Lady’s Review of Ellenborough Park Hotel in Cheltenham

Today I want to share my Ellenborough Park hotel review with you. Of all the beautiful places in England, the Cotswolds are my favorite. Pretty villages and quintessential English countryside come standard, and the area has everything my inner American expects to find in a British travel destination. Oh, and there are horses. And lots of fluffy sheep.

Ellenborough Park Hotel Review

I’ve been to the Cotswolds before, but this time around I’m traveling to a new destination: Ellenborough Park.

Located just outside of Cheltenham and a stone’s throw from the famous Cheltenham Racecourse, this five-star luxury hotel in the Cotswolds has invited me to spend a night.

I can’t wait to indulge in Ellenborough Park’s rooms and spa, and dine at its award-winning restaurant.

Ellenborough Park Hotel

I arrive in the afternoon, and as my taxi pulls up to the entrance of the hotel, I’m awed.

The manor house at Ellenborough Park is some 500 years old, and the collection of adjacent Bath stone buildings—some historic, some modern—glow yellow in the autumn sun.

Inside I’m given a warm welcome at reception and a tour of the manor house. The Great Hall is stunning, with its roaring fireplace, cozy sofas, and historic portraits of Tudor royals and aristocrats.

The Minstrels Gallery above is equally inviting, and all I want to do is settle down in front of the fire and have afternoon tea at Ellenborough Park.

Ellenborough Park Spa

But there’s no time, as I’m due at the spa. Ellenborough Park’s spa has invited me for a treatment, and after warming up in the steam room and sauna (and eyeing the hot tub), I go upstairs to the Indian-themed treatment area for a relaxing hour-long Kundalini Ila Treatment.

The Kundalini Ila is an offering that involves a nurturing back treatment using chakra and sound-healing to activate and channel the Kundalini, the dormant energy at the base of the spine.

The aim is to realign natural rhythm and restore balance, and after 60 minutes I feel refreshed.

Ellenborough Park Rooms

Afterwards I retreat to my room at Ellenborough Park, which has a spacious bedroom and an adjoining little sitting room up a few stairs. The decor is neutral, with lots of white and beige along with some red accents in the curtains.

I would prefer to see the historic angle of the hotel played up a bit more like it is in the Great Hall, but I can’t complain about the level of comfort and amount of amenities.

The Beaufort Dining Room

And speaking of the Great Hall, I walk back through soon enough on the way to dinner at the The Beaufort Dining Room restaurant, a three AA Rosette establishment set in a series of historic rooms.

The wood-paneled walls and stained glass windows make me feel like I’m eating in a scene from Wolf Hall, and I love being immersed in the history of the place.

The food doesn’t impress as much as the room at first, though. The creamed English goat’s cheese rolled in ginger crumb with textures of tomato is a bit bland.

But the main course of chateaubriand of Hereford Cross beef has more flavor, and the wine pairing the sommelier has chosen is spot on (he even chooses a Californian 2010 Albarino from Bonny Doon for my starter, which warms my San Franciscan heart).

The dessert is a bit of a wildcard, with a chocolate shell and fruit sorbet hiding under a large quantity of foam.

Breakfast, on the other hand, wins me over with a plate of eggs Benedict and a healthy helping of cheese, meat, and pastries from the buffet.

Country Walk in the Cotswolds

I work it off on a country walk in the Cotswolds thanks to a pair of boots I borrow from Ellenborough Park’s impressive boot room.

The autumn colors in Gloucestershire rival those of New England, and as I walk up the hill above the property, I can see Cheltenham and the racecourse in the distance.

Le Champignon Sauvage

Back at the hotel, I check out and head into Cheltenham for one final treat: lunch at the two Michelin-starred Le Champignon Sauvage restaurant. It’s come highly recommended, and I cannot wait to try the food.

I’m not disappointed, either. The tasting menu at Le Champignon Sauvage starts with beef tartare and corned beef with wasabi cream and pickled Shimeji mushrooms. Both the flavors and the presentation have me in rapture.

The next course is scallops with roasted carrots, buttermilk, and spiced bread. The scallops are big and fresh, and the accompanying elements just right to accent them without overpowering them.

They’re followed by an excellent fillet of megrim sole with baby squid, roasted and raw cauliflower, and squid ink.

By the time I get to the Cinderford lamb with sweetbreads, I realize my stomach is getting full but my appetite could eat food like this forever.

Every dish at Le Champignon Sauvage features a delicate balance of tastes and textures, and the local and foraged foods add a nice touch.

On top of that, the presentation is enough to make me glad I can photograph the food before it disappears into my mouth.

And no dish is quite so well presented as dessert, which in my case is chocolate delice with milk ice cream, beurre noisette, and butterscotch. Divine.

As an added treat, I get to chat with Le Champignon Sauvage’s chef, David Everitt-Matthias, who tells me about the history of the restaurant and his pioneering use of foraging before it was the trendy thing to do.

Ellenborough Park Hotel Review and Beyond

By the time I finish my meal at Le Champignon Sauvage and leave for London, I’m already planning my next trip to the Cotswolds.

With great hotels like Ellenborough Park and restaurants to match, it’s retained its top place among my favorite travel destinations in the UK.

Now all I have to do is decide where in the area to visit next. Any recommendations?

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