Minimoon Review: The Tawny, Staffordshire

LOCATION

Just eight miles from Stoke-on-Trent and deep inside the region’s ancient woodlands of Churnet Valley, The Tawny offers a veritable grown-up honeymoon escape from the hustle right in the heart of Staffordshire. Located in the sleepy Moorlands village of sleepy Consall – once a hub for ironstone and mining – the hotel is built on the grounds of Consall Hall Estate and its famous landscaped gardens. Stoke on Trent station is 25 minutes away in a taxi and venturing out to hotspots such as the Peak District, Peak Wildlife Park, Chatsworth House and Alton Towers (all between 20 minutes to an hour’s drive away) is a cinch.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

It’s all about upscale cool and breathtaking surroundings here. When The Tawny opened in 2021 it was a verified game changer; a dreamy, deconstructed resort style hotel sitting inside 70 acres of woodland and enchanting follies. Staff might not wear white gloves, but kitted out in their Barbour gilets, go beyond the call of duty to attend to your needs. Once they’ve helped offload bags, valet parked the car and handed over complimentary refreshments at a front desk housed inside a small reception building during check-in, guests are whisked off to rooms via statement golf buggies and Tawny branded Land Rovers.

While there’s no centralised area – guests stay across 55 independent lodges with signature outdoor copper bathtubs, wooden pods with private decks, treehouses perched on leafy canopies, boathouses nudging lakeside edges and bespoke cabin-style cottages discreetly dotted across the grounds all designed to feel like private hideaways – facilities are top notch without being overwhelming. When you’re ready to tear yourselves away from your suite, borrow a pair of wellies, stroll the gardens and inhale air perfumed by the deep forest setting and where, with a bit of luck, you’ll spot rabbits, deer and pheasants milling around. Beyond forest-bathing, get social over outdoor games of table tennis and bike rides after picking up mats (handily stored in rooms) for restorative sunrise yoga sessions soaking in the estate’s woodland magic. You can’t truly get lost those woods btw – all the folly-trails are brilliantly signposted and curated as an attraction in their own right – but half the fun is aimlessly wandering about together as if you might. A destination of its own with serious swagger, on balmy days a more simplified timetable will have you making a beeline for the beautiful, 28-degree outdoor pool. Set behind colourful blooms and tall shrubs (all cleverly designed to shield swimmers from the estate’s winding footpaths below), there’s also a towering sequoia which come August, offers welcome shade from the blazing rays of summer sunshine.

SUITE DREAMS

Our shiny one-bedroom bolthole retreat, Harebell, is a chic country sanctuary for two perched high on a hillside and discreetly tucked a 10-minute walk away (or three minutes by golf buggy) from the main reception and restaurant hubs. Overlooking one of the estate’s private mirror-like lakes as well as a wild rambling forest landscape beyond, a glossy, clean and earthy-hued colour palette inside delivers more fairytale-inspired charm the second you kick off your shoes in a compact coat and boot area. It’s clear no expense has been spared on luxury and contemporary furnishings and interiors featuring tobacco brown parquet floors, retro cabinets, giant indoor planters and gold-detailed designer lamps either. In-room fridges come pre-stocked with mini-bar packages selected ahead of your stay with a choice of soft drinks, Prosecco and craft ale packages to your liking. Did we mention the mini bar is free? Also complimentary are teas, coffees next to the Nespresso, sparking and still glass bottled waters and artisan snacks such as homemade biscuits and hand-popped popcorn.

The suite is a love letter to pampering and bathing, mainly because of the in-room sunken tub made for long after-dinner soaks and taking in views on long summer nights as well as an outdoor roomy copper jacuzzi bath which bubbles away while you sip on glasses of English sparkling. A separate spa-like black and cream bathroom has the va-va-voom of heated floors, a walk-in monsoon shower, double basins, and a generous stash of Land & Water beauty goodies too. While we visited in summer, the suite is just as fun on rainy days – especially with the epic pampering to be had inside the in-room sunken spa bath complete with colourful ambient lighting and where at night, a skylight works hard doubling up as your own personal stargazing planetarium. While digital detoxing is recommended, like us, you’ll struggle to resist the lure of evenings settling into a squashy velvet sofa indoors and watching a film on that 70 inch, cinema – esque smart TV with chrome cast. When it’s time to sleep, a mammoth superking bed with crisp whites and vibrant green cushions and throws beckons.

Barefoot pottering on your private outdoor timber deck is a joy as is breathing in the scent of blackberries and wild garlic from the woodland – ingredients the Plumicorn chefs regularly forage. It’s the ultimate spot for room service and extra private outdoor feasts too. Basking in the sunlight and watching the forest birds (an excellent pair of binoculars are provided as the area is apparently home to over 30 species) with morning coffees is utterly delightful.