A Spa break minimoon with golf and gluttonous champagne and lobster dinners? Yes please says Wersha Bharadwa, who headed down to The Belfry on the outskirts of Birmingham for a luxury weekend break of pampering and relaxation.
Let’s get a few things cleared up: The Belfry isn’t simply a hotel resort or an award-winning spa or a world class golf destination: it’s all of those things. What makes it even more special is that leafy, well-heeled Sutton Coldfield location in the Heart of England – only an hour and an half from London and within easy reach from the North too since it’s a straight shot from the M6, M42, or M40. Down the road you have Birmingham city centre and its cultural delights including The Rep Theatre and Birmingham Hippodrome (a 20-minute drive away) and Warwick Castle and National Trust properties like Baddesley Clinton and Packwood House are close too.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
On arrival, it’s a wonderfully warm and smooth check-in service from Nikki and Becky in guest relations to ensure you start your minimoon without a single care in the world. The resort is known internationally for golf (the Ryder Cup has been held here four times and the Brabazon course is highly renowned as one of the world’s best) but with another 550 acres of lush countryside, there’s loads of romantic walking opportunities around pristine gardens filled with white roses, lavender, towering oak and beech trees and sheep-filled fields for newly weds looking to unwind after the Big Day. If you do fancy star-spotting, there’s every chance you’ll rub shoulders with the glitterati over drinks in the golf centre’s sport bar and the hotel lobby bar itself. The Par 72 Brabazon Golf Course is a magnet for celebrities and royals every year (Paul McCartney is rumoured to have bunkered down here once) and especially so during The British Masters and other annual charity events held by the likes of Mike Tindall.
With an 80-million development project which is set to finalise next year, interiors by Suna Interior Design in the lobby feature a chandelier crafted from hundreds of gleaming golf clubs (in homage to the hotel’s legendary golfing history) oak-panelled corridors, rich leather chairs and oversized sofas with a gallery of Ryder Cup memorabilia and black-and-white photos of golfing greats adorning walls.
SUITE DREAMS
There are over 319 rooms in this huge resort-like hotel (which really does feel like a mini village with the added facilities) all with different pricing to accommodate varying budgets. And while the lobby can get buzzy, high-tech soundproofing ensures a peaceful night’s slumber in every bedroom – even when the hotel is fully occupied or when there’s a live band playing downstairs in the swanky lobby bar and restaurants on Saturday nights. All have the mod-cons a well seasoned travelling couple would need from Nespresso machines and hairdryers and USB sockets thankfully in the right places next to bedside tables.
Our gorgeous junior suite, The Derby, is a Manor House suite and offers serene vistas over the golf course just outside the large French windows in the separate living room and the master bedroom. The neutral palette sets a calming tone with stone-coloured textured wallpapers and a floral wallpaper feature wall in the bedroom. Plush velvet period armchairs sit alongside sleek, wooden furniture with brass accents and framed black and white photo prints of the famous Brabazon course and engraved gold cups and floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light. Lighting is soft and ambient thanks to carefully placed lamps and overhead lights anchoring the room. You’ll be properly spoilt in dressing areas with mirrors featuring West End worthy lighting – something so many hotels miss a trick with. The king bed is of course the focal point and is filled high with plump pillows, white cottons and pretty mustard cushions ensuring you’ll drift off to sleep in no time.
