A huge drive winds its way through manicured lawns and over a cute cartoon bridge that spans an ornamental lake before terminating in front of this mock Jacobean mansion. You’ll find it an hour’s drive from London, and while the immaculate facade feels a little Botoxed, the warm service inside helps negate any sense of hustle and bustle, and design details such as the cream stone atrium with a gleaming glass dome 50 meters above adds something old. fashionable glamour. Funded by Surinder Arora, one of Britain’s most successful hoteliers, the resort took around four years to complete and features a two-storey spa along with seven bars and restaurants. It hasn’t stopped, and despite the fact that some public areas have fallen into corporate rigidity, there’s no doubting the quality on display at this 251-room pad nestled in 40 acres.
Overall Score 8/10
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Rooms and apartments
Score 7/10
All rooms follow the same cautiously contemporary formula. No one will be offended, but no one will be outright amazed either. Decorated in neutrals and silver tones to harmonize with their natural stone finishes, the bedrooms’ only distinctive feature is their beautiful Van Gogh Almond Blossom paneling by Tektura on the feature walls. Although most are straight and square-shaped, Queen’s Eaves, hidden under the roof, are the most characteristic, as well as the cheapest and, at 25 sq m, a decent size. Result. Ten treehouses with spacious lounges and outdoor tubs will add to the resort’s cachet next year.
Food and drink
Score 8/10
With seven restaurants and bars to choose from, even picky eaters can’t complain. The delicate orchid tea room does a great deal with afternoon tea. The all-day restaurant Moreish moves from an impressive breakfast buffet to Middle Eastern dishes and Mediterranean pastas. Fine dining space 1215, named after the year Magna Carta was signed, remains decidedly British, thanks to dishes such as baked artichoke tart and blue cheese and Windsor Estate venison loin with red cabbage and beetroot. In the spa, Greens Café serves smoothies, salads and sandwiches. There are cocktails at 1215 Bar, while gin lovers should head to Schroders’ Botanicals Bar, and a club at the Library Bar is the place for whiskey.
What else is there?
Score 8/10
One of the largest wellness complexes in the country, the stunning indoor pool surrounded by fluffy cherry blossom trees, a courtyard with an outdoor hydrotherapy pool and a marble-clad spa suite containing a sauna, steam room and bathtub with hydromassage. You might also cool off in the Himalayan salt room or freeze in a party-sized cryotherapy chamber where temperatures drop to -110C. There are also Comfort Zone facials and eco-friendly massages, as well as a busy schedule of group fitness classes and a well-equipped gym.
Where is?
Score 8/10
Englefield Green is a quintessentially English village, a stone’s throw from Windsor Great Park and a 60-minute walk through it to Windsor itself. Few British places can match this area for historical resonance. On a ridge above the River Thames, the 11th-century royal castle of Windsor is the oldest inhabited castle on Earth, while Magna Carta, the charter of citizens’ rights, was signed in nearby Runnymede. Thorpe Park and Legoland theme parks are a 10-minute drive away.
Price B&B doubles from £495
Restaurant mains from £20
Friendly family Y
Dog friendly Y
Accessible Y