As much as I love London, the hustle and bustle of living in such a busy city can become overwhelming.
So, I hopped on a train and after just one hour I was in the beautiful countryside of West Sussex.
I headed to The Spread Eagle, a hotel and spa in Midhurst, for a weekend of country walks, delicious food and relaxation.
The moment I stepped off of the train it was refreshing to take a deep breath of country air and it only got better as I reached the hotel itself.
When I stepped inside, I felt as though I had entered an episode of Bridgerton.
On arrival, my partner and I were shown to the Courtyard Suite where we spent the night – the room was stunning with accents of timeless English charm throughout.
The four-poster bed was a dream to melt into and I loved the two massive windows flooded the room with light.
There was an enormous television for anyone wanting to kick back on their luxury bed and watch something, but we had plans to make the most of the country air.
The ensuite attached to the room was massive with a gorgeous bath that would have been perfect to jump into if we didn’t already have so many fun things planned.
We were taken on a guided walk by Michelle Facer, a Sussex local who has recently published the book Circular Walks around Midhurst.
She told us that during lockdown, she didn’t want to do the same walk every day and so, searched the area that she lives in for new routes with new quirks and views.
We saw a few rain showers on our walk but that wasn’t enough to dampen our mood as we enjoyed the fresh air and the greenery, giving us that much-needed break from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The book contains clearly mapped and easy-to-follow routes for any beginner, like myself, to follow with no problem at all.
After the walk, we were welcomed to the hotel’s bar and offered sparkling Sussex wine, tea, coffee and cake.
Before this trip, I had never tasted Sussex wine before and I have to say it was just as good, if not better, than champagne.
Staff at The Spread Eagle were kind enough to light the fireplace to warm us up and dry us off after our walk in the rain and I must say that I have never felt cosier.
When we were filled with coffee and cake, we made out way to try out the hotel spa for some relaxation time after the 10,000 steps we had walked.
After the tea, cake and bubbly was my favourite portion of the weekend – the spa.
I was not disappointed, the spa at The Spread Eagle is incredible, fully equipped with a sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and pool, it had everything I could have asked for to unwind.
@newsshopper Hop on a one hour train into the West Sussex countryside and visit 📍The Spread Eagle hotel for a weekend getaway
♬ A Day in My Life - Soft boy
There is even an outdoor patio for anyone wanting to bask in the sun - if it makes an appearance - in between dips in the pool.
After feeling pampered and rejuvenated by the hotel’s incredible spa, it was time for dinner in The Spread Eagle’s restaurant and I have to say I was blown away.
Just like the rest of the hotel, the restaurant is charming and timeless and the staff are attentive and friendly.
To start my meal, I had the scallops and chorizo with a celeriac puree to start which, as a lover of seafood, was perfect for me.
The scallops were sweet and tender, nicely balanced out from the saltiness of the chorizo.
My main course was equally as tasty, I went for trout on a bed of pea risotto.
It was a light and summery dish and the fish was perfectly cooked.
While I was quite full, I could not resist ordering one of the scrumptious desserts.
I opted for the white chocolate mousse with honeycomb ice cream.
The mousse really wowed me. It was rich and creamy with the flavour of white chocolate clearly coming through, and the ice cream was sweet without being sickly.
After a dreamy night’s sleep, we were back at the amazing restaurant for a delicious breakfast.
There was an extensive choice of fruit, cereals and pastries as well as staff bringing us toast, tea and coffee, fruit juice and a hot breakfast of our choice – what more could you ask for?
Knowing that our time in the countryside was coming to an end, we headed out for one final walk for the weekend to make the most of our idyllic break from London.
This time, we followed the book without having Michelle in-person to guide us, and it was simple and straight forward, an impressive feat by Michelle to write a book that a novice map reader like me could follow so easily.
We even came to a local farm shop with an adorable café and restaurant that I hugely recommend to anyone paying The Spread Eagle a visit – I loved perusing the shelves and looking at all of the local produce and I even purchased a bottle of Sussex sparkling wine to take home with me.
When I finally had to leave it was with a heavy heart, but I can say with confidence that I will be heading back to The Spread Eagle soon.
The staff were warm and chatty, the food was to die for and the walks were scenic and calming – the ultimate recipe for an escape to the countryside.
Found in Midhurst, which is easily accesable from Waterloo Station, the Spread Eagle Hotel and Spa's Step Into Sussex packagage gives you an overnight stay with full use of spa facilities, a three course dinner, breakfast and maps for circular walks around Midhurst, from £258.
Address: South Street, Midhurst , West Sussex, GU29 9NH
Website: hshotels.co.uk
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