Gone are the days of staying in shoddy accommodation the night before catching a flight! Why not start the holiday early with a relaxing day or two in a comfy bed, a relaxing spa, with great food?
Just before Christmas, we visited the Runnymede on Thames Hotel and Spa in Egham, near to Heathrow airport. We thought we’d review this hotel as people are often looking for a nice hotel to stay in before catching their flight, to alleviate the stress of flying, and ‘The Runnymede’ is a great choice!
On arrival, the first thing we noticed was the beautifully lit tipi outside the entrance of the hotel, whilst it was freezing outside, we asked if we could have a drink in the tipi to which they obliged. The reception area was beautifully decorated and felt very festive as you can imagine. It was particularly busy due to work Christmas parties which caused for a great atmosphere. We were given a lovely room that overlooked the river, which of course we couldn’t appreciate until the morning due to it being dark outside, but a lovely, cosy room nonetheless. As odd as it sounds we particularly liked the bathroom and the large mirror across the wall.
Dinner can only be described as fantastic! From the first course to dessert, it was all delicious, with the mussels being a particular favourite of ours. The table staff were also lovely, when asked their opinions on meals and wines, they appeared to be very knowledgeable in their responses and recommended some great choices.
In the morning we went for a swim and sauna in the spa, it was very quiet, calm and relaxing and had a lovely zen feel, perfect for those that are catching a flight that day. We also checked out their new infrared sauna, which is a great bit of technology. We then had a tour of the hotel by the hotel Manager who informed us of some interesting facts about the facility and also showed us the beautiful terrace that we weren’t able to see the night before. It was lovely even on a cold December morning, so we can only imagine how nice it would be during the summer. He then showed us some of the exciting things that guests can do during their stay, such as make use of the hot tub on the river, or take a trip in their very own ‘The Runnymede’ boat down the Thames.
Similarly to dinner, breakfast was delicious with a fine selection of choices such as Full English, pastries or cereal. We went for the Full English and it was a great choice. The room in which we had breakfast was on the river front and had lovely views and again, the table staff were great, recommending us things to do in the area.
Overall the stay was very enjoyable. Whilst the rooms were lovely and the bed very comfy, for us, the highlight of the stay had to be the food. Both dinner and breakfast excelled our expectations, simply due to the fact it is not known for being a restaurant, but a Hotel and Spa, and the choice was fantastic. We also thoroughly enjoyed the spa time and would recommend the ‘The Runnymede’ for those travelling from Heathrow Airport, looking for a hotel prior to their flight, or simply for those looking for a relaxing night away.
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