Stop 13.  Wotton House

Stop 13 brings us to the delightful Wotton House which is set in 13 acres of beautiful listed gardens in the Surrey Countryside, just outside Dorking.

The stunning driveway leads to the 17th century property with its Italian gardens, the first to be built in England.

We were lucky enough to be staying in a double superior room where we had the luxury of White company toiletries, slipper and robes. The room was spacious with 2 armchairs, an en suite and a huge flat screen TV. We also had a lovely view over the gardens to one of the temples in the Italian gardens.

The room had just finished a makeover and was clean and fresh.

The rest of the hotel has also had a recent refurbishment and looks amazing. The public areas are warm and inviting and the rooms are comfortable and well equipped. We spent our first evening in the Tempus restaurant and were pleased to try some new additions to the menu. The mini toad in the hole was delicious!

After our meal we decided to explore the hotel. We came across the breathtaking Old Library which is used for events and weddings. The vaulted ceiling and huge fireplace makes this room a truly grand place for any celebration. The Orangery bar is also a great place to relax with its airy feel and views over the garden.

We were very impressed with the breakfast served at Wotton house with the addition of smoothies and porridge to the regular breakfast buffet menu.

After breakfast we headed to the nearby Denbies Wine Estate where we had a very informative tour and were able to try 3 of the sparkling wines produced on the estate. We would definitely recommend visiting here whilst staying at Wotton. There is also a brewery next door and during the summer months you are able to take a land train to see where the vines are grown.

For our evening meal we decided to head into Dorking, 5 minutes from the hotel. We ate in a little Italian called Viva which was warm and friendly. The food was delicious and reasonably priced.

The Gardens

Although we didn't use the facilities, the hotel also has a leisure club with a swimming pool with spa, sauna and a steam room. There is also a hard surface tennis court

On our way home we  took advantage of the last day of ice skating at Hampton Court Palace which is about 30 mins from the hotel. Overall we had a great stay at the hotel and would reccomend it as a good base for exploring Surrey and the west of London.

Stop 12: Christmas time at the Russell...

As our Christmas treat we decide to indulge on a London city break using the Hotel Russell as our base. Built in 1898, The Russell is an iconic Victorian hotel which looks over the famous Russell square.

The hotel was in full Christmas spirit with a beautiful Christmas tree in the hallway and decorations trailing the stairs. The reception staff, as always were happy and helpful and as we arrived early were more than happy to store our luggage for us while we headed into town. The hotel is an ideal base for the West End and we decided to spend our afternoon at the theatre. After a matinee of the musical "Loserville", we enjoyed some retail therapy in Oxford street, snapping up some new Christmas jumpers!

Returning to the hotel we checked into our room. We chose a standard double and had plenty of room with a flat screen television and an en suite bathroom. The room was finished to a high standard and the bed was very comfortable!

We spent the evening at Winter wonderland which was just a short tube ride away. It was a cold night and we were glad to get back to the warmth of our room! Our stay ended with a delicious Principal Hayley breakfast.

The Hotel Russell is a delightful hotel full of charm and character and a great London base for shopping and going to the theatre.