To the manor born: families get the royal treatment at Ellenborough Park

Pack up your kids for a Cotswolds spa break. Lisa McGarry recommends luxury Ellenborough Park hotel, where children stay and eat free during school holidays.

A warm welcome at Ellenborough Park

A Cotswolds spa break where relaxation reigns

We arrived at Ellenborough Park on a beautiful April day, to be greeted like long-lost family by the friendly staff. One glance at the happy guests milling around, clad in fluffy robes or smart country attire, looking supremely relaxed whilst bathed in mellow Cotswolds sunlight with views of acres of rolling fields, told us we’d landed on our feet.

We had a tour to get our bearings, discovering that the main house was originally built in 1485, and was expanded by various prominent families over the years (including the De la Beres, who had the expensive honour of hosting King George III in 1788). It became a hotel in 1973, and a major 2008 renovation extended the estate to 90 acres and restored the historic charm to its full glory.

Manor Suite, Ellenborough Park

Glorious Ellenborough Park and its many amenities

And Ellenborough Park is certainly glorious, with three dining rooms a brasserie, restaurant, and afternoon tea spot, all beautifully decorated; a stunning heated outdoor pool; Elemis spa; plentiful family activities, and a spa garden complete with sauna, jacuzzi and ice plunge pool, perfect for family hangs with older kids.

Regarding the plunge pool: yes we did, and good thing there’s a bubbling jacuzzi right next to it to hop into afterwards (with glasses of bubbles on call)! It was very refreshing indeed.

Then there are the gorgeous grounds, just begging to be explored, with sweeping views across the Gloucestershire countryside. You can walk to Cheltenham Racecourse across a field or two in minutes, very handy for a jolly day out at the races. The views are so lovely out the front of the hotel that there are loungers overlooking the fields. I even went running before breakfast to enjoy the surroundings, though there’s also a fully-equipped gym.

Explore the beautiful surroundings of Ellenborough Park

Children stay free during school holidays on these Cotswolds spa breaks

One big clue that Ellenborough Park loves families is the free stays for kids of 16 and under during all the school holidays, when sharing their parents’ rooms (under-5s go free year round). The best rooms for families are the Junior Suites, Manor Suites or The Lodge: a beautiful cottage in the grounds with a large private garden.

You’ll find thoughtful little gifts in the rooms on arrival, and cute extras for kids such as a fairy-lit adventure Teepee and Yoto players; kid-friendly podcasts and audio books; kids’ menus and mocktails in the restaurants; a kiddie breakfast and milkshake bar, and even sweet little Le Chameau wellies free to borrow in the Dubarry Boot Room before heading out into the 90-acre estate for some fun exploring: don’t forget to fill in the Ellenborough Park Activity Book afterwards.

Heated outdoor pool, Ellenborough Park

A spa break full of historic grandeur

We stayed in the main hotel building, and our room was exceptionally spacious and luxurious with an enormous bed and décor straight out of a Tudor fantasy. It looked out over the dining pods in the grounds, plus more rolling fields. There was also a massive bathroom with free-standing bath, and lovely toiletries.

We had lunch in the Horse Box Brasserie, a lovely sunny spot whether inside or out, thanks to the glass skylight roof. They have a really fresh, locally-sourced menu, as well as great fish and seafood options.

One afternoon we took a trip to Sudeley Castle, just a few minutes’ drive away, for more spacious grounds including atmospheric ruins and life-sized wooden elephant sculptures, as well as another fascinating history to discover. It was the home of Catherine Parr, the wife who survived Henry VIII, though sadly she died a few days after giving birth to the child she conceived with third husband and castle owner, Thomas Seymour. It became a tourist attraction in Victorian times, and Lady Ashcombe inherited its running when her husband, Mark Brocklehurst-Dent, died: she’s now been at the helm for more than 50 years.

We were lucky enough to have tea in the sitting room with the Lady herself and her cute dogs Rudy and Tulah, as well as a tour of the more private areas in the castle. A refined occasion, where even the scones were extra-fluffy, and which the dogs were keen to snaffle!

Baths with lovely views, Ellenborough Park

Fabulous food and a royal pampering

Dinner at the restaurant was fantastic, think elevated classics with innovative and delicious twists. Children’s menus are available for younger kids, in case elevated fabulousness is not their thing. The cuisine was exceptional, and a selection of desserts rounded everything off nicely, including a passionfruit soufflé that should have arrived with a drum roll.

Breakfast ticked all the boxes from elegance to indulgence to great coffee, with a cute kids’ breakfast station  for little ones to get involved with – involving all manner of exciting toppings.

You can also order your hot dishes alongside the buffet; Eggs Benedict/Royale/Florentine seemed very popular, though they really do have everything. It’s the perfect way to get set up for a long day’s adventuring.

The kids’ breakfast station

Spa time and chocolate making workshops

I had a spa treatment with a wonderful therapist, which was half massage, half facial – perfect for the indecisive.

We also did an Easter egg-making workshop through Cheltenham Chocolates, which was not only fun but delicious, and allowed us to get artsy, messy, and full of chocolate all at once. Highly recommended and pretty unique: ask the staff about workshops ahead of your visit. No comment on whether the eggs lasted until Easter, but our willpower was not strong.

I got very attached to Ellenborough Park during our stay. It’s a home from stately home, and so peaceful whilst feeling vibrant and switched on: both sanctuary and social space. It couldn’t be more ideal for kids (and dogs are welcome too), so next time you fancy a Cotswolds spa break that’s also a total family-pleaser, you really can’t do better than this five-star slice of paradise and its sprawling English country garden.

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