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By Georgina Crawshaw
From flowers to favours, vows to veils sometimes every waking minute is so full of wedding it’s easy to overlook the most important part of your day — your future Mrs or hubby to be.
Forget something borrowed and something blue, the best way to guarantee your future happiness is to spend some good old-fashioned quality time together.
Cue Tortworth Court — a beautiful Victorian mansion located just north of Bristol off the M5. Close enough for a stress-free journey, but far enough into the glorious Gloucestershire countryside to feel like you’re really getting away from it all – it’s the perfect place to relax, revive and remember why you decided to get married in the first place. So armed with little more than an overnight bag and each other, my better half and I set off for a couple of days of much needed R’n'R. Greeted on arrival by a long tree-lined drive leading to an imposing stone archway our expectations were set to high — and we weren’t disappointed.
Tortworth Court has entertained Earls, Barons, even royalty — and it shows. Nestled within 30 acres of private parkland this awe-inspiring building combines storybook splendour with contemporary luxury to create something straight out of a fairytale. With an abundance of period features, such as life-size portraits and elaborately manicured gardens, sitting seamlessly beside modern-day comforts, we instantly felt like we’d happened upon a magical home from home.
And the meticulous attention to detail doesn’t stop with the decor; the staff and service are second to none. Not long after our arrival we found ourselves admiring the ornately carved staircase and, admittedly, a little lost on one of the galleried landings. Within minutes a gallant employee two flights down had raced to our aid, personally escorting us to our room. Not quite a knight in shining armour (after all, I already have one of those) but nothing is too much trouble for the Tortworth Court team.
Having treated ourselves to a Connoisseur superior room we were pleasantly surprised to discover a suite big enough to swing an elephant in — and then some. With its exposed beams and stone window frames, not to mention a delightful little sitting area and generous en-suite we could happily have spent our entire stay wallowing in its unassuming opulence. But never ones to sit still for long we opted to take advantage of our surroundings.
Our only problem? Where to start. Boasting over 300 rare and protected trees the hotel’s arboretum is an absolute must – pick up a guide book and map from reception. In the past I confess to teasing my partner for his tree-spotting tendencies, but despite my concerns and protestations of potential ennui we had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon discovering trees in all shapes and sizes, including some incredibly rare species (or so I’m told).
There’s a heated indoor swimming pool (complete with sauna and steam room) and fitness suite on site but we had something a little more refreshing in mind... afternoon tea with all the trimmings. A little decadent I know but we couldn’t resist the mouth-watering smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches and scrumptious fruit scones loaded with clotted cream.
The Brunel bar, with its ornate ceiling and chandeliers, seems to be a firm favourite with hotel guests but if you prefer a quiet corner the bar menu is also served in the Asian-influenced drawing room and, our personal favourite, the ‘Room at the Top’. As its name suggests this secluded spot is located at the highest point of the hotel, and with its sumptuous sofas and spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, even Rapunzel would be eternally happy here.
Food is a certainly a passion for the Tortworth Court chefs who use only the freshest ingredients and source most of their produce from the Tortworth estate. We booked our evening meal at the Orangery which, in all honesty, I can only describe as out of this world. A former conservatory, the building is unique to say the least and from the moment we stepped inside the elaborate glass structure we were enchanted by both the atmosphere and the cuisine. From hand-dived Cornish scallops, served with scampi and pressed belly pork, to a divine dark chocolate and after eight terrine, which literally melted in my mouth, the feast we devoured was fit for a king
An alternate dinner menu is also available in Moreton’s Restaurant, where a full English breakfast is served overlooking the exquisite hotel gardens. This former library still exudes all its original grandeur with extensive oak panelling, ornamental archways and a magnificent fireplace, not to mention the family motto, perseverance, embossed on the ceiling.
Needless to say, after all this spoiling we really didn’t want to go home. But I had one trick left up my sleeve – Langtry’s Spa retreat. Named after Lily Langtry, former mistress of Edward VII, this little haven of tranquillity offers a range of treatments to suit every taste and budget.
We opted for the bride and groom packages – a combination of therapies specially formulated to provide the ultimate in pre-wedding pampering. Every bit the self indulgent, stressed out wedding planner’s dream we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect end to our perfect getaway. And as for that seating plan and order of service — well, they can wait till tomorrow.
FACTFILE
May and June overnight breaks start from £110 for a double room, including dinner and breakfast. Visit tortworth-court-hotel.four-pillars.co.uk for further information.
Tortworth Court is licensed for civil ceremonies and can cater for anything from a small, intimate gathering to a large, lavish wedding. The hotel is hosting a free wedding fayre on October 3, 2010 from 11.30am to 4pm. See tortworth-court-hotel.four-pillars.co.uk/weddings-_20 for more details.