Three and easy: Anna, Drew and baby Claudia arrive at Woolley Grange for their first family holidayIf there’s one thing you need after having a baby - apart from sleep - it is a massage.
But with a very little one in tow, getting those essential me-moments is an exercise in logistics worthy of General Patton.
So it is surely a stroke of genius that Woolley Grange, a swish family-friendly hotel near buttery-coloured Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, has added a new spa to its winning formula.
Certainly, I needed no second urging to pack up our new family – me, my partner Drew and three-month-old baby Claudia - and head off for some much-needed R&R.
Travelling with a baby is an eye-opening lesson in packing. Where once you might have thrown a credit card in a bag and skipped out the door, the boot of the car now has to be filled with all manner of ephemera.
It is not a process for the faint hearted, a first-time holiday with a baby, but at least at Woolley Grange if you forget something crucial (which is likely, when neither of you has slept in months) the chances are there will be some way to get it when you arrive.
The hotel itself is a gorgeous Jacobean manor house, complete with mullioned windows and manicured grounds. Its raison d’etre is holidays for families that all members of the clan - of all ages - can enjoy.
For babies being introduced to the joys of a short break, that means things such as an Ofsted-registered Woolley Bears Den, offering childcare from birth upwards, babysitting services and a baby listening service in each room. Plus the use of sterilisers, changing mats, nappy bins and bottle warmers.
We are greeted by Peanut, the resident spaniel (available for walks!) on our arrival. And after a long (ish) drive, the wood-panelled entrance looks suitably welcoming. On the right, a cosy reception room proffers a roaring log fire. To the left, the promise of 26 bedrooms, each a jumble of eaves, exposed beams and contemporary comforts, ebbs away towards the back of the building.
When we find our large double room, ‘Birdie’, we see it has been set up for Claudia with a travel cot next to a large patchwork-quilt-covered double bed. We settle in with tea, scones, cream and jam – before a stroll around the grounds.
Little comforts: Anna and Claudia check out the kids' facilities at Woolley GrangeWoolley has two restaurants. There is fine-dining area (where children are also welcome, in trés European style, to dine with their parents), which we earmarked for a romantic dinner later. Then there is the less formal zone, the Orangery, which does more relaxed fare (including a children’s menu), and - brilliantly - serves a family High Tea at 5.30pm everyday.
Outside, the 14 acres of grounds are filled with exciting things that Claudia can only yet dream of – a huge sandpit, a football pitch, an outdoor swimming pool, a trampoline and a new fenced-off outdoor play area, with a scarecrow trail and purpose-built wooden Wendy houses.
We peek into the Woolley Bears Den on our way, a jolly space with friendly, reassuring staff, toys, books, activities and even a snuggle sofa and telly - the sorts of distractions that will surely keep little ones happy if parents want to pop out. Or upstairs for a sneaky kip.
And then there’s the spa. In lieu of Claudia being old enough to truly appreciate the joy of such a thing, it is my parental responsibility to do it for her. Opened in mid-October, this small, sleek haven is part of a rolling programme of upgrades at Woolley – and looks out over the walled herb and vegetable garden.
Inside, there is a pool, sauna, steam room and two treatment rooms. The extensive treatment menu, with enticing possibilities for both mums and dads, uses Mama Mio and Comfort Zone products - neither, I must confess, names known to me. But reading the bumf, with its promises of, if not a perfect pre-pregnancy body, then something approximating less of a post-pregnancy one, I book a fourth trimester healing hour massage for me, and a Hydra Performance Facial for Drew.
That afternoon, while we take turns holding the baby, we get our fix. My massage is sheer bliss, an hour of indulgence at the hands of therapist Jade, that leaves me feeling soothed and rested. Drew returns from his facial looking ten years younger.
Smile please: Anna and Claudia both seem to be feeling the benefits of a weekend awayThe best laid plans of mice and parents are generally foiled by their offspring, and our 7.30pm reservation for dinner comes and goes as Claudia - as excited as we are to be there - decidedly refuses to settle for the night. When her bright blue peepers finally shut, we leave the baby-listening service – manned by the front desk - to alert us to any waking, and head down for a night of adult conversation.
Oh, and a well-deserved glass or two of wine.
Dinner proves to be a delight – traditional British dishes, using local produce and seasonal ingredients. It also feels a slightly unusual experience to get dressed up again, after months of looking like Worzel Gummidge.
We chat over cod with chorizo risotto and silky panecotta, and savour the treat of a night out for two, rather than three. That is, until a little chirrup comes over the intercom from said third person, anxious not to miss out on all the fun...
Travel Facts
A stay at Woolley Grange (www.woolleygrangehotel.co.uk / 01225 864705) starts from £130 for bed and breakfast based on two people sharing. Children sharing a room with their parents can stay for free.
Spa treatments start from £25 and include specialist menus for all ages, including teens.
source: dailymail
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