Our Stay at The Eastbury Hotel & Spa Sherborne

Last weekend we visited The Eastbury Hotel & Spa in the market town of Sherborne in Dorset for a two-night stay. Normally I would not go anywhere near a five-star boutique hotel with the boys. However, the Eastbury Hotel & Spa is extremely child friendly and offer several different types of accommodation for families. Including a 17th-century cottage – Eastbury Cottage. Craving a bit of luxury and relaxation after a very busy few weeks it sounded like an ideal escape. So how did we get on with the family-friendly five-star hotel in Dorset?

AD Presstrip – We were invited to stay at a The Eastbury Hotel in return for this review all words and opinions are my own

Where is The Eastbury Hotel and Spa

The Eastbury Hotel is very close to the centre of Sherborne on Long Road. Sherborne is a small market town in Dorset steep in history I am surprised I have not come across the town before. Close to the Somerset border, Sherborne is 6 miles from Yeovil and around 20 from Dorchester. The town is absolutely beautiful with lots of yellow brick cottages and timber-fronted houses. Much of which has been sympathetically restored or renovated. The Eastbury Hotel is a red brick Georgian building with a grand entrance, Look for bright hanging baskets, symmetrical white windows and an old taxi parked outside. The postcode should bring you right to the front door.

Parking at The Eastbury Hotel

There is a small car park at the rear of the Sherborne hotel with charging for electric cars. Although it is not immediately obvious when you arrive. However, if you stand facing the Eastbury Hotel and Spa and then look to your left you should see a small brown sign on the lamppost. Follow this and keep an eye for the other signs which will take you straight to it. The car park is not very big and spaces can not be pre-booked. Parking is also available directly outside the hotel. There are no restrictions on the hotel side although a single yellow line opposite. This is also where the Eastbury Cottage is, we were lucky and able to park right outside the cottage for the duration of our stay. 

There is also a public paid-for carpark a couple of minutes down the road. If you drive as though you are heading into the town centre. It is pretty much the first road you come to on your left after the hotel. It is where we turned around when we realised the hotel car park was in the opposite direction. I am always a little nervous when hotels have small car parks. But I need not have worried as there was always at least one space by the cottage. And there are lots of car parks located in and around the town.

The Eastbury Cottage

The Eastbury Cottage is adjacent to the hotel. At the moment there is a smaller cottage in-between the two. Although that has been recently brought by the hotel with intention of expanding their accommodation further. Such has been the success of the first Eastbury Cottage and I can understand why. Although a separate building staying in the cottage gives you all the flexibility of self-catering accommodation but with all the good bits of staying in a hotel. As you have full use of all of the hotel facilities during your stay.

After checking in at the reception of the Eastbury Hotel and Spa we were shown to Eastbury Cottage which sleeps six adults. Although there is also the option for up to eight if you have older children who are happy to have an adventure of their own sleeping in the outhouse. Whether you have six or eight people does not affect the price. Making it great value for an intergenerational stay. The cottage dates back to the 17th century and is decorated with antique furniture and pictures. Yet comes with central heating, a modern kitchen, stunning bathrooms and reliable wifi throughout. Giving you the best of both worlds.

Eastbury Cottage – the ground floor

As you enter the cottage there is a large flagstone entranceway leading to a dining room. The dining room has a large table and can seat up to eight comfortably. Like many of the other rooms in the house, there is a built-in window seat. This leads onto the living room which has a log-burning stove in the high inglenook fireplaces. There is plenty of wood, kindling and fire lighters. As well as a decanter of sloe gin to go with it. The lounge also has a large flatscreen TV which the boys were delighted to find also had Netflix. At the end of the room, French doors lead out into the garden. Also on the ground floor is a well-appointed kitchen that comes complete with a washing machine, dishwasher and a large fridge freezer. It has everything you need for a self-catering break. Plus a downstairs loo.

Eastbury Cottage – The second floor

On the second floor, there is the Master bedroom, which has a super-king size comfortable bed and its own raised bathtub area. As well as an ensuite with a giant shower. The boys had never seen a bathtub in a bedroom before and decided there and then they should be the first to try it out. Next door to the master is another small double room and across the landing is a family bathroom with a bath and shower. 

Eastbury Cottage – The third floor

Through a latch hook door and up a very steep flight of steps is the third bedroom. It runs the whole length of the house and is gigantic. It also has an ensuite. Giant bed and plenty of space. For safety, there is a metal stair gate which fastens with a latch. The boys declared this as their room and had no problems with operating the gate themselves. 

