Runnymede Hotel and Spa

This is the sibling of the very so glamorous Grove, so we had high expectations.
When we arrived I was concerned by the blandness of the outside
Well they say don't judge a book by its cover and don't judge a hotel but the outside.
Inside its just as glamorous as its older sister, but with lovely quirky extras like a carnival display of ducks.
Ducks are quite a theme you can even feed real ones on the lawns outside. or tuck into duck cookies thoughtfully left in the bedrooms for midnight feasts.
The Runnymeade staff are just wonderful simply cannot do enough to help and are brilliant with children. Our children were greeted with a goody bag full of activities and a duck called Doris.
We had large interconnecting rooms which are stylishly designed with luxurious bathrooms full of The White Company goodies.
It was raining when we got there - don't know why but everytime we go away its rains so we didn't get to see the ground, but from the window they are picturesque with lawns running down to the river Thames.
We chose to have the early ducklings dinner reservation, again what a brilliant idea. This is the family dining time so it means no tutting from the other guests as you dc's run riot. Instead of which the dc's are making their own pizzas or burgers.
The buffet is amazing; you can chose from sushi to sausages, italian to indian.
Dessert is every kind of including a very tempting chocolate fountain.
And chocolate ducks.
There is, if you want it, a posh restaurant and babysitting on request.
The hotel also has a lovely spa with indulgent looking treatments,which I didn't try but would if I had more time. The Spa also has a pool which the children can use at certain times of the day.
The Runnymede is only 20 mins away from Legoland but check your sat nat as my route took me up a complete dead end. So next top tip- go to Legoland in the rain, and definitely get a Q Bot. That combination meant we didn't queue for anything and so enjoyed Legoland to the max.

I would definitely go back, like the Grove the Runnymede can be many things:
A romantic weekend away, a family break to Legoland, a stop off on the way to Heathrow or even a girl's get- away
But for us with DCs aged 5 and 7 its the fact that the staff are so utterly brilliant with children - Happy kids happy me!

A really lovely hotel and spa, quite expensive but worth it as the atmosphere and facilities are great.