All the festive feels are wrapped up in one luxurious package at these top-notch hotels in the South West
Bishopstrow Hotel and Spa, Warminster
Itching to escape the chaos of Christmas but still want to experience the magic of the season? Book a three-night getaway to this glamorous Georgian pad for stress-free festivities.
The manor house has spades of whimsical charm and offers a playground of opportunities for families. Over the course of the stay, guests can experience the joy of festive treats, cosy nights by crackling fires, entertainment aplenty, excellent dining and restorative sessions in the spa. Highlights include cream teas with seasonal twists, and mimosas on Christmas morning followed by a smashing four-course lunch.
An 18th-century temple, walled garden, riverside footpaths, and indoor and outdoor pools provide yet more reasons to while away hours in the award-winning hotel.
St Michaels Resort, Falmouth
Leave any yuletide worries behind and enjoy the simple pleasures of breezy walks by the sea and warm evenings by the fire at St Michaels Resort.
Christmas, Twixmas and New Year’s Eve packages are all available, each with a similar blend of festive excitement, quality indulgence and gentle relaxation. Whichever deal sways you, prepare to get a good dose of vitamin sea at Gylly Beach, to shop in Falmouth’s delightful indie stores and bliss-out in the many warming chambers and pools at the hotel’s Food Lifestyle Award-winning spa.
On the food and drink front, ample gourmet pleasures await at ocean-view restaurant Brasserie on the Bay, headed up by new chef Dave Waters (read our just-released restaurant review).
The Queensberry Hotel, Bath
This boutique townhouse hotel is well placed for ticking off the gift list and experiencing festive thrills par excellence.
The Queensberry is just a five-minute stroll from Bath’s city centre and its best indie retailers, bookshops, jewellers, lifestyle stores and the famed Christmas market. However, the hotel still feels cocooned from the crowds.
Any hours not spent out and about in the honey-hued city can be allocated to making the most of the chic hotel’s amenities. Curl up with a coffee and the papers in your uniquely designed bedroom, laze by an antique fireplace to sip luscious cocktails with a backdrop of traditional Georgian Bath beauty, and book a table in The Olive Tree restaurant for a Michelin-starred dining adventure. The seven-course Taste of the Season menu best showcases executive chef Chris Cleghorn’s culinary prowess.
Penventon Park Hotel, Redruth
Make this glam Georgian house your grand home for the Christmas holiday to enjoy fine festive food, handcrafted tipples and charming hospitality.
The four-star hotel offers two- and three-night packages, packed with yuletide treats to be relished in an enchanting setting. Throughout the hotel, garlands weave sweeping staircases, decorated trees dot the rooms and glittering ornaments nestle in every nook. Produce-led menus and an exquisitely curated drinks list are also given a suitably festive revamp. Seeing as it’s the season for gifting, guests will also receive a complimentary Cornish hamper, stuffed with handpicked local goods.
Everyone in the family will find something to delight in during a stay, whether it’s little ones slurping hot chocolates and playing games (children under six stay free), or adults nursing a mulled wine and getting stuck into a good book. Pooches are also welcome at Penventon and receive their own treats, towels and cosy comforts during a stay.
Harbour Beach Club Hotel & Spa, Salcombe
Couples with good taste will want to celebrate the holiday in style, and where better than upscale Salcombe and its effortlessly chic hotel, bar and restaurant on South Sands beach?
At this coastal destination, bracing beach stomps can be punctuated with spells in the spa and refined dining. Spend the big day at Harbour Beach Club to break away from hosting duties, cleaning chores and big shopping trips. Instead, it’s all about sipping sparkling wine, digging into a superb four-course lunch and playing boardgames. Bliss.
There’s also a New Year escape that deals in fizz, feasting, live music and rejuvenating recovery. Weary heads are quickly nipped in the bud on January 1 with refreshing sea dips, a soak in the pool and a Bloody Mary.
Enjoyed reading our curation of festive breaks in the South West? Discover more curated round-ups.
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