We recently travelled to England and even a raging heatwave didn’t detract from an absolutely picture perfect stay at The Newt, a property that has been at the top of my list after falling in love with their sister property Babylonstoren in South Africa a a couple of years ago.
But first, a few details on our journey there; we opted to fly Virgin Atlantic on a 7pm flight from JFK ( kind of an inconvenient time to be honest) which landed LHR at 7am. When we arrived at Terminal 4 we breezed through security and thus were quite surprised when we got to the Delta One Lounge and it was literally mobbed. They squeezed us in to the dining room and I had a light bite which was fine. The servers were slammed and the service slow so it didn’t feel like a particularly indulgent visit.
I had originally booked Upper Class seats, but following a last minute equipment change to an A330neo I noticed there was a Retreat Suite available to upgrade to at a cost of an additional $400 per ticket. Billed as the most luxurious option Virgin offers, featuring extra legroom and a larger entertainment system we decided to give it a try.
The verdict? The seat was indeed wider than normal and extended straight when set up as a bed so it did feel roomier than their normal herringbone configuration, and the movie screen which clocked in at 32″ was impressive. There was also the ability to enjoy dinner with my husband and I facing one another which is kind of novel, but the food service was just fair (granted vegan Bibimbap may not have been the best choice). Additionally I think the flight attendants may have been slightly more solicitous than normal. Long story short the incremental upgrade was small enough that I think it was worth it, but don’t expect it to be comparable to first class.
Following our on-time arrival and bag collection we were met by a car which drove us to the Newt, passing right by Stonehenge along the way which was a treat.
Upon arrival the first order of business was breakfast. Our room was not ready (no surprise as it was just 10 am) but they were happy to get us fed and in a relaxed state of mind in the meantime.
My first impressions: the setting was idyllic, particularly for me with my longstanding fantasy of being Lady of the Manor. Every single aspect of the property was picture perfect which makes sense as it is the vision of Karen Roos, the former editor of Elle Decor South Africa along with her billionaire husband Koos Bekker. As money seems to be no object both here and at Babylonstoren, guests are assured the best of everything (at least design-wise). A particularly good interview with Karen Roos which gives insight into her design philosophy can be found here.
Hadspen House dating back to the 1700s is an example of a classically designed Georgian Manor house and is at the epicenter of The Newt. The Botanical Room, one of several dining options is located at Hadspen House and is where we enjoyed our first taste of the farm-to-table dishes offered at the property.
An advance warning: this post is going to be heavy on the photos as simply every inch of The Newt and the surrounding gardens are absolutely magnificent.
There are no shortage of cozy nooks to discover at Hadspen House, we just needed more time!
As I mentioned, England as well as much of Europe was struggling through a heatwave while we were visiting. An important thing to note when booking The Newt is that not all the rooms or public spaces are air conditioned.
“Funny” story, when we booked the room months prior I was very specific that we had to have air-conditioning even though the accommodation I initially booked was smaller than what I normally would have chosen. A week before our stay when I checked the weather the temps looked quite moderate so I asked my travel agent to switch us to the roomier Gate Lodge (no a/c) which she did. Mother Nature decided to mess with us a bit by delivering 100 degree Fahrenheit temps, so armed with two Dyson fans we endured a fabulous but slightly sweaty stay.
We were grateful for the buggy we were provided with to use during our stay as the oppressive heat made exploring the spectacular grounds (1,000 acres) a bit more arduous than usual. Bikes are also available but honestly it was too hot to dream of pedaling! Alas some areas are only accessible by foot so we outfitted ourselves in lightweight garb and made the best of it.
The Newt’s accommodations, pool area and restaurants within the hotel grounds are only for hotel guests, but there are areas of the property including multiple gardens, several shops, a lovely restaurant and a museum showcasing Roman ruins discovered on site that are open to the public. The Newt hosts programs and tours for the community and encourages locals to become members in order to gain access to all of these fabulous attractions. Booking a stay at the Newt includes a one year membership allowing you to return if you desire.
Just when you think you have discovered all the beautiful spots more appear at every turn.
We finally received word that our cottage was ready mid-afternoon and we were anxious to check it out. As you might expect it was sublime, the country cottage of my dreams. The Gate Lodge is a perfect option if you are traveling with children as it is two bedrooms/two baths. We used the second bedroom for our luggage and who doesn’t love a second bathroom?!
Our adorable cottage also included a petite kitchen stocked with everything you might need to whip up a meal (which we did not) along with complimentary snacks and drinks. In addition the cottage features a cozy living room complete with a fireplace which we most certainly did not need.
A short buggy ride took us to the Farmyard which boasts additional accommodations as well as another restaurant. If you want feel as though you are living in a Beatrix Potter book the Farmyard is the place to stay, we even had some chickens join us for complimentary tea service.
The entire property is immaculate, and the people who work there are cheerful, attentive and take pride in whatever tasks they are responsible for; truly refreshing and rare even in the most luxurious hotels.
Somerset has a long history of apple growing and Cyder production. Included in our stay was an opportunity to learn about the history of Cyder in the area as well as enjoy some generous tastes of the Newt’s numerous (delicious) varieties.
All the animals we encountered on property were so sweet, but particularly the striking White Cattle whose pasture was located in close proximity to our cottage.
Due to the heat we ended up dining both nights at The Botanical Room as the the Farmyard Kitchen unexpectedly closed since the cooking is done primarily on an indoor grill and the management decided it would be too hot for the kitchen staff. There are several menus offered at the Botanical Room including a vegan one so I was happy. Everything was beautifully presented and the produce was likely just harvested each morning.
While we unfortunately didn’t get a chance to have dinner at the Farmyard we did enjoy a breakfast there and it was as delicious as it was photogenic.
If we had stayed longer at the Newt we may have been tempted to venture off property to explore surrounding towns (Bath is nearby and while I haven’t been in decades it is most certainly worth a visit) but as it was we were content to keep wandering, ultimately finding ourselves lounging by the pool. While we did not have time to avail ourselves of any spa services I am confident that they would have been sublime.
We did opt to dine in the Garden Café one afternoon which is open to the public for breakfast and lunch. Consistent with all of our experiences thus far the service was friendly and the food simple, fresh and artfully presented. A highlight? Chocolate mousse with raspberries.
The Roman Villa Museum at The Newt incorporates Roman ruins unearthed on- site in the 1800’s into a fascinating interactive museum and Villa re-creation that easily occupied us for a couple of hours. It is free to guests but open to day visitors of the property and is absolutely worth one’s time.
Similar to our Cyder tasting we also spent time with the resident entomologist on property as well partaking in an extensive honey tasting with the head beekeeper, both fascinating and delicious!
I truly adored our stay at the Newt and would love to return when the weather isn’t as much of a factor. It checked every box for me: a dreamlike setting, attention paid to every detail, enthusiastic staff, farm animals, world class gardens and old-time British charm. I called each of my sons to suggest it as a perfect destination wedding locale, it was that good. Supporting that pipe dream I just learned the The Newt has recently added Yarlington Lodge to their portfolio- an ideal spot for the wedding party to stay!! If one of my boys and their significant others takes me up on the idea I will report back.
Before we knew it it was time to leave The Newt and head to our next stop, Estelle Manor in the Cotswolds. Be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already so you don’t miss a post!