The outside space at Eastbury Cottage

You can access the garden through the sitting room or the kitchen. There is a patio area with wooden furniture and an umbrella. Perfect for eating alfresco. The little outhouse is right next to the patio, the boys quite enjoyed being in their ‘den’ while we were preparing dinner. There is a small well-planted garden with stepping stones that lead you down to another paved area. Where there is a wood-fired outdoor hot tub. It was difficult to contain the boy’s excitement when they saw it.

The hot tub takes between two and three hours to get up to temperature. There are plenty of logs on hand and we found it very easy to operate. Plus unlike other wood-fired hot tubs we have used in the past, there are bubbles. Which was a nice surprise. The boys played in it happily while we relaxed on the deck chairs with a glass of wine. 

Key points for families

• There is plenty of room for a travel cot in two of the bedrooms. Although if your baby is moving then be mindful of the stairs which do not have a stair gate. There is also a large number of decorative items in the rooms which would be very tempting. 
• The garden is fully enclosed and if the children did want to sleep in the outhouse then this is lockable with a key from the inside. 
• There are plenty of board games to keep the children entertained. Plus lots of different books for the adults.
• In the kitchen, there is a welcome hamper which contains milk, butter, bread, a selection of jams, crisps, peanuts, cereals and an all-important bottle of wine. Much needed after our drive.
• The garden is so quiet it makes a great spot to eat dinner or just to relax after a busy day of sightseeing. 

 

Other types of accommodation at The Eastbury Hotel and Spa

As well as the cottage, the hotel offers several types of accommodation which would also be suitable for families. In the hotel, there are 26 rooms and suites. Each with its own name. They have two family suites – Quince & Delphinium. Which have been recently refurbished with families in mind.

Breakfast in the Seasons Restaurant

As part of our stay, we had breakfast in the 2 AA rosette restaurant Seasons, which is part of the hotel, It is possible to opt to have breakfast in your room or cottage if you would prefer. However, as the restaurant overlooks the garden with so much for the boys to do breakfast in the restaurant really worked for us (see below). You can sit inside or there is also seating outside in the courtyard and also on the veranda with views of the stunning walled garden.

Breakfast consists of self-service juice, pastries and cereals. But table service for hot drinks and cooked breakfast. The cooked breakfast options include full English or variations of, kippers or smoked salmon. With various vegetarian options and also the ability to choose how you like your eggs. Although they are so flexible I think you could probably ask for any combination you wanted from the menu. It was delicious, we thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast despite having self-catering accommodation. I would definitely opt for breakfast if you can.

There are two sittings for breakfast either before 9 am or after 9 am. With breakfast starting at 8 am and finishing at 10 am. We ate early both days. 

Dinner in the Seasons Restaurant

On a Saturday night, we also ate in the Seasons Restaurant for dinner opting for a table when they opened at 6.30 pm. First having a drink from the cocktail bar and enjoyed the last of the sun while the boys tried to play chess.

The service in the conservatory restaurant just like at breakfast was impeccable. If you have followed us for a while then you will know Harry is a very fussy eater. The children’s menu is a good value at £9.50 for the main course and a dessert. Only he was having one of those fussy days then the options available were not going to do. So I was so pleased the waitress said that we could have some plain pasta. Charlie as usual ate off of the adult menu. It was nice that he was offered both. 

Our menu choices

We chose a seasonal three-course a la carte menu although there is the option of a seven-course tasting menu. Although not extensive still had plenty of choices. Offering meat, fish and vegetarian options. The fine dining restaurant is also open to non-residents and was quite busy when we ate. But the service was quick and efficient. We started with an amuse buche of tomato gazpacho. This was also offered to the boys which was a nice touch. Then all three of us had grilled asparagus with parma ham and a parmesan crisp. I opted for the fish of the day which was seabass, it came with a curry sauce and cauliflower couscous. I did not find one bone and it was delicious. The boys both had steak. 

For dessert, we all chose something different. Harry demolished a chocolate brownie and ice cream that came as part of the kid’s meal. While th three of us shared lemon tart, chocolate ganache and a selection of local cheese. We finished our meal with coffee while the boys set about playing in the garden.

