Bowood Hotel, Spa & Golf Stay & Play Review

Review by Golfshake Ambassador Rob Treanor

Bowood Hotel, Spa & Golf resort has developed a reputation as a top-class destination. The family owned venue made a significant investment to add a luxury hotel and spa to the existing facilities on the Estate. Golfshake sent Ambassador Rob Treanor along to experience the delights of Bowood.

The Bowood Estate comprises the beautiful and historic Bowood House and gardens, a suite of best in class golf facilities, as well as the recently developed boutique hotel and spa. Quality and sophistication are themes which run throughout the impressive site, with both the golf course and hotel complex enjoying excellent reputations.

Golf

The Dave Thomas designed course is now the PGA venue for the South West. The excellent 18-hole Championship course is supported by a full complement of practice facilities, including a range and executive course for honing the short game. The par 72 course features 18 very strong holes, with perhaps the highlight being the delightful par five 6^th, featuring a dogleg, split fairway and multi-tiered green!

Read the Golfshake Feature Review of this Highly Recommended Course.

Accommodation

The 43 boutique rooms are generous in size, offering lovely views of the hotel grounds and the estate beyond. Large, comforting robes, tremendously soft towels and cushioned carpet under foot make the experience extremely comfortable... perhaps even more so than home! The luxury feel continues in the bathroom with top quality fixtures and fittings and large, walk in showers.

It is the little touches which really make this hotel a delight to spend time in. Delicious home baked cookies and excellent quality coffee are included in the welcome packs. The large and luxuriant beds are extremely comfortable and conducive for a fantastic night’s sleep.

For the ultimate treat, the Queenwood Lodge offers four private bedrooms in a secluded Georgian house set in a private area of the estate. This impressive country house comes with full use of the hotel’s facilities and even features a personal private host.

Food & Drink

The quality of food in the hotel’s Shelburne restaurant is genuinely impressive. Open throughout the day, it offers classics such as a divine club sandwich, amongst other delicacies including a sophisticated afternoon tea, which can be enjoyed with the splendor of the grounds and academy course in view from the large windows adjoining the restaurant. In the summer months, luxury seating on the outdoor terrace makes for a great way to enjoy a pre-dinner drink.

The evening atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, with mood lighting and comfortable seating at the bar, which leads onto a patio at the rear. The excellent menu at the Shelburne provides great choice, with the standard of cooking genuinely exceptional. The vegetarian and vegan choices are abundant, something which is often a hallmark of quality at modern, progressive establishments such as Bowood.

Away from the hotel restaurant, the golf club has its own clubhouse brasserie with an outdoor terrace offering hearty fare to hungry golfers from breakfast through to dinner. This informal area has its own dedicated bar, meaning the clubhouse area maintains a distinct identity from the hotel’s main dining facilities, with those staying at the hotel able to make use of either.

Spa

The luxurious spa features a good-sized swimming pool and jacuzzi which boast wonderful views of the glorious hotel grounds offered by the floor to ceiling glass windows. The steam room is fitted with starry, mood lighting to create an atmosphere of tranquility and ambience.

An array of treatment rooms allows for a full pampering experience with a new relaxation area and a spa bar to unwind in. The intelligent touches, a theme throughout the venue, continue in the spa area with compostable water tubs helping to reduce the environmental impact of the facility.

Sometimes a spa can feel like an afterthought, with the result not quite matching the standard set in other areas of a venue. The thoughtful design of the facilities at Bowood is delivered with precision approaching perfection.

Other Activities

As if the golf course, hotel, gym and spa weren’t enough to keep you busy, the Estate is also home to the wonderful Bowood House and Gardens. A short and pleasant walk from the hotel through the grounds, this historic house is still home to the family today. Various public areas are open throughout the year to visitors with free admission to those staying at the hotel. The public areas of the house showcase a stunning range of fascinating historic artifacts.

The gardens bordering Bowood House are truly magnificent. With award winning formal areas fronting the house and rustic woodlands to the rear, an ideal setting for a walk. The impressive adventure playground features a range of enormous slides and climbing frames are the stuff of only the wildest childhood dreams. This superb facility will excite and delight younger visitors, leaving their parents envious for having grown up too big to take part!

Summary

Everything about this sumptuous venue has been carefully designed with peace, relaxation and tranquility in mind. Quality is abundant in all areas of the hotel, though perhaps the standout feature is the exceptionally helpful team of staff who provide a truly five-star experience.

Bowood is a place I would return to in a heartbeat.