When driving into The Grove Hotel, their expansive and immaculate 300-acre estate immediately puts you at ease. On my debut visit with my family over a Bank Holiday weekend, it quickly revealed itself as the ideal retreat. The hotel is conveniently close to London yet sufficiently secluded, offering the illusion of being nestled deep in the English countryside, despite being located just 30 minutes from the capital.
Soon after checking in, it became clear to us that The Grove is a paradise for children. They offer an impressive array of activities that kept my two sons entertained and excited throughout the stay. The sprawling grounds provided the perfect playground, where they could run free and explore nature trails. The highlight for my boys was undoubtedly The Potting Shed, where they enjoyed arts and crafts, games, and even meeting creepy crawlies! And a mini Land Rover replica ride through Asher’s Woodland. This was the only activity that is not included in the stay – we paid £40 for 30 minutes, and it was worth it, the kids had a blast, and we got a workout out of it, chasing after them.
The indoor pool was a big hit, featuring two distinct sections: a 0.6m shallow area ideal for novice swimmers, and a 1.2m deep area suited for older children. The outdoor pool was equally impressive, but unfortunately, the typical English weather prevented us from fully enjoying it.
As for the accommodations, our suite was the perfect size for a family of four, providing ample space for us to relax after a day full of fun. The thoughtful touches, from child-sized robes to a box full of kids’ toys, made us feel truly pampered.
Dining at The Grove was also a great experience. The children’s menu offered a variety of healthy and tasty options, such as penne pasta, fish and chips and sausage and chips. Meanwhile, whilst at The Stables, I opted for possibly the tastiest prawn cocktail I’ve had in years and a delicious fish dish with a side of vegetables.
Rooms at The Grove start at £370 a night.
Visiting Warwick Castle
To add a bit of adventure to our weekend as seeing as check in at The Grove is from 3pm, we drove north to Warwick to spend our morning exploring its majestic castle. It was our first visit, and with the sun shining, we had an absolutely fantastic day. The castle is impeccably maintained and offers a wide range of activities for children. The Zog Playland and Horrible Histories maze are conveniently located near the entrance, sparking immediate excitement from my kids.
Throughout the day, the children enjoyed various shows held at different locations around the castle, such as the Woodland Theatre, Riverside Arena, and Riverside Island. The food was delicious and reasonably priced; we savoured pizzas from the food vans on the Oak Tree Lawn. There are plenty of tables available, and even during peak lunch hour, we easily found a place to sit.
The only downside was the initial challenge of finding parking, but once that was sorted, we had an excellent day. My recommendation is to look for spaces in the parkings surrounding the castle, we lucked out after being tempted to park in the areas where the maximum time allowed is two hours. Don’t be tempted, as we spent a good five hours inside the castle, having lots of fun and not worrying about having to leave. If you can’t find any spaces near the castle, there is a car park five minutes away (information about it is on the castle’s website).