Fairmont Windsor Park Is The Ultimate Countryside Spa Retreat
By
3 months ago
A pristine hotel set on the edge of Windsor Great Park
If you’re a weary Londoner craving a weekend of R&R, we’ve found the perfect spa break. Just a 30-minute train ride from the capital sits Fairmont Windsor Park, a smart countryside hotel set amid 40 acres of rolling greenery. Home to a giant wellness centre as well as multiple restaurants and bars, it’s up there with some of the country’s top estates – the kind of place you can check in and truly switch off, amid the most glamorous of settings.
Review: Fairmont Windsor Park
STAY
Although Fairmont Windsor Park has the feel of a historic country estate, it’s actually a relatively new opening. Originally a private home, the building underwent a £200 million revamp spearheaded by hotelier Surinder Arora, which saw the property entirely rebuilt in a mock Jacobean style. With its red-brick exterior and sprawling grounds decked out with water fountains, the hotel has a picture-perfect English countryside aesthetic, which makes quite the impression as you arrive via the sweeping driveway.
The wow factor continues inside, where an impressive glass dome atrium floods the lobby with light. All corners of this hotel feel polished, with Dubai-esque interiors – think glittering chandeliers, monochrome marble and high ceilings, alongside a central mirrored hallway.
There are 251 bedrooms, with a variety of categories to choose from, ranging from the smaller Queen Eaves Room to the decadent Signature Royal Suite. We stayed in a Fairmont One Bedroom Suite, a very spacious room complete with a four-poster bed, living area and lavish bathroom with double sinks, a bath and rainfall shower, decked out with Le Labo products created especially for the hotel. Across the hotel, all rooms feature a similar look, with a neutral colour palette and natural stone – many overlooking the grounds.
DO
Relaxation is the order of the day here. The spa is the hotel’s crown jewel – one of the biggest in the country, spanning 2,500 metres squared and boasting super-slick, modern facilities. There are two pools: one indoors boasting in-water daybeds, alongside an outdoor hydrotherapy pool set within a courtyard, surrounded by hanging swing chairs and greenery. Elsewhere you’ll find a Himalayan salt room, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and Japanese foot ritual bath, plus heated loungers, ideal for sinking into with a good book.
An extensive menu of treatments is also on offer, from tailored massages and collagen facials to cryotherapy, acupuncture and hammam rituals, which utilise products from Natura Bissé and La Sultane de Saba. I was treated to a heavenly full body massage, which left me feeling like I was floating on a cloud.
The fitness facilities are also impressive, with a huge, well-equipped gym as well as an outdoor training area, tennis and padel courts. Guests can get involved with group classes too: a varied programme includes reformer Pilates, spinning, yoga, HIIT, boxing and more.
Although the spa has a grown-up feel, the hotel has lots to offer families – including daily children’s swimming sessions. Little visitors will love the outdoor playground, plus Henry’s Fairmont Wood Cabin, a woodland area with its own bird houses and bug hotel. You can also hire bikes and explore the estate, play croquet, or cosy up inside with a board game.
There’s plenty to explore in the local area too, including Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, and the beautiful Windsor Great Park, with its historical monuments and botanical displays.
EAT
With seven different restaurants and bars to choose from, hotel guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to food and drink. Breakfast is served in Moreish, the Mediterranean-inspired, all-day dining restaurant, with a classic British hotel buffet on offer alongside made-to-order dishes including cinnamon waffles, Eggs Benedict and avocado toast.
If you’re after a fine dining experience, book a table at 1215, a sophisticated dining room centred around British cuisine, incorporating ingredients grown in the estate’s own gardens. The menu changes according to the seasons, but we enjoyed delicious starters of beef tartare, and stuffed quail breast with barbecued corn, ahead of mains of Atlantic halibut with poached lobster, and duck breast glazed in Fairmont’s own honey. Dessert was a perfectly light yet indulgent strawberry tart served with clotted cream and elderflower.
For a post-dinner nightcap, stop by 1215 Bar for a cocktail: the Jubilee Garden is a refreshing mix of white peach Grey Goose, apple and raspberry, while whisky lovers will enjoy the Speyside, made with The Macallan Double Cask, port wine, cinnamon and cacao bitters. Afternoon tea, meanwhile, is served in the Orchard Tea Room, a serene space with floral wallpaper, hanging lights and a palette of blue and pink, where you’ll be treated to exquisite pastries, champagne and an extensive selection of teas.
THE FINAL WORD
Whether you’re after a romantic getaway, a spa weekend with your girlfriends or a treat for all the family, Fairmont Windsor Park will not disappoint. Despite its grand look, the hotel feels friendly and relaxed, with kind staff to help cater for your every whim. You’ll leave feeling rejuvenated and spoiled, particularly if you’re a city dweller craving a taste of fresh country air (without having to spend hours in the car). This is a spa hotel done right.
