Could this be the best UK luxury family-friendly hotel closest to London?
Spoiler alert I think it’s certainly is.
The Grove Hotel in Watford has meant so much to me for years. It’s where we celebrated both my mum and Dad’s 70th birthdays plus friends’s weddings another important family moments.
So as you can imagine, I was delighted to be back here for the night with my mini Bestie. I’ve stayed here a few times but long before I had my children.
If you’re new here, it’s my mission to find hotels that are great for kids but that parents will love too!
What is The Grove
Self-proclaimed as London’s Country Retreat, The Grove is less than an hour drive from central London (18 miles!) and a mere 20 minutes from London Euston into Watford Junction. Of course Watford isn’t known for being the most glamourous place in the world but once you arrive at this 18th century country house that is set in 300 acres of countryside including a championship golf course you feel like you are world’s away from the city.
After 30 years on the luxury hotel scene, The Grove has remained an absolute dependable classic and has won many awards for their hospitality, spa and golf course. They’ve even hosted the entire England football team!
Our Room and Interiors at The Grove
Made up of the original 18th Century manor and the West Wing added in 2003 with rooms in both, the design of The Grove seamlessly blends old and new.
The modern lobby sets the tone for the hotel’s contemporary style and art is a key feature throughout the property.
Adjacent are the lounges, designed by Martin Hulbert, in a beautiful more traditional style and each one elegant and unique.
It’s worth noting that The Grove has a huge amount of event space too. We hired one of the rooms for my dad’s 70th and it was perfect.
We stayed in a Deluxe Room and though this time it was only Noah and I, these rooms can actually fit four people. This is something I find to be a rarity nowadays as a family of four usually needs to have a suite or two interconnecting rooms. I loved the green tones of the room echoing the rolling countryside outside. Plus it was really spacious with lots of the storage, a cot for Noah, mini bar and nespresso machine. They even provided a cute mini robe and slippers plus kids toiletries. For an extra touch you can book the Scandiborn sleepover kits!
We also loved our terrace with the garden view and it was amazing having breakfast out here in the sunshine.
A roll top bath is always sheer elegance, and just crying to be filled to the brim with bubbles for a toddler splash! And the toileteries for adults are beautiful Bamford, a reason alone to celebrate!
We were also greeted with the best melt in the mouth cookies and chocolates!
The Grounds at The Grove
Set in 300 acres, The Grove covers everything from immaculately sculpted gardens and water features, wild bluebells woods and forests to a championship golf course. I also find it fun to look out for the unique sculptures dotted around the landscape.
There’s something for every generation in the grounds, from little feet exploring the expansive grounds, partaking in one of the many active outdoor activities, chilling on the terraces, admiring the gardens or packing up your golf clubs and getting in a round.
Activities
Where to start… there’s so many!
Asher’s Activity centre was our first port of call on arrival as I had booked a Mini Landies experience for Noah.
Older children can also do archery, ax throwing, air rifle shooting and woodland hawking. Plus you can also hire bikes to explore the grounds. There are no horse stables on site but the hotel can also organise horse riding from age 4 and above.
Behind the woods is this children’s playground (anyone else find you can offer your child all manner of cool experiences but they’re happiest at the playground?).
A soft play suitable for young children.
And a Anouska’s pool, the dedicated children’s indoor pool.
The piece de resistance to our stay was the Walled Garden and Ralph’s Beach a seasonal installation that we were lucky to experience.
Ralph’s encompasses a stylish bar serving drinks, snacks and most importantly for Noah, ice cream.
There’s plenty of comfortable places to sit plus cabanas that can be hired.
There’s a heated outdoor pool – because trust me you would not get me in a cold outdoor pool in the UK!
And then this whole beach area with an arts and craft tent, toddler mud kitchen-type area, game zone and even a spa tent.
Honestly, I rarely feel like I’m really on holiday when I’m away in the UK but on a sunny May day there really were holiday vibes.
During summer there will be a Everyman pop cinema with complimentary screenings. Plus there are other activities during the school holidays such as Pocket Towns (mini role play village), a petting zoo and sporting camps. The hotel is great when it comes to seasonality and there’s always fun extra things going on, I also spied an indoor football inflatable game and a Charlotte Tilbury pop up (see I told you this place was great for parents and kids alike!)
