Champney’s Henlow Grange Spa Break - Review

Location: Henlow, Bedfordshire
Price: ££
Value for Money: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
Perfect for: Pampering & Relaxation, Health Retreat

Housed in a beautiful grand mid-century Georgian manor, Champneys Henlow in Bedfordshire is brimming full of elegant interiors. In fact from the moment you enter the driveway and catch a glimpse of the stunning entrance, you can feel a wave of calm washing over you.

I was gifted a Buy a Gift voucher for an overnight stay at Champney’s Henlow and when I arrived I knew I was in for a treat!

The entrance and reception area feels like you’re being welcomed into a luxurious and inviting home. When we checked in i had a look around the adjoining rooms before heading to our bedroom, and I was mesmerised by the number of beautiful spaces available.

There are gorgeous plush rooms with high ceilings and large windows designed for lounging in with a newspaper, chess game, or just a good book. The large conservatory is one of my favourite areas, as it is filled with hidden corners with day beds, lush foliage and streams of light filtering in. It also has beautiful, unspoilt views of the River Hiz too.

Location:

Located on the edge of the quiet Bedfordshire village of Henlow, the best way to get here is to drive. It’s about an hour drive away from North London, though there are train stations near-by which you can take a taxi from if needed.

The grounds themselves are stunning and most of the rooms have views of the greenery, the river or the grand entrance. There is a small town nearby, but you shouldn’t need to leave the grounds as Champneys aim to provide you with everything you need.

Accommodation:

Champney’s Henlow is a large venue with what feels like hundreds of rooms. As a result it’s worth asking for a room close to the spa facilities, as otherwise you could be left wandering through a host of corridors to get to the main area of the hotel.

Our room was a few long corridors away from the facilities and it took a couple of minutes to get to and from them. However the room itself was large and spacious, with a small seating area, TV, and well-sized en-suite bedroom

The decor was bright, modern and indicative of the recent refurbishment the hotel has been going through. There was also plenty of space to move around and leave our stuff, as well as lovely views of the review from the window.

There are a range of rooms available, including standard and superior, with some even coming with a patio that opens out towards the river.

Activities:

The facilities here are numerous and impressive, almost too many to get your head around if you’re only visiting for an overnight stay.

The highlight of the facilities is the 82ft pool and the hot tub. There is also a thalassotherapy pool (which needs to be booked) as well as a sauna and steam room by the pool. Needless to say this is where we spent most of our day! There are also plenty of day beds by the pool where you can relax in between your swims and sauna sessions.

As well as areas for lounging, there are also two large gyms, and studios which a host of classes on throughout the day. We tried a beginner yoga session in the morning which set us up for the day and was very well paced and directed. Additionally there are treatment rooms which can be booked too.

On the ground there is a tennis court as well as free bikes available at reception. There are also walking routes on the grounds which we really enjoyed, as it took us along the river, through a forested area and along some fields too.

Restaurants:

The hotel’s main restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a different set-up for each meal. It offers panoramic views of the swimming pool and a spacious garden terrace for warmer weather too. Dinner is the one place at Champney’s where you can’t wear your robe and the dress code is smart/casual.

All the food served here aims to be nourished and well-balanced. As a result the dinner menu is health conscious and served from a set menu. This means there isn’t a whole lot of choice, though there are meat, fish and vegan/vegetarian dishes. Rather than a grand affair, dinner here is enjoyable and simple. This is by-design, as the last thing you want to do on a health retreat is stock up on carbs!

The next morning however I was very impressed with the breakfast offering, as there were a host of options on offer, ranging from about 5 types of porridges, 8 types of bread, 20 different types of fruits as well as fresh juices, salads, cheese and cereals which could keep you going all day!

I really enjoyed this breakfast and it gave me a few ideas about how I could spruce up my breakfasts at home too!

Reservations also included lunch, as well as breakfast and dinner, which was great as we were getting hungry after a morning spent jumping between the sauna and pool. Lunch is served in sessions and you can book which time you go.

Once again I was impressed with the lunch selection, as there was an array of salads, pastas, anti-pasta and more to choose from. As well as a bunch of appealing looking, though healthy, desserts too.

Alongside the restaurant, there is also a small cafe serving light bites and non-alcoholic drinks. It’s also worth noting that there is no bar at Champneys, as it goes against their health-conscious stance.

Price:

Double rooms at Champney’s Henlow range from £150 in low season and from £190 in high.

This may seem high however the rate includes breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as access to all of the facilities and many of the classes. You’re also given a robe, and flip-flops which you can keep! If you’d like particular treatments there is an additional cost and also there are some classes that get booked up early so beware of those.

Overall:

Champney’s Henlow is a magnificent and luxurious venue, and if you’re looking for a spa retreat or relaxing break far from the city, this is the ideal location.

As it can get busy at times and as there is a lot to choose from, I’d recommend planning your time in advance, or as soon as you get there. This includes when you’ll take your meals, so that you can make the most of everything that’s on offer.