Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club

Work out, stretch out and chill out, because Ashdown Park’s ethos is that wellness should be rewarding, fun and deeply connected to nature. The Country Club’s first‑class facilities are designed to help you reach your goals. Far more than just a gym, it’s an elite fitness venue set within one of Sussex’s most beautiful estates. 

Start in the high‑tech (and air-conditioned!) health club, packed with state‑of‑the‑art cardiovascular and resistance equipment. If you want guidance or a little extra motivation, the friendly on‑site team is always on hand to help tailor a routine to your exact goals.

Craving variety? Step into the bright, spacious aerobics studio, where a diverse timetable of classes – from heart‑pumping workouts to core‑strengthening sessions – suits every fitness level. Then cool off with a peaceful swim or restorative float in the heated indoor pool. 

Prefer being outdoors? Tee off on the scenic 18‑hole golf course, challenge a partner on the all‑weather tennis courts, test your strategy on the croquet lawn or lace up your trainers to explore the estate’s mapped jogging and nature trails. It’s wellness with a country‑estate twist – invigorating, uplifting and wonderfully connected to the great outdoors.

When it’s time to refuel, the restaurants and bars at Ashdown Park Hotel will transport you straight into a woodland fairytale. They’re all deeply connected to the surrounding Sussex countryside, with a nod to the magic of the ancient Ashdown Forest.

Anderida Restaurant

Named after the Roman name for the forest, the Anderida Restaurant serves sophisticated modern British dishes in a grand, light‑filled dining room overlooking the sweeping lawns. Open for breakfast, lunch and elegant evening dining, it proudly holds two AA Rosettes. The atmosphere is refined and romantic – the perfect excuse to slip out of your fluffy robe and into something a little more glamorous.

Forest Brasserie

Paying tribute to the sprawling woodland on its doorstep, the Forest Brasserie is tucked inside the Country Club complex. The ultimate in contemporary, family-friendly dining, this stylish and laid-back space features a modern seasonal menu that emphasises excellent local sourcing. You can choose from classic comforting plates, nutritious health club dishes – or book a cosy dinner while gazing through floor-to-ceiling windows at the rolling fairways outside.

The Fairways Lounge

Enjoying a daytime spa package or cream tea included with your escape? It takes place here within the buzzy, light-filled spaces of the Country Club lounge and bar area. Offering healthy but tasty meals, chilled glasses of Sussex sparkling wine and decadent treats, the vibe here is intentionally casual. You’re more than welcome to wear your fluffy hotel robe and slippers here – in fact, you’ll blend right in with the relaxed crowd. 

The Cocktail Bar & Drawing Rooms

Back inside the Neo‑Gothic mansion, the intimate Cocktail Bar and plush drawing rooms offer soaring ceilings, carved fireplaces and a timeless sense of grandeur. It’s the perfect spot for an artisanal pre‑dinner gin, a late‑night digestif or a slow morning coffee while soaking up the estate’s historic charm.

Yes, it does. Tucked away just a short stroll from the main historic mansion, the Country Club has a gorgeous, 12m heated indoor swimming pool under a striking vaulted ceiling that gives it a wonderfully grand yet calming feel. The water temperature is kept perfectly warm, and right beside the main pool there’s a large, bubbling spa bath for soaking tired muscles.

You can check-in at 3pm, but if you’re welcome to arrive earlier to enjoy the Country Club facilities before heading up to your room. Check out is at 11am on your day of departure. Spa days generally start at 9am, but times can vary so it’s best to check your booking confirmation.

Oh yes it does, and it feels very much like you’re staying on a private country estate. The hotel has 106 bedrooms and suites split across the historic, 19th-century main mansion house and the more contemporary Country Club wings. But no matter which one you choose, you’ll find plenty of premium touches, like plush towelling bathrobes and slippers, high-end Molton Brown toiletries, a Nespresso machine and a well-stocked tea tray. 

Because the estate sits right on the edge of the forest, rooms facing the front lawns offer a fantastic vantage point. It’s common to wake up in the morning, draw your curtains and spot herds of deer grazing quietly on the grass just beneath your bedroom window!

But if your main goal is spending the day in the spa, skip the main house and ask for the Fairways Suites instead. These massive ground-floor suites are located directly adjacent to the Country Club and spa complex with private patios that open right out onto views of the first tee and the ninth green. 

Yes, it is, and there’s a lift and portable ramps throughout. But because this 19th-century mansion is a very long, historic building, navigating involves covering plenty of distance! If the long corridors pose a challenge, the concierge team keeps manual wheelchairs on-site for guest use and will happily assist with your luggage.

The hotel features dedicated, ground-floor accessible rooms with fully equipped wet rooms, roll-in showers and integrated assistance alert cords. The Country Club and Forest Spa complex is separate from the main house. The easiest path for those with limited mobility is to drive the short distance down from the main house and use the designated disabled parking bays right at the Country Club entrance.

No, there isn’t a rigid, old-fashioned dress code, but the vibe definitely changes depending on where you’re hanging out on the estate! Because the property is a grand, historic mansion, most guests naturally tend to dress up a little bit to match the elegant surroundings, especially in the evenings.

The Anderida Restaurant is the grandest room in the house – and the perfect excuse to dress up. Most guests choose smart casual or formalwear here. For dinner, you’ll see men in collared shirts, blazers or smart trousers, and women in dresses or smart separates. 

Ashdown Park loves welcoming families, and because the estate is nestled right in the real‑life Hundred Acre Wood, it feels like a massive playground for children of all ages. Families can book into Junior Suites with extra beds, comfortable sofa beds or cots, while both restaurants offer children’s menus packed with crowd-pleasing options. They even serve a child-friendly version of their famous afternoon tea! 

Kids are welcome to splash in the indoor heated swimming pool daily from 10am to 12pm, and again from 4pm to 6pm. Or grab a map from reception for The Hundred Aker Trail, a custom walking route through the secret gardens where kids can hunt for fairy houses hidden in the trees. Back on the main lawns, there’s giant garden chess, a croquet lawn and all-weather tennis courts with equipment available to borrow.

While spa rituals are strictly for guests aged 18 and over, teenagers don't have to miss out on the pampering. Children aged 13 and over can join a parent or guardian in the Forest Spa for a special nail file and paint treatment!

Ashdown Park is a paradise for four-legged guests. For £25 per night, your pampered pooch will get a welcome package complete with comfortable beds, food and water bowls, a selection of gourmet treats and a handy supply of waste bags so you can travel light. Dog-friendly rooms feature direct garden access or open up onto private patios, making those first-thing-in-the-morning toilet trips completely effortless.

Dogs are allowed to explore the vast majority of the 186-acre estate on a lead, and the concierge team can hand you a map of the local trails leading directly from the hotel gates straight into the heart of the Ashdown Forest. They’re not allowed to set a paw inside the main pool area, the spa, or the formal Anderida Restaurant – but very good boys and girls are warmly welcomed in the lounges and drawing rooms.

Yes it does, and if you’re an overnight guest you can play for a discounted golf rate – but it’s best to book in advance. Ashdown Park’s golf course is incredibly popular, thanks to its stunning, scenic layout and compact size – rather than a gruelling, long-distance championship course, this is a beautifully designed 18-hole, par-3 course. 

If your swing feels a bit rusty, you can warm up at the hotel’s dedicated covered driving range and putting green. And you don’t need to cram your golf bag into the boot of your car if you’re travelling light. The Country Club offers full golf club and trolley hire on-site.