I visited The Vineyard hotel for a nights stay just last week and experienced the best they have to offer first hand. The hotel’s moto is to "always mix business with pleasure" and you have my word - they do it right.
The Vineyard is only 45 minutes away from central London and offers something very different to your usual plain hotel meeting room.
We arrived at the hotel after a long day at work and straight away received immaculate service at the reception where we were greeted with a complimentary glass of one of their fine wines. From the first steps we felt incredibly welcome and even more curious as we had a sneak peak into their vaults that store over 30,000 bottles of wine.
Our stay continued with a showaround of the meetings and events spaces which left me pleasantly surprised. From the intimate boardroom for 16 to the California Suite for up to 160 guests, the spaces were bright, luxurious and very flexible leaving your imagination running wild with all the different events that could be hosted there.
Before visiting The Vineyard I was advised by their business development manager that it is definitely a place that you need to experience rather than read about and I completely agree. We stayed in the luxury double room and it was more than we could ask for. Luxurious interior, tasteful art and views to the beautiful terrace was a perfect setting to relax, regroup and get dressed up for the dinner in the main restaurant.
Once again, from the moment we came to the restaurant we felt looked after, the service was very personable and attentive. To make sure we have a taste for what The Vineyard does best- we were treated to a three course dinner with paired wines. The food was beautifully presented and service levels only increased throughout the evening. The waiters went through every dish in detail and the sommeliers did a fantastic job pairing the wines not only based on your menu choice but also personal preference of grape varieties. My personal favourite was the oak-smoked Loch Duart salmon with beetroot, walnut and wasabi ice cream which was served alongside a glass of Chateau de Rouillac Pessac-Leognan (France 2015).
After a truly 5* dinner we enjoyed another drink at their cocktail lounge where we sat talking by the fireplace for another hour or so. By this point work stress, city noise and everything else seemed so far away and we were fully immersed in The Vineyard’s magic.
As wonderful as the evening was, the fabulous experience continued the next morning. After a great night’s sleep and a delicious breakfast delivery to our room (because who doesn’t like breakfast in bed on a Saturday) we excitedly jumped into our robes and slippers to go and find the SPA. We spent the morning swimming, relaxing in the jacuzzi and the steam room - the rain on the windows only made it more relaxing.
When the time came to check out we felt recharged and energised. If this was how I felt after one night there, I cannot wait to go back for the long weekend retreat.
All in all, The Vineyard is a wonderful hidden treasure definitely worth considering not only for a personal trip but more importantly the offsite days, incentive weekends and events of various shapes and sizes. You can definitely trust them to look after your guests and show them how mixing business with pleasure is really done.
To find out more, contact amteam@hirespace.com
