli.
Palm Court
Meeting u-shaped for x 22 also using the Petit Palm.
The main meeting space consists of three areas, the design is beautiful; the original feel of extensive coffee lounges has been maintained while providing useful and adaptable meeting space both for co-working and meetings and events.
The carpets are bespoke and are designed to resemble rugs, there are arched mirrors and fringed chairs. All the furniture can be removed, moved, or re-arranged to suit.
The main area, The Salon, divides into two, The Palm Court and Petit Palm, with a third separate section, the Clip Bar, to the end.
Boardroom style for x 22 would work comfortably spread across the Palm Court and the Petit Palm, the Clip Bar is idea for serving refreshments or for use as a break out room (x10 boardroom).
(The hotel offers club membership. Included in which is the ability to use this space for co-working, but nothing is off the cards for meetings. The hotel’s answer is invariably, yes, and then they’ll come up with a solution.)
Location
The hotel is 25minutes from Heathrow Airport and under an hour by train from London.
The Relais Retreat is charming and welcoming. You immediately feel at ease and comfortable in the hotel. It has a nice, refined buzz. You could certainly host some memorable and productive meetings in this hotel, leaving relaxed and refreshed.
You might also like The Retreat, Elcot.
For more information or to check meeting availability contact us
