Where would you stay? Babington, Cowley, Ickworth....anywhere else?!

[alp]

With a DH who was in hospital during December and us having to reschedule our skiing holiday we are in need of a bit of TLC so there is me, DH and DD (4)

We've stayed at Babington but if it is raining would the it all go stir crazy as there isn't loads of space? We've stayed at Moonfleet and Woolley but would like somewhere new. What about Cowley? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Anyone?

How about Calcot Manor?

child friendly, spa, good food etc

Cowley is lovely, we went there on honeymoon. Whatley Manor also very good I believe.

calcot or whatley
not ickworth

Whatley - will have a look - Not Ickworth? It looks lovely. Thanks for the replies!

I've always wanted to go to Morston Hall...

Whateley's website says no kids under 12 so thats out then until we can bag a weekend babysitter.

we had a bad experience at ickworth

good location, shocking service

oh hello pph - haven't seen you around for a while. all well with the peaheads?

Ahh......thats a shame about ickworth - Morston hall looks really lovely - I like the mention of 'well behaved children are welcome' and little extras like sewing kits available in the rooms!

oh i always cringe when they say "well behaved children welcome".

translation: "children not really welcome but we will take your money anyway as long as we can't hear or see them very much".

indeed, bossykate

Ickworth has lovely grounds, set up with stuff for kids (bikes, trampoline, adventure playground). Food was good, reasonable wine list. Spa was pokey. Service was non-existant:- really and truly non-existant. It took me 15 minutes to find someone when I arrived, and there were 2 couples who were hanging around trying to check out - not impressive when you're paying £750 a night. I also felt that the rooms were a bit small for the price tbh, but we booked a separate room for the dcs, so I expect that the larger rooms go to families all in together.

Whatley is worth getting a weekend babysitter for imo.

can you give us a bit more to go on? location? spa necessary? do you definitely want a kids club/activities? do you want something glamorous and swanky with cachet - or will a friendly welcome and enough facilities do the job?

i've been to woolley grange and the ickworth and imho they were both fine - but the lfh group really does big up expectations which are not quite delivered. imho.

OK - location we are in the South East so 3 hrs-ish would be our max travelling. Family friendly not kids club especially - a pool would be great and poss of a massage an added bonus

Have never been here, but it looks quite nice (i-escape a great website btw) and maybe good with your dd (they have loft room with extra space for child...)
Wouldn't go without personal recommendation though....

i've been to The Priory Bay Hotel, Isle of Wight and Mallory Court Hotel, nr Leamington Spa recently and i really liked both of them, although they don't have kids clubs and lots of fancy schmancy stuff especially for kids i thought they were both perfectly child friendly for a 6 and 3 yo. neither has a spa either. babysitting can be arranged at both. IoW and Warwickshire both have tons and tons of stuff for kids. depends what you're after really.

btw in terms of value for money, i got an absolutely enormous 2 bed suite at Mallory Court for £575 per night. i know that's not cheap but very good value for money, imo, compared with the lfh chain, and the service was fantastic - nothing was too much trouble.

we recently tried the newest addition to the lfh chain - the elms in the west midlands

fantastic

all eager to please

rooms recently done

spa to be completed in spring

new creche

staff yet to reach stage of hating small children

a short drive to safari park and cadbury world

hardly dare mention it in fact, in case it gets as busy as the other ltf hotels

sorry x-posted! will have a think.

i think Careys Manor, New Forest looks good. it has a spa and the new forest is a great place to bring kids. they also have a 10% discount if you go car free!

otoh, if money is no object why not go to whatley manor?

staff eager to please - then that is a rareity (sp?) thanks for all the help so far you guys are great!

whately manor is no kids otherwise I would have been booked in!

is it? if you prefer the babington vibe to the lfh vibe, i think cowley might suit, from what i've read, haven't been there. if you prefer the lfh type experience then i think calcot manor is more in that mould - again from research only

actually this is useful for me. i would like to go away for the weekend somewhere for my forthcoming ahemtieth birthday.

i like the look of the one orangina linked to. also there is the newish meridien in hampshire - again if money no object. when i enquired the suites were £800 per night which was too much for me.