Mallory Court Hotel & Spa, Leamington Spa, Warks

WHERE AND WHY

Deep in the heart of Warwickshire’s rolling countryside, on the edge of Leamington Spa, this historic four-star country house hotel, set in 10 acres of manicured gardens, is quintessentially English.

Enjoying afternoon tea on the main terrace, overlooking the croquet lawn and the fish pond, it’s easy to imagine you’re in a scene from an early EM Forster novel.

Right above the terrace we were staying in the very generously sized, classical designed Manor House Master room, one of 43 rooms and suites across three buildings. In a prime position on a corner of the first floor, it meant we had two different but equally charming views of the grounds.

ON THE MENU

After a relaxing pre-dinner g&t in the drawing room, we headed to the plush oak-panelled Dining Room, the hotel’s AA 3-Rosette restaurant. From a set menu that makes use of produce from Mallory Court’s kitchen gardens, my wife went for the aged fillet of beef, braised ox shin, alliums and Madeira sauce (£8 supplement).

I plumped for the salt chamber-aged Creedy Carver duck, spring roll of leg meat, beetroot, cinnamon and ginger sauce (£8 supplement), which as well as being tender and tasty, came with the biggest blackberries I’ve ever seen.

There was still room for dessert, so I chose the Colston Bassett Stilton, fruit roll and a port wine syrup while my wife declared her chocolate cremeux with praline and malted milk ice cream to be “one of the nicest desserts ever” (two courses £50pp). And my full English the following morning was one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in a long while.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE

While the hotel prides itself on its classical design, the Elan Spa by contrast is sleekly modern. Claiming to be “the newest, luxury spa in Warwickshire”, the hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room and outdoor hot tub are available for £15 an hour, or access for an hour is complimentary when you book a 55-minute treatment. While my wife tried out a facial, I went for a run around the local countryside. There’s also a tennis court to hire if you’re feeling energetic. Only a couple of miles away, Leamington Spa town with its Regency architecture, the Royal Pump Rooms and award-winning parks is well worth a visit.

WAKE-UP CALL

A night in a Standard room in the Knights Suite building starts at £150 and from £186 in a Manor House Classic room, with breakfast. mallory.co.uk