First impressions
A 17th-century mansion set in 170 acres of grounds, this is a typical country
house hotel, with the Union Jack flying proudly. As soon as we stepped out
of the car, we were greeted by the attentive Brian, the hotel’s valet,
unfazed by the inappropriateness of our less than exclusive car in the
lavish surroundings. The hotel is four miles from East Grinstead, and its
proximity to Gatwick attracts overnight guests.
Why it’s special
The hotel makes much of its connections to Shelley, whose family once lived in
the house (with a copy of his poetry among the rather limited crime genre
selection in the room.) The hotel opened a spa last year, which has become
its main attraction. Apart from the bustling spa, there wasn’t much evidence
of other guests - even the resident caged birds in the foyer kept out of
sight for most of the visit; with the goldfish also roaming solo in the
attractive Library bar, its walls lined with copies of old leather books.
Still, the front-of-house service was excellent, with all our requests
adhered to efficiently and quickly.
Hitting the sack
Our large room in the spa annexe was well-equipped, with classical music on
entry, a mini hi-fi system and selection of CDs on hand, a generous
wide-screen TV, and DVDs available to borrow. The room was decorated in rich
chocolate colours and modern floral motif wallpaper, with a lounge zone
complete with an averagely edible bowl of fruit. The bathroom was bigger
than anyone’s ablutions could demand; with two sinks, a large bath in an
elevated alcove decorated with a pretty leaf mural on the ceiling. The
modern hi-tech shower cubicle had multi-angled water jets. The toiletries –
an organic and sweet-smelling range called Zing – were some of the best
in-house hotel products I’ve used.
Sampling the food
We ate in the Brasserie where, after a long wait (20 minutes) for drinks
service in the adjoining bar area, each course arrived with haste. The food
was average: a starter of scallops with minted pea puree lacked zing,
followed by a perfectly adequate main course of fillet steak, accompanied by
an aesthetically pleasing giant chip Jenga, and an acceptable passion-fruit
cheesecake. The fruit salad was varied and vibrantly coloured though not
necessarily seasonal. Perfect lunch food, perhaps, for spa day-trippers, but
for a small luxury 4-star hotel, I expected better for dinner, although the
hotel also has an a la carte restaurant. The Brasserie led into a large open
area courtyard with a log fire pit, which suggested an al fresco lunch in
fairer weather in my spa robe and slippers would be an appealing option.
Again, the buffet breakfast was sufficient, including a tasty walnut bread,
fruit and yoghurts; for supplementary items from the menu there was another
long wait for service, with a disappointing end result – salty porridge.
Access all areas
There is at least one fully accessible bedroom; and the high standard of front
of house service suggests needs would be accommodated as far as possible.
Added attractions
The hotel’s room folder highlights a nearby Cretan pot shop as one of the key
local draws, but the main pull is the spa. Ranged over three floors, it
offers an extensive range of treatments and gym classes. The changing rooms
are vast and not at all crowded, with plentiful supplies of Zing products,
and a same-sex-only sauna and steam room. Even with day spa goers, on the
weekend we visited there were only 12 people using the facilities that
include an outdoor hot tub in a pretty garden area.
What we think
A long list of specific packages make this affordable for a spa break, and the
proximity of the spa hotel rooms to the spa left me without inhibition for
padding down to the spa half-clothed.
Bottom Line
Prices start from £155 for single occupancy for a standard room. The one-night
spa escape starts from £185, but check for seasonal offers.
Need to know
Alexander House Hotel, Turners Hill, West Sussex, RH10 4QD (01342 714914; www.alexanderhotels.co.uk)
Browse
travel offers at Times Selects
