Why do a staycation at the Four Seasons Hampshire?
How often do we get actual peace and quiet? Uninterrupted, pure, serenity. In London, it rarely happens – even in the comfort of my own home, between children yelling at the local school and laptop notifications for virtual meetings throughout the day and evening now that I am (1) on a global client project with meetings scaling from Singapore to West Coast USA time zones and (2) in my flat all day, every day. Desperate for a change of scenery and a break from my laptop after three weeks of nonstop work from home life, we decided a mid-October escape to the Hampshire countryside was in order to get out of the city and enjoy a bit of the outdoors.
The Hotel
The Four Seasons Hampshire is set in a beautifully restored Georgian Manor on the 500-acre Dogmersfield park estate in the English countryside. Just over an hour from central London by car or 10 minutes from Fleet railway station (with a 30 min train service from London Waterloo Station), this slice of country living is easily accessible to anybody who fancies the guaranteed luxury of the Four Seasons set in the glorious English countryside.
The hotel feels incredibly personal, due to the caring staff and fantastic service, but actually it’s rather large. There’s three adjoining wings which make up the hotel and a range of room categories reflecting the elegance and splendor of the Georgian era. The doorman was on hand to unload and wipe down our luggage cases (as seems to be the standard for these COVID times) and after our short COVID screening process which consisted of a questionnaire and temperature check as a part of their Lead with Care Safety programme we were well on our way to check in. Everything is finely-tuned, ultra-professional and yet you are greeted like a very welcome friend in an incredibly safe environment.
The Room
For our stay, we had a Garden Room which had pleasant looking views down upon the internal courtyard with the Hampshire hills in the distance. The English-style decor is inline with country living. These rooms are actually in a modern extension of the hotel but are designed with a super comfy bed with down duvets and pillows,, and a couple of plush armchairs for relaxing. In our room there was also lots of storage, super quick WiFi, HD TV and movies on demand, as well as a sizable bathroom soaking bathtub and separate glass shower, all finished in marble. Our room also came with a welcome care kit with two face coverings, sanitised sipes and hand sanitizer. The rooms are the height of luxury and comfort, I’ve never experienced anything like it before.
Amenities & Activities
There are a host of activities on offer at the Four Seasons: from pools and tennis courts, to archery and horse riding at the equestrian center there’s no shortage of activities. Given some of the activities we would have wanted to part take in were closed at the time due to COVID precautions (like clay-pigeon shooting, canal cruises), we decided our weekend should be filled enjoying the available amenities as well as some longer walks to explore around.
The hotel’s spa is located in an 18th century stable block, the spa has created a range of quirky, fantastic spa experiences, using world-famous brands ESPA and Sodashi. Their indoor swimming pool is fantastic and they’ve got lovely indoor sunbeds for reading and chilling out, before nipping out to the outdoor heated vitality spa pool. As expected pre-booking is required for pool and spa use.
With 500 acres in the the estate there was plenty of walking trails around the estate to explore among the grounds. I personally liked seeing the horses, cows, deer, and swans while enjoying the crisp autumn air outside. On one of the days we decided to do a long leisurely walk along the canal to the Exchequer Pub which made for some pretty autumnal photos on my end.
The hotel is also a short drive from Highclere Castle (where Downton Abbey was filmed), Winchester Cathedral, Jane Austen’s home, Hampshire farmers market and Stonehenge is also within driving distance for those keen to explore more.
The Dining Options
Named for the elegant white wildflower that defines the fields of Dogmersfield Park, Wild Carrot incorporates seasonal, natural, locally sourced ingredients from Hampshire markets and its the Four Seasons main restaurant at this location. Our first night we pre-booked dinner at both the bar area which was both cozy and stylish it’s decor while having some cocktails and burgers.
Allowing ourselves to be a little indulgent, we rang down for breakfast one morning and had it delivered to our room one morning after catching up on some much needed sleep. The full english breakfast was included in our room price and was quickly delivered to our room along with a basket of delicious baked goods.
For a pre-dinner tipple the following night, we grabbed some cocktails at the Library room trying out their local beer and gin martinis that are specially made for this estate. We then had a lovely dinner at the Wild Carrot’s main restaurant area indulging in some black truffle specials and pastas with a bottle of wine.
On our last day at the hotel we decided to have breakfast at the same restaurant and the most exciting aspect about this meal was the fluffy blueberry pancakes. As an american who can’t seem to get this in London unless I make this myself it felt like such a treat to have as we wrapped up our weekend.
All in all, I couldn’t have asked for a better retreat to recharge my batteries, get away from being in our London flat 24/7 and enjoy all the things that make the English countryside so special. Throughout my stay I felt as comfortable as I would at home and loved feeling so looked after and indulged. If you’re racking your brains for somewhere to go for a rural retreat, this is your place.
The Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire is located in Dogmersfield, Hampshire, England. For more information and bookings please visit the website.
Disclaimer: All views and photos of the hotel and its services are my own.