Do you ever get those good vibes when you are travelling somewhere and you just get the feeling that you are going to enjoy the experience. I had that feeling travelling up the M1 from Bedfordshire to the Peak District on a bright sunny Sunday morning. We had been kindly invited by Alison Pye the Director of Sales & Marketing to experience and photograph the New Bath Hotel & Spa, a stunning four star boutique hotel following it's year long renovation programme that was completed recently.
We were greeted by friendly staff at the reception who made us a pot of tea and a cappuccino and directed us to the gorgeous sitting room to wait for Alison who was saying goodbye to the wedding guests who had attended the reception there the previous day.
We were given a tour of the hotel and the lovely grounds by Alison who then kindly invited us to take Sunday lunch in the restaurant and meet the manager James. The furnishings throughout the hotel were of the highest standards and a beautiful neutral colour that gave a sense of calm and relaxation in all of the rooms.
When I stay at hotels I always worry about leaving the car somewhere safe and hopefully damage free. There are no worries at the New Bath Hotel & Spa because the carpark is massive leaving lots of room to get your luggage in and out without banging into adjacent vehicles. The location of the hotel in Matlock Bath in Derbyshire is ideally located to reach all of the sights of the Peak District and during our two day stay we managed to visit Bakewell, Buxton, Castleton and Ashford in the Water. There was an informative hard back book left in each room detailing the Peak District and all of the local attractions.
We visited four of the newly refurbished bedrooms and they were all tastefully decorated and equipped with flat screen TVs and Freeview channels, tea & coffee making facilities and complimentary high speed WiFi Internet coverage.
The bathrooms had both a bath and power shower with a lovely waterfall shower head for a soft wake up in the morning. Heated towel rails and a selection of toiletries so you don't even need to bring your shampoo with you!
The Deluxe Queen that we stayed in was more like a suite that overlooked the garden and Matlock Tor and I have to say that the bed, apart from being huge was so comfortable and I woke fully refreshed the next day. There are a total of 54 rooms (14 twins and 40 double bedded rooms) that includes 12 family rooms to accommodate two children and two adults up to the age of 15.
Breakfast offered a choice of either continental or a fully cooked option, I tried the full English and salmon and scrambled egg whilst I was there and both were delicious. Sunday roast offered a choice of three meats, we both went for the turkey, salmon for starters ( I love salmon!) and we had a chocolate fudge cake and summer fruit compote for dessert. The hotel sources from local suppliers around Derbyshire and the the local coastal region and the fresh vegetables, potatoes and herbs are grown in the hotel's garden.
There are beautiful gardens to sit and relax when the weather is nice with garden seating and parasols for shade. We were quite fortunate during our stay because the weather was dry allowing us to tour around the Peaks in comfort. When we returned in the evening we retired to the Lobby Bar where there were martinis, champagne, wine and bottled beer to quench your thirst with.
I had only been to the Peak District briefly for the day before, so I was looking forward to visiting some of those locations that I had seen in photographs. Bakewell is a pretty town located on the River Wye where there is a bridge completely adorned with those love padlocks that couples secure as a mark of their enduring affection.
Ashford in the Water is one of those chocolate box villages with an adorable bridge with crystal clear waters flowing underneath. The church has relics dating back to the 1200s. We passed through the Chatsworth House estate but did not have enough time to visit so this is one location to return to. I had seen photographs taken from Mam Tor, a 517m hill in the high peaks and I managed to capture a scene of the snaking road and the stunning scenery in the background.
Castleton is a very popular spot in the Peak District with a purpose built Visitor Centre and large carpark. Quaint little gift shops and cafes line the narrow streets. The area is renowned for the stone 'Blue John" which was mined locally and there are four show caverns open to the public. The three roofs cafe with the remains of Peveril Castle on the hill top makes a lovely scene to photograph.
On the Monday morning we were given a guided tour of the brand new Spa complex in the hotel that consists of a hot tub, sauna, steam room and treatment rooms. They offer a wide range of holistic, face and body therapies, targeted to restore your natural balance and influenced by the hotel’s long history as a spa destination to make you feel rejuvenated and revived.
Soothing music plays throughout the complex which adds to the totally relaxing vibe here. If I wasn't too busy photographing the facilities I could have easily just chilled out here for a couple of hours.
Weddings, Business Conferences and Events are catered for at the hotel with a stunning ballroom offering the perfect space for that special event. With a vast area leading out on to the lawn and gardens it was really nice to photograph with soft light streaming in through the windows. You can imagine how nice the wedding photographs would look.
Before too long our two day stay was over but what a lovely couple of days we experienced. If you plan to visit the Peak District then check out this hotel and spa because it really is luxurious. The staff were all very polite and accommodating, delicious food, superb facilities and ideally located.
Thank you New Bath Hotel & Spa for having us to stay!
Our stay at New Bath Hotel & Spa was complimentary. As always, all opinions are my own.
