We were excited to find ourselves in the most idyllic country estate after just a 10 minute taxi ride from Watford Junction in North West London. The team from PA Life had arrived at The Grove, a luxury golf & spa hotel, admiring the stunning views of the expansive grounds along the way as we were driven to the top of the hill to the beautiful 18th century mansion that’s now the 5* resort hotel…
We arrived at the impressive reception in the Mansion where the friendly staff checked us in and gave us directions to The Stables restaurant, a short walk away across the formal gardens. What better way to start our visit than over a delicious lunch! The Stables is one of the four restaurants at the hotel, plus during the summer the Potting Shed hosts pop-up restaurants, and you can also reserve a bespoke dining experience such as a BBQ in the Walled Garden.
The Stables has a relaxed atmosphere, and in warmer weather expands to the spacious outdoor terrace overlooking