The Seasons Restaurant also has an extensive wine list and will also make up cocktails, or in our case mocktails on request. It really was a very good meal. And it was made all the better by the fact that it was a relaxed atmosphere happy to accommodate children.

Key points for families

• Service is impeccable, and the kids are catered for and welcomed into the restaurant. At no point were we made to feel uncomfortable.
• There is a lot for kids to do in and around the restaurant and bar area (see below) which really helps at meal times.
• Although we ate at 6.30 pm there is no double sitting which means you are not rushed and can take your time.
• Using only the finest ingredients much of their menu uses local produce and items from their own kitchen garden.
• The restaurant also serves afternoon tea in the little pod in the walled garden.

 

The Spa

Tucked away out of sight at the bottom of the garden of The Eastbury Hotel and Spa. The spa offers a series of different spa treatments ranging from an express pedicure for £35 to a 60-minute hot stone massage for £110. There is also a hydrotherapy pool, an outside jacuzzi and a mini gym.

I opted to have a full body massage on Sunday morning before we left. In their treatments, they use GAIA products which are hand-made by a local Dorset company that focuses on wellness. There were three different oils to choose from and I opted for their signature awakening blend. The full body massage started with a foot soak and scrub which I was not expecting and was a nice touch. With soothing music playing in the background Molly worked out several knots in my back. Checking along the way I was comfortable with the pressure she was applying. It left me feeling very relaxed and reminded me I really should try and have a massage more frequently! It is recommended to book your treatments in advance. 

Things to do for families at The Eastbury Hotel

I have alluded to it a lot throughout this article but a lot of thought has gone into making sure there is plenty for kids and families to get up to at The Eastbury Hotel and Spa. 

• Garden games – the boys made full use of these during our stay. Discovering table football on our first morning. They also tried Badminton for the first time and really enjoyed it. There is also a croquet set and table tennis. All of which are close to the restaurant so you can see them from your table. Or you can sit on the private terrace and soak up the beautiful gardens.
• By the bar, there is a giant chess set raised up slightly from the ground. This was also a big hit with the boys and what they spent the whole hour doing while I had my massage. 
• The hotel has also created a garden trail where the children are encouraged to hunt out the various metal statues of birdlife hidden around the hotel grounds. 
• Inside the Eastbury Hotel and Spa, there is a billiard room with a pool table.
• Outside the front of the Sherborne hotel children are encouraged to get into the old taxi and have a go at pretending to drive it. 
• A selection of board games was made available in the cottage, along with a colouring book and pencils for the boys. 
• If you want to get active there was also a little booklet of suggested walks in and around the glorious Dorset countryside

 

Things to do in Sherborne

If that wasn’t enough to keep the little ones entertained in this hotel in Sherborne. Then there is also plenty in historic Sherborne to see and do. All of it is within walking distance including two castles, Sherborne Abbey and lots of independent shops on Cheap Street. I have written a blog post which covers these things in more detail – Things to do in Sherborne.

Family attractions close by

If you are staying at the Sherborne Hotel for several days then you may also want to get out and see some of the local attractions. Because of where the hotel is located, it makes a superb base to explore the area and the Jurassic Coast. There is a lot you can see and do all within a reasonable drive.

• Fleet Air Arm Museum – representing the flying arm of the Royal Navy with over 90 aircraft – 8 miles
• Monkey World – we love Monkey World and visited a lot when the boys were younger. It is a firm family favourite – 30 miles
• Longleat Safri Park – for animal-mad kids the safari park makes a great day out – 27 miles
• Cheddar Gorge – for something completely different, the kids won’t be able to stop themselves from saying wow when they see the rocks on either side of the road – 35 miles
• Wookey Hole – for some old fashion fun with a little bit of quirkiness – 28 miles
• Durdle Door – One of Dorset’s most photographic and iconic landmarks with a pebble and shingle beach close to Lulworth Cove – 33 miles
• Weymouth – A large sandy beach, full of quintessential English seaside fun including a great sea life centre – 27 miles.
• Corfe Castle – A beautiful village with a National Trust Castle that offers a lot of activities for kids during the holidays – 38 miles.
• Brownsea Island – Catch a chainlink ferry across to this beautiful island full of pine trees and the scouting movement – 42 miles.

We really enjoyed our stay at this boutique Georgian townhouse hotel, it is such a tranquil destination with exceptional service. A truly welcoming hotel. Have you visited Sherborne? I would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.

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