EAT
It’s a fabulous dining experience at the 2AA Rosette Ryder Grill with Lobster and chips, perfectly cooked steaks and grilled meats and fish. A great deal of fresh local produce is displayed on the renowned, and nostalgic-feeling grand buffet – which is open every night and has a yummy roast on Sundays. The decor here is stylish and contemporary with leather mink studded banquettes, blue leather and fabric bucket chairs, wooden tables and interesting, oversized repurposed wooden beer kegs with slats cut out as overhanging chandeliers for a quirky touch. There’s a small kitchen garden and the chefs keep the food sustainable and ethical by working with a team of trusted local suppliers. Guests can watch chefs live in action creating soups, salads, seafood and Mediterranean classics in the open kitchen setting. The Chateaubriand main course is cooked to absolute melt-in-the-mouth perfection and served with a choice of seasonal vegetables and a rich, red wine sauce that elevates it even further. Service is impeccable, with Phoebe, Will, Nick and Jen all thoroughly knowledgeable about the menu and ensuring a perfect dining experience. They suggest the hotel’s famous banana bread for dessert (it hasn’t been taken off the menu for over 20 years). It’s served warm and presented alongside a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce and ends our gourmet meal in the most satisfying and indulgent way. Breakfast is a full on feast with both a la carte options and a delightful buffet filled with farmhouse bacon and sausages, eggs to your liking, healthy Greek yogurt and homemade granolas and buttery croissants. If you need another foodie hit; the afternoon tea at The Belfry is a delightful treat to round a weekend off and you’ll be ordering extra pastries to take home, having already devoured platters of delicate finger sandwiches and homemade scones with fruit teas.
SPA
The spa delivers big time on treatments and style. Walking through the doors, you’re quickly transported to a soothing and dedicated space filled with tranquility and all things pampering with staff members like Dan especially helping you to ease into relaxation mode with fresh towels and a guided tour of the swanky spa the moment you arrive.
Take leisurely laps in the indoor heated pool or soak back in two bubbling adjacent jacuzzis before heading to the 60 minute Fire and Ice experience featuring 12 hot and cold biothermal rooms and experiences including a foot bath, Turkish style invigorating steam rooms, igloo, feature showers, a caldarium, salt cave, aromatherapy and crystal steam rooms and a luxury hydrotherapy pool. The Fire and Ice experiences are always booked up in advance by couples in fluffy robes and hen groups all wanting to let off steam so be sure to book in well ahead of your stay.
Treatments range from tension- relieving ESPA Strength and Resilience massages, Lava Shell sleep therapies and body wraps. Rooms are spacious yet warm (with warmed treatment beds and towels of course) and suitably elegant too. Facial traditionalists and newbies alike will love the new and innovative Dermalogica treatments now on offer which incorporate bespoke face mapping and skin analysis and uses UV Red Light therapy to help resurface and renew the skin while stimulating collagen production and cell turnover. The Ultimate Skin Health Experience – a one-hour bespoke treatment using enhanced technologies such as microcurrent, ultrasonic, and LED light therapy, and professional-grade skincare ingredients with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and vitamin C – is a pure delight combining science, massage, cleansing and moisturising techniques to leave your skin glowing and your face feeling plump and radiant. Dining options are healthy and nutritious in Rocca’s mediterranean – inspired restaurant and you can treat yourselves to chilled glasses of champagne over lunch too.
CAN YOU GET MARRIED HERE?
Yes! Couples wanting to get married at The Belfry get a specially designated team of super experienced wedding and event planners who’ll happily guide you through consultations and organise bespoke menus and decor including firework displays. There’s the ability to have something small and unique or to have a lavish do with your own private terrace. The Warwick suite can host up to 276 guests with a dedicated bar.
WHAT YOU’LL LOVE?
.Head to the golf centre where friendly and expert staff like Henry and Harrison will help you settle into the driving range and if you’ve the budget, can guide you to a personal VIP room in the driving range where service includes food and drinks served to you personally, flatscreen TVs to watch sports while you take aim and practice your best swings.
· Honeymooners and couples can enjoy specially curated romantic getaway packages, which include a stay in the Manor House suites, a bottle of champagne on arrival, and private dinners in The Ryder Grill.
How To Book
· Visit The Belfry Hotel & Resort, Lichfield Road, Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield, B76 9PR.
Prices from £180 for signature doubles per night per room. To book, visit www.thebelfry.com or email enquiries@thebelfry.com or call 01675 238 600.
