STOP 1!
SO The Principal Hayley Challenge has begun!!!
What started as one birthday treat somehow jokingly became a challenge, but we got off to a brilliant start.
Destination number one for the Principal Hayley Challenge was Oakley Court in Windsor. I picked it as a treat to Hayley A for her birthday as Windsor is not far from us in Essex but far enough for a night away and chance to explore. When we pulled up in the car the manor house exterior was actually breath taking. The detail in the architecture is stunning and this continues inside throughout the décor. From the moment we stepped inside the staff were welcoming and friendly. We had a quick wander around to look at the 37 acres of land. Located right on the river Thames the hotel has amazing views and as town folk we really enjoyed the amount of greenery around. You wre also able to hire boats(much to Hayley A’s delight!) and we saw a few groups go along to hire the boats for the afternoon after a lunch at the hotel. Not great for those of us who suffer from sea sickness but great opportunity for all others!!
We started the day with a back massage at the body firm spa which is based on the hotel grounds. The staff were lovely and the massages great. We emerged pretty relaxed and ready for a sleep! I also managed to fit in a quick swim and Jacuzzi session before the day was out. Really great facilities, The pool area was incredibly hot though so didn’t feel the need for an additional sauna session!!
The restaurant team were great and fitted us in early for our afternoon tea booking so the day seemed to flow really well . They were young and friendly and made us feel right at home. We sat on the outside terrace and with the sun shining it was hard to believe that it was early May! There are also several lounge areas where you can sit inside – all beautiful and grand without feeling too over the top. We had a selection of sandwiches (special selection for vegetarians!) and cute lil scones then a selection of three cakes each – the highlight being a chocolate caramel slice. I’ll even admit that I was tempted to eat the ones left by the next table….!!! Tramp-ish maybe but they were goooood cakes!! We had a constant top up of tea and checked on to see that we were enjoying it, attentive and caring without being overbearing. It was the setting that really made it, looking out at the hotel and then across to the green and fountain. We felt like royalty! Very apt for the royal wedding weekend!
The room was amazing – I booked a deluxe twin room so we had a single bed each but there was so much space. We were in the East wing with a great view back over the river and the terrace where we had eaten afternoon tea. The hotel feels big and with different wings and adjoining annexes there are a myriad of staircases that run throughout. But each of those still have a real sense of history.
On one staircase we found the knight’s suit then at the top of one staircase we found the William Avery suite (Hayley A to track whether he is a relative!!). Even the corridors had a real attention to detail with pictures, antique wooden tables and information points. Great night sleep – the hotel was quiet and beds comfy. No freeview on the TV though, but who goes away to sit and watch hundreds of channels??
My favourite room though would be the library, which has the wow factor – full of regal looking armchairs and surrounded by a wealth of books but also a collection of board games, including a wooden turn table version of scrabble. Yes fellow scrabble fans, it was impressive!!! The kind of room you could just sit in for hours and still find things to look at – inside and out.
Breakfast = favourite meal of the day so I did actually look forward to this! We got the £59 room deal with breakfast included. I would say that the choice probably would have been greater if we had risen a bit earlier but there was still a good selection. Cooked bits, cereals, danishes, fruit on offer, with toast and other speciality cooked items available on request. Great start to the day. Oh and Tiptree jam always makes me smile – a lil bit of Essex to make us feel at home! Good choice guys.
On checking out of the hotel we went to the nearby Windsor races for a flutter on the horses, and also went for a wander around Windsor town centre. The Oakley Court was brilliantly located for this – although you did need a car or cab to get around it didn’t take long to do it. A cab into Windsor on Saturday night cost us about £10 each way though would advise that the area is not suited for those looking for a big night out but there are some lovely restaurants to go to.
Was sad to leave the hotel – would definitely go back for more nights next time…
