Down Hall Hotel & Spa

Don’t forget your leggings! Nailing your fitness goals is easy when you’re soaking up the stunning surroundings at Down Hall Hotel & Spa. There’s a state-of-the-art gym packed with equipment to help you work up a sweat, with two treadmills, a reclined bike, two cross trainers, a rowing machine, stretching mats and Reebok medicine balls. You’ll never be stuck for something to do.

But with 110 acres of glorious grounds to make the most of, why exercise indoors when there’s fun to be had (and calories to be burned) in the fresh air? Try the Trim Trail hidden throughout the woodland and test your fitness on balance beams and monkey bars. Or just pick up a map of the grounds from reception and hike, jog or power walk in the natural beauty.

Sporty type? Try padel tennis, a combination of traditional tennis and squash. Fans say it's addictive, so it could be a new hobby you’ll want to do at home. A game of boules will make you feel like you’re in the South of France or book a tennis court and play a game of doubles to get fit with friends.

You’ve nurtured your body with heat and water. You’ve nourished it with a luxurious treatment at Eden Spa. Now it’s time to nibble on something delectable, and Down Hall has just the thing. Some truly indulgent options await, and they all use produce sourced from the hotel’s own kitchen garden. 

The Garden Room

Fancy something fancy? The Garden Room is the hotel’s elaborate dining room. When you’ve stopped gazing up at the gorgeous wallpaper you’ll enjoy innovative fine dining from a modern English menu and mouth-watering Sunday lunches, where freshly picked produce from the kitchen garden is always the star of the show. 

The Terrace 

For something a little lighter (or perhaps a post-spa cocktail or two) try the cool, contemporary Terrace. With beautiful views of the landscaped garden, the outdoor bar, comfy furniture and heaters add a laid-back vibe. For lunch, try its famous small plates and sharing boards while you sip, scoff and socialise with the soothing sound of the fountain adding to the ambience.

The Fox Bar 

Love to have an aperitif before dinner? The Fox Bar is the ideal place. Nestled in the relaxing atmosphere of the Main House, you can pull up a comfy chair and settle in for the night in the refined lounge-like surroundings.

Afternoon tea

Served in the Lounge or al fresco during the summer months, this treat-to-remember is blissfully indulgent. With themed menus that change with the season, a selection of savoury bites and pastries created by the hotel’s Head Chef can be washed down with the tipple of your choice.

No, there’s no swimming pool, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be unwinding in water. Bring your cossie because the hydrotherapy pool at Down Hall Hotel & Spa isn’t just kept at a toasty 36 degrees to soothe your aches and pains. This is one bubbling spa bath with the wow-factor. Our reviewers rave about its size and its stunning centrepiece – an incredible fountain, with a skylight above it.

Tempted to turn your spa day into a spa stay? We hear you. Down Hall Hotel & Spa boasts 98 bedrooms, all tastefully designed to reflect the elegance of this historic property. All the rooms in the main house are unique and full of

traditional character. Classic and Executive bedrooms are spacious and comfortable, whilst Feature Rooms benefit from exemplary views.

Yes it is. There’s a fully accessible unisex toilet located off the lobby area by the Bridgeman Selwin Suite, and two accessible bedrooms on the ground floor with wet room bathrooms. The newer part of the hotel, called the West Wing, has a lift to each floor. 

However, areas in the older part of the building, The Mansion House, aren’t always quite so easy to access. There’s no lift, and all bedrooms involve a climb up one or two staircases. This part of the building consists of Doubles, Deluxe Doubles, Mansion House Features and Suites.

For residential stays at Down Hall Hotel & Spa, check-in time is from 3pm. Then, on your day of departure, your room must be vacated by 11am. But you’re welcome to stay and use the facilities and the hotel will store your luggage for you.

While you’re welcome to drift around the Eden Spa in your robe and slippers, the dress code in restaurants, bars and public areas is smart/casual.

Feel like you’ve seen this beautiful mansion and its manicured lawns before? You may well be right. Down Hall Hotel was the beautiful backdrop for the 2020 and 2021 series of Great British Bake Off, when the famous white tent (plus a cast and crew of some 120 people) pitched up here after Covid restrictions meant it had to move from its usual Berkshire location.

Although both the Barn Spa and Eden Spa are adults-only havens, the hotel is very family-friendly, with children’s dining along with spacious family rooms that let you all spread out, along with connecting rooms for older teens. 

There’s plenty to keep them entertained and active, thanks to the outdoor playground, trim trail, tennis, padel tennis and badminton court, French boules and giant chess set.

It is! Four-legged friends can stay for £20 per night, and they’ll get their own water bowl, dog bed and treat box. Each of the pet-friendly rooms have double doors leading onto an external area within the grounds. There’s plenty of room for walkies in Down Hall’s 110 acres, while waggy tails are welcome in lounges and on the outdoor restaurant terrace.

No, there’s no golf course onsite but there is some good news for those who like to pamper and putt. Turn your spa stay into a golf escape by combining it with a round at Bishops Stortford’s private golf club, just a 20-minute drive away. This mature 18-hole parkland course (par 71) offers the perfect test of skill for all players.