Hatherley Manor Hotel & Spa

Lovely venue with thought given to disabled access with decent ramps. I only tried one of the parking areas where the one and only disabled bay I could see was already occupied. The disabled loo was a huge let down - very tiny room where I could not work out how to get off my mobility scooter to get to the loo because space was so limited. The pull down grab rail wouldn't pull down and if it had I would have been trapped due to the size of the room. As the toilet seat was so low to the ground I decided not to make any attempt to use the toilet as I don't think I could have done so safely.

This is part two of reviews of this Hotel, so please read part one for Hotel details. Visit to a new Spa recently opened, very modern with top class facilities. It has a swimming pool with views over gardens, (we have not seen any yet,) a vitality pool, thermal suite, ice fountain, sauna, steam room, and heated loungers, and it’s a cosy pleasant Spa. They have a state of the art Gym, with a cafe area to help you then relax. This 3.5 million pound Spa, with everything you need to feel well and truly pampered, and as the Spa manager states, “It’s a top end Spa with state of the art facilities, and limited membership “. Work began in December 2016, and opened on 7th May 2021. It’s not cheap, membership will range from £830 to £1818, plus a one off joining fee, but that will include access to all facilities, discounts on Hotel rooms and in the restaurant. So some of the pleasures you can enjoy, a treatment suite which includes specialised cancer therapy treatments, there are massages, wraps, facial and manicure support, even special treatment menu for pregnant ladies. And the dining area is alongside Spa. Interested, be quick, membership is filling fast, including waiting list. Driving around to pass carpark, cut across to reach the Hotels Spa, a modern but plain looking entrance (photo 1) on the level so easy to get inside, then you will find a sleek beautifully tiled reception area (photo 2) and at the far end you will be able to enter the swimming pool (photo 3). It is indeed a nice pool area with ever changing lighting that adds to the attraction of the pool itself (photo 4). You can step outside onto the terrace with a few scattered seats overlooking what is advertised as a garden of some sort, disappointing to say the least. (photo 5). Back indoors a small coffee counter awaits you, (photo 6) and after a sip, you can go along the corridor (photo 7) for changing rooms and Gym facilities (photo 8) but this is a small Gym, with up to date machines, but no good if a crowd arrives to use it at the same time (no wonder membership is limited). Then you step outside again to pick up your car (photo 9) and drive around to pass the Hotel itself (photo 10) for your return home. Our final thoughts. Very disappointing after all the write ups about this Spa, a very small but modern Spa that we would describe as reasonable, certainly a good job we feel that membership is limited due to its size, but if it’s peace and quiet you like then the high cost of membership may be well worth your while.

A pleasant break taken here to look over hotel, and check out a modern up to date Spa, while enjoying a drinks break. This is part one of reviews here, do read part two, the Spa. The ancient Hatherley Manor,s history began way back in 1022, and a 1086 survey tells us that the estate was being held by a Edmar, a Thane, who held it during the reign of Edward the confessor. It is not really known how long the land was under control of the Crown, but it is known that in 1311 it was held by Sir John de Bosworth but then passed on to Sir John Willoughby de Broke in 1491. The Manor then passed through several families, before becoming the possession of Sir Matthew Wood, who was twice the Lord Mayor of London. During the mid 19th century, Anthony Gilbert Jones, a man who was the Mayor of Gloucester on three occasions, possessed the Manor, and his seventh son and youngest, patented the Hatherley Lattisteps, called today, a stepladder.It was also the Jones family company of Jones and co that made plans for the mass production of deckchairs. During the time of the Jones family in the Manor, and later on, extensive refurbishments changed the estate very much. Then this old now 17th century house had additions added to it in the late 18th century, and again in 1983 through 86, when it first became a small hotel, but still retained that look of an imposing country court house, and its history can still be seen in the reception area, the restaurant, beams room and Swallows suite. The hotel stands in a 37 acre parkland, surrounded by mature gardens, with a walled garden and an orchard. Today, there is only one bedroom that has special needs facilities, with low level light Switches, low sinks, high toilet, pull cord, with a low level access bath with shower in it. The door in the corridor is wide enough to allow a wheelchair to get in, but if this has been taken, then beware that there is no lift in the hotel, so let them know your needs before you book a room. All areas on the ground floor, lounge, the restaurant, are easily accessible and not far from public toilets. There are 56 en-suite berooms available. After driving along through flat areas of farmland for crop growing (photo 1) we finally arrived at Hatherley Manor hotel, (photo 2) about as inspiring as the tedious drive just undertaken, just a two storey plain red brick building, nothing to write home about, no gardens in sight, just an open lawn like frontage, very disappointing. Opposite the single line parking area in front of the hotel, with no disabled bays, we went to enter the very dull plain hotel entrance (photo 2) and entered a very plain unassuming reception area, feeling rather let down at that moment (photo 3). However, things did perk up a bit as we sat down in the bar lounge for a coffee break (photo 4) before exploring the rest of the hotel. Next to the bar, a warm looking pink red room with nice places to sit (photo 6) was inviting, with a doorway leading off to the restaurant, which was a pleasant, nicely decorated, tastefully done dining area (photo 7) with a small alcove available with four tables and chairs (photo 8) for a more intimate dining experience. Back out of restaurant in the pink room, a lovely open fireplace, with neatly stacked log piles looked cosy enough (photo 9) with a homely look. At the far end of the bar lounge (photo 10) we spotted the entrance to the toilets and a corridor lead to the Spa, Bedrooms and toilets (photo 11) but we found no disabled toilet, just the Lords and Ladies public guest toilets (photo 12) which were clean and tidy, but no pull cord or grab rails, and I had to leave wheelchair out in the corridor to be able to use the facilities. Coming out of the toilet (photo 13) the corridor continues ahead ( photo 14) and lead to the Hatherley function suite (photo 15) but that was not at all inspiring, so we returned to the bar and enjoyed a glass of wine. (photo 16). Our final thoughts. Interesting, but uninspiring, nothing to look at, but at least it was to a certain extend, wheelchair friendly, but we will not be returning. Let’s hope now, that after all the hype it’s been given that our next review for the hotels Spa will be more interestng. Please read the review to see what we felt.