Mallory Court, a country estate near Leamington Spa, is the perfect weekend retreat, says Harry Owen
THE WEEKEND: Founded by IT entrepreneur Sir Peter Rigby, Mallory Court is part of the Eden Hotel Collection, which also boasts Dartmoor’s five-star Bovey Castle. What was once a Manor house set deep in the Warwickshire countryside, Mallory Court now finds itself on the edges of an ever-expanding Leamington Spa. However, once through the gates, the 10 acres of gardens and Manor house terrace overlook miles-and-miles of rolling fields. From London either driving or by train, it’s 1 hour 30 minutes and once inside, it’s a genuine retreat from the outside world.
THE STAY: A mixture of 42 bedrooms spread across three sites, including the Orchard House, the Knights Suite and the main Grade II-listed Manor House, built in 1916. We stayed in the recently renovated, in-character extension overlooking the gardens where the suites range from £400 upwards and include spa access.
Three gardeners maintain the grounds, working closely with executive head chef, Keiron Stevens to offer up a seasonal, sustainable and local menu, including plenty grown within the gardens. Self confessed ‘green champion’ and Duty Manager, Olly Mackenzie gave us a tour which included a herb garden, croquet lawn and wildflower garden for the bees.
THE FOOD: The main house has a drawing room for afternoon tea (£35pp with pre-booking required), the spa has an Asian offering called Sencha, that doubles up as room service. Finally the main dining room has a tasting menu from £105pp with an optional £105 pp wine flight. The ‘Taste of the Season’ menu was excellent value at this price, with a lavish 9-courses.
DON’T MISS: The 5-bubble rated Spa built in 2016, which is available to guests and 100 local members. There is a gym, swimming pool, two sauna steam rooms and a hydrotherapy pool – as well as treatments available everyday.
WHAT ELSE? The Georgian stately home of Compton Verney is a 20 minute drive away, featuring a fantastic art collection, but you’d be hard pressed to find a reason to leave Mallory Court. Everything you want for a weekend escape is here: modern spa, beautiful bedrooms and grounds, indulgent food and drink. We ended the weekend sipping Cotswold Gin, with fresh mint plucked from the garden, on a stunning terrace in balmy July sunshine – total relaxation.
Mallory Court also offers Conference facilities away from the Manor House (Knight Suite) and caters for weddings. The house and gardens had recently hosted a Bridgerton themed garden party, which comes as no surprise given the regency setting of this hideaway hotel.
• For more information or to Book, visit the website here