How to live it up five star style!
LONG-TERM cruise living is one way to describe it. Yes, you’re on dry land but this kind of retirement comes with the trappings of a luxury voyage on the high seas.
From swimming pools and hot tubs to state-of-the-art gyms, swish restaurants, private cinemas and 24-hour concierge service, it’s all there for those who can afford it.
sound like a five- star hotel? That’s the point. These are the sort of no-expense-spared apartments in bespoke retirement developments that are designed to appeal to baby-boomers.
Grove Place in the Hampshire countryside, a retirement village for the over 65s, offers 115 apartments set in 27 acres of gardens.
It has round-the-clock concierge, room service, a fine dining restaurant, heated indoor pool and well- stocked library, alongside social clubs and activities ranging from a choir to a croquet club.
Kate Mills, 79, and husband, Ken, 71, sold their large four-bedroom detached house in Alresford, Hampshire, and moved to Grove Place two and a half years ago.
‘We loved our family home, but the garden was a worry. Friends warned us not to leave it too late to move and I’m so glad we listened to their advice. We absolutely love it here, we’ve made some wonderful friends, we adore the apartment and grounds, and our children know we’re safe,’ says Kate.
Generally located in spacious grounds, often centred around a beautiful old building (Grove Place has a Grade I-listed 16th-century manor house), retirement villages aim to provide a comfortable lifestyle and peace of mind.
‘When people move into Grove Place, they know they won’t need to uproot again. If healthcare needs change, we accommodate that,’ says manager Cliff Hasler.
some retirement villages have nursing care on site. Bishopstoke Park, a retirement village near eastleigh in Hampshire, is one.
A development of 170 apartments, Bishopstoke is run by Anchor Trust, england’s largest not-for-profit provider of homes for over 55s. Apartments at Bishopstoke Park — which opened in August 2015 — are in high demand. The current phase is sold out and a reserve list for Phase 2 is now open. Residents can wander along the designated walking trails or relax in the wellness centre that comes with all the trimmings.
st George’s Park, near Burgess Hill in east sussex, is set in 250 acres of grounds that once belonged to an order of Augustinian nuns. The development, for the over 60s, offers a rural location with bowling and gardening clubs, as well as fishing, plus a village shop.
It was the setting that attracted Paul, 78, and sonia Cordas, 77. They moved from their one-bedroom flat in Kensington to a two-bedroom apartment in st George’s.
‘We got fed up with the endless roar of traffic in london,’ says sonia. st George’s offered both a sense of security and an escape from the hubbub.
‘We love it here, there’s so much to do. We walk and play table tennis. If we want to go to the theatre or a musical recital, Brighton is very close,’ she adds.
The residents of the 240 apartments have access to a 24-hour concierge service as well as graduated nursing care if needed.
Retirement villages are not a cheap option — but they do offer measurable health benefits.