De Vere Staverton Estate Stay & Play Report

De Vere Staverton Estate combines an upmarket hotel and spa with a truly memorable golf facility, all conveniently located in the heart of England. The estate encompasses 150 acres of quiet and peaceful grounds, with the jewel in the Staverton crown being its 18-hole championship golf course which is tremendous fun to play. There is much more besides the golf for the rest of your time at the resort as Golfshake Ambassador Rob Treanor found out during a visit.

De Vere Staverton Estate Feature Review

Golf

The excellent par 71 championship course is hugely entertaining. Set in undulating parkland hills, the course bounds through the estate featuring water, large trees to carry and plenty of twists and turns off the tee which create plenty of drama. The fairways are immaculate due to a regular social event where members get together to comb over and repair any damage in exchange for a hearty breakfast. The greens are absolutely superb and these features combined make playing at De Vere Staverton Park an experience to savour.

Accommodation

The hotel is smartly appointed and features a modern and contemporary reception area. The check in service is slick and efficient making arrival at the hotel hassle free. The quality of the staff is a theme which runs throughout the resort and the genuine warmth and attentive service made the stay even more enjoyable.

There are room categories to suit all budgets, though they share a spacious, modern theme and feature all the amenities required for a very comfortable and relaxing stay. Of particular note are the large and comfortable beds which have excellent mattresses and decadently soft pillows, meaning a good night’s sleep is guaranteed!

Food & Drink

The clubhouse attached to the golf facility is impressively large and can cater not only for snacks at the half way point but can also host large parties for post golf events. The bacon roll we put to the test after nine holes (wrapped in foil for convenience) was excellent and may have been a contributing factor to the second nine getting off to a great start!!

Inside the hotel the main bar is a large and contemporary space with a very good selection of bar meals, snacks and drinks. There is a large TV, pool table and plenty of seating. During our visit there was a FA Referee’s conference as well as a wedding which meant the whole venue had a fantastic buzz to it. Despite being busy there was always somewhere to sit and enjoy either the hustle and bustle of the bar or perhaps the lobby area for a quieter experience.

The separate main restaurant has a good choice of food at breakfast and dinner with a buffet style to give you the option to choose exactly what you like. There was a good selection of wines to complement the food which were fairly priced. Again, the De Vere team were excellent with the chefs engaging in a bit of banter and more than happy to carve choice cuts of the very tasty dishes on offer!

The hotel also has a unique coffee shop with dishes to grab on the run. Smart and modern like the rest of the hotel, this innovative offering means there are options to support any schedule!

Spa

Attached to the golf facility is a spa featuring a swimming pool, jacuzzi, steam room, gym and sauna. It also offers a range of treatments if you are in need of some R&R. The spa was the one area of the hotel in need of a little updating to keep it in line the rest of the resort’s more modern design.

Getting There & Nearby Activities

The estate couldn’t be better placed as it is very centrally located making it accessible from every direction. Daventry, Leamington Spa, Northampton and Milton Keynes are just a stone’s throw away which you could use either to access the resort by train, or for a day out.

Because of the venue’s central location, every conceivable leisure activity is available nearby so if there are members of your party who don’t enjoy golf they can still have a very enjoyable trip. From skydiving or indoor skiing to gentler pursuits on the river or quiet countryside walks, the options are almost infinite!

Summary

A hotel is just bricks and mortar, meaning any venue needs to be brought alive by the staff who run it. De Vere Staverton Estate must take pride in the calibre of people it recruits because the high level of service delivered by the team is extremely impressive in all areas of the resort and operates at a level normally aspired to by much more exclusive developments. The value on offer from this establishment is fantastic and my personal opinion is that its reputation will soon grow and mean it can justify operating at a more premium price point. My advice would be to plan your visit very soon as not only will you enjoy a super golf course and excellent facilities besides, but you will be welcomed and waited on like a king.