Qype User (ninjaw…)
Yelp
I stayed at the De vere Carden Park last year and it was fantastic. It was a 4 hour drive for me to get there but was worth every minute.
The entrance and long drive up to the hotel is spectacular. The grounds contain many walks and activities including laser clay shooting, quad biking, 44 off roading and two championship golf courses! The amount of outdoor things to do is unsurprising since there are 750 acres of grounds!!!! That is enormous!
For my visit, I had decided to treat myself for my birthday and go away on my own for a couple of nights. This was a scary prospect at first but I was made to feel so welcome and comfortable.
The hotel itself is a stunning building which manages to feel both grand and welcoming at the same time. There are a number of places to eat from fine dining, to bar grub to a brasserie. I ate mainly in my room as I was on my own and usually covered in strange coloured face packs and hair treatments! The food was ok but to be honest I ordered very plain items. However, I have heard good reports about the restaurants.
I stayed in one of the blocks in the grounds. These were buildings housing a few 'apartments'. When I entered my 'room' I couldn't believe it - it was honestly bigger than the first flat I stayed in! There was thee usual living and bed space but also a long wide corridor with storage and a dressing table. The most impressive was the bathroom which was total luxury and had the deepest bath I have ever seen. Plus it was all immaculate and there were lots of little free added items. The bed was enormous and I had to jump on to it as it was so high! There was the usual tea, coffee, biscuits, tv, phone etc. Plus there was lots of literature and details of room service, activities, menus etc.
To keep me occupied I had booked a number of spa treatments. My favorite was the hot stones massage which was 2 hours of sheer bliss. The spa was again gorgeous with areas to sit and relax when you were resting or waiting to be seen. The rooms that the treatments were given in were also really lovely and had a very expensive feel to them with tasteful decor. The staff were fantastic and absolutely the right balance of being friendly and professional. I also had a manicure and pedicure which were both great too. The knowledge of the staff was impressive and I really felt like a valued guest. Plus, I got a free robe and slippers!
The hotel also has a pool, sauna/spa area and gym. All of which are well equipped, clean and relaxing. There is plenty to do if you just want to laze around and there are seating areas so you can spend the whole day in the pool area. You are given towels when you arrive at the pool too so no need to carry wet ones back with you.
Can you tell I loved this place? I would recommend this to anyone wanting some pampering and have heard similar reports about the other De vere locations. Yes, it was expensive but worth every single penny. I will definitely return and am always looking at their website for a quick 'fix' before I make it there again.
Take a look at their website and tell me you're not tempted. Sheer indulgence.