Virtuoso Best of the Best 2009 - 233
sUmmER LODGE cOUntRy hOUsE hOtEL, REstaURant anD sPa Dorset, England Dorset is a glorious country escape brimming with ivy-clad cottages and narrow, winding lanes – and home to the Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa, set in quaint Evershot village. Public footpaths and country lanes beg exploration, while inside you’ll find 24 rooms, suites and private cottages, each adorned with scented candles, plush bathrobes, homemade shortbread and the necessary 21st-century touches, such as a plasma-screen television and Wi-Fi. Enjoy the four acres of landscaped gardens and croquet lawn, or head inside to the health spa and heated swimming pool. DistancE fROm ExEtER aiRPORt (Ext): viRtUOsO amEnity Bottle of wine from Sommelier’s choice collection and, when staying two nights or longer, one spa treatment and body product. in thE KnOW General Manager Charles Lotter is a veritable encyclopedia on the region, and will gladly make recommendations. 57 mi/92 km GRanD hOtEL EastBOURnE East Sussex, England In seaside Eastbourne, vacationers have countless attractions at their fingertips: the Glyndebourne Opera House, Sheffield Park Gardens and Brighton, to name a few. Yet the crown jewel is undoubtedly the Grand Hotel Eastbourne, a dramatic Victorian manse that dominates the shoreline. From here, dramatic views take in the white-capped sea and the cliffs at Beachy Head. Hotel amenities include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a health spa, a well-equipped gym, gourmet dining, afternoon tea and much more. Enjoy a stroll and an ice cream cone on the award-winning pier or a wine tasting at The English Wine Centre. DistancE fROm LOnDOn aiRPORt (LGW): viRtUOsO amEnity Fresh fruit in room, afternoon tea and pastries daily and Grand Hotel history book. in thE KnOW The Grand “Junior Crew” Club treats children with a goodiebag upon check-in, tickets to the nearby zoo park and even their own high tea. 233 E U R O PE 50 minutes fOUR sEasOns hOtEL hamPshiRE Hampshire, England Land of the quintessential manor-house getaway, the English countryside is rife with aristocratic castles and lovely villages. Enter Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, a Georgian manor house just an hour from central London and offering its own storybook setting. An intimate atmosphere is provided in just 133 guestrooms and suites, all of which look out on the central courtyard, verdant gardens or rolling hillside. Visit the 18th-century stable block, where you’ll find a decidedly modern spa offering ESPA aromatherapy products and signature treatments based on the region’s ubiquitous lavender, rosemary, mint and sage. DistancE fROm LOnDOn aiRPORt (LhR): viRtUOsO amEnity Hampshire cocktails in Bar 1086 for two, once per stay. in thE KnOW Grab one of the hotel’s complimentary bicycles and explore the property’s 500-acre grounds and the charming nearby town of Farnham. 27 mi/43 km