As well as all these activities for kids there is so much for adults too. The Grove is home to one of the UK’s most prestigious golf courses, there’s tennis courts, the gym and a the Sequoia Spa which has been refurbished but unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to check it out. The spa is home to 18 treatment rooms, 22 metre pool and jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.
Childcare at The Grove
Anouska’s Kids Club is the hotel’s OFSTED registered kids club for children aged 2 – 9. Though I didn’t put Noah in there we did have a nose around and its a really cosy and nurturing space. They provide a full schedule of activities plus there’s a private garden and play park.
Anouska’s Kids’ Club is open throughout the school holidays and on Saturdays all year round for children of hotel residents and spa members.
- Monday – Friday (during school holidays) 10am – 1pm and 2pm – 5pm
- Sunday (during school holidays) 10am – 1pm
- Saturday (all year round) 10am – 1pm and 2pm – 5pm
School holiday sessions can be booked in three-hour time slots and cost £45 per child. Babysitting is also available.
Food at The Grove
The Grove is well known for excellent food offerings and I took it as my duty to try as many of the restaurants as possible. All restaurants are child-friendly and have high chairs and a kids menu to match the cuisine.
Let’s start with Skew’d, located in the hotel’s seasonal Walled Garden. Skew’d serves modern Turkish food in the most gorgeous indoor / outdoor setting. There truly is nothing, just nothing, better for a British person than eating outside once the sun starts shining and when the barbecue is blazing and you have a rose in your hand, that’s true happiness.
We ordered a mezze plus Aegean salad, coal fired sea bass with hand-cut chips, shepherd salad and king prawns cooked in garlic and herb butter.
Next up, The Glasshouse, arguably The Grove’s signature experience. Now I’m not a huge fan of buffets, but this buffet is different… it’s one of the world’s best! It featured on Netflix’s Million Dollar Buffet with Grace Dent just to give you some idea. It’s so much more than your average buffet with live cooking stations and dishes cooked a la minute right in front of you.
Begin with starters including salads (straight from Jemima’s Kitchen Garden), caviar (unlimited!), sushi and sashimi carved directly in front of you, fruit de mer, a grazing corner of charcuterie and cheese. Move on to the main courses and there are British roasts, a Thai corner, pizza and pasta stations, a Tandoor oven and then finally move on to the sweet station with the renowned chocolate fountain. I’ve been coming here for years and the excellence of this buffet has always endured!
Next up is the Stables, Mr S, Oscar, my mum and in laws all came to meet us for lunch here the night after our stay. It’s actually always been my mum’s favourite option at The Grove. Right by the golf course and adjacent to the Golf shop, it’s perfect for a sunny lunch. It’s British brasserie style but has the friendly feeling of your local pub but elevated! Classics are on the menu such as burgers, salad, fish and steak. I loved our shared starters of sardines and mussels and my sea bass was excellent. The boys has a brilliant fish and chips too as there is a matching kids menu!
The final restaurant Madhu’s which offers the taste of New Delhi, I didn’t try this one but it’s a good reason to come back. And they have a children’s menu! They also offer a High Chai afternoon tea!
There’s also sushi platters offered in the lounge (I saw some of these come out and they looked amazing!)
Final Thoughts
Service is quintessentially British and everything is done with the utmost formality but still with a joke and a smile! It’s no wonder we’ve been coming here for years, The Grove may come at a price tag but our stay was flawless. It’s truly one of those places that gives me a happy feeling inside. I already want to come back and experience the cinema, afternoon tea and Madhu’s!
*PR STAY
Great for Kids
Loads of activities eg Mini Landies, swimming, playground, soft play.
The hotel goes all out for the seasons. There’s lots on for summer but October half term / Halloween and Christmas look great too.
Children’s food isn’t an after thought. Menus are curated to match the restaurant’s cuisine.
Great for Parents
Multiple restaurants to choose from with excellent food quality.
Newly renovated spa.
Beautiful interior design around the hotel and in the rooms. Plus gorgeous grounds.
PIN IT!!!
