First impressions: Botley Park Hotel, Golf and Country Club Botley Park is part of the MacDonald Hotels group, a chain that has undergone considerable investment in recent months, including at this property. The total refurbishment, completed this year, means the disappointment of the unassuming red brick two-storey façade is soon forgotten when you enter the reception. Here two things impress, the modern-meets-classic d?cor, and the attentive reception from staff. The d?cor is cleverly done - a chocolate brown, claret, cream and taupe scheme pleases the boutique crowd, while the traditional furniture styles and formality gives a nod to the hotel’s slightly older guests, who come for the golf and special occasions and appreciate hotel policies such as the dinner dress code (no jeans, trainers of baseball caps).
The hotel is well situated for Southampton and Portsmouth, as well as the New Forest and Solent. It takes about 12 minutes to get to Southampton city centre and the same to reach Southampton Airport Parkway, which is the closest railway station.
Why it’s special: the hotel staff are young, helpful and knowledgeable. Smiles and greetings welcome guests throughout the hotel and nothing is too much trouble. There are also nice touches, which differentiate this hotel from a group I had previously associated with the conference market, rather than individual weekend breaks. These nice touches include a range of fair-trade and organic wines, toiletries made in Scotland and not tested on animals, and a selection of freshly baked breads presented with the meal, cut from loaves at your table and served with a choice of butter or oil and vinegar.
Hitting the sack: the colour scheme from the lobby continues to the 130 bedrooms, although the adjoining hallways let the side down a bit because while the striped carpets are pleasing, the signage is gaudy and dated. Nevertheless rooms have been carefully overhauled and offer big beds, crisp white sheets, light-blocking curtains, homely soft furnishings and all the necessaries such as iron, hairdryer, minibar, tea and coffee (with fresh milk available), and trouser press. The bathroom had an attractive monochrome cream and a fast-filling bath and powerful shower. You could operate the towel warmer yourself, handy for drying clothes after a soggy round of golf.
The rooms with the best views are those overlooking the golf course on the first floor. When booking it would be advisable to check whether functions are taking place, and to ask for a room a long way from the function suite.
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Sampling the food: the evening meal in the Winchester Restaurant is offered as two set menus. The three-course £26.50 menu is good value but the £39.50 a la carte (£33.50 for two courses) is more imaginative. It starts with a tasty amuse bouche of smoked trout, followed by the aforementioned choice of fresh bread. The seared scallops with puree and tempura cauliflower, and curried mango was excellent, with fresh scallops and a light tangy dressing (a cheaper set menu option would have been ham hock terrine with tomato chutney).
My main of fillet steak with a selection of mushrooms was cooked perfectly although too big to finish, and the pork fillet wrapped in bacon with fondant potatoes and Jewish artichoke, from the cheaper menu, looked good on the next door table. The portions were generous and it was only out of indulgence that I had the pannacotta pudding, also very good, which is an alternative to white chocolate and raspberry tart, on the cheaper menu. Then there’s the wine list, which had a good selection of wine by the glass - 21 in all, and nine wines under the organic, fair-trade heading, as well as a wider selection by the bottle.
Breakfast, served 7am-10.30am at the weekends and until 9.30am weekdays, was a good spread, although it’d need to be to justify the £15.95 price tag. There was plenty of fresh bread and pastries, a choice of teas and cereals, and nice yoghurt, only the fruit was disappointing as most was stewed or tinned. The hot menu served good kippers and porridge among the usual options and came promptly.
Access all areas: the hotel is accessible for wheelchairs and two bedrooms have been adapted for wheelchair users. In addition leisure facilities can be accessed by wheelchair users.
Added attractions: there is no shortage of leisure distractions at the hotel, making it a good choice for active weekenders or families with kids old enough to enjoy a pool. The hotel’s 18-hole golf course is its crowning jewel, and has just achieved Championship status. The 6,000 plus yard course has some attractive water features and wooded sections and is mostly on even terrain, with the exception of a dramatic sweeping fairway down to the 18th hole. There is also a 12-bay covered driving range, two putting greens, a driving net, practice area, pro shop and resident pro available for golf lessons and clinics. A round costs £30 (£25 during the week) and you must bring your own clubs - none are available to hire.
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Apart from the golf course there’s a gym, tennis courts, squash courts, pool, steam room, sauna and aerobics studio. For less taxing pursuits, the hotel has three treatment rooms, where Decleor treatments are available, including massages, facials, non-surgical face lifts, and hand and foot therapies.
What we think: food and d?cor defy the dull exterior (which is much more impressive when viewed from the golf course), and the selection of leisure activities would easily fill a weekend break.
Bottom line: room rates start from £52 bed and breakfast per person based on two people sharing, or £66 per person including dinner. Spa break packages are also available.
Need to know: Botley Park Hotel, Golf and Country Club, Winchester Rd, Boorley Green, Southampton, Hants, SO32 2UA, tel. 0870 194 2132 or 01506 815 142 www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/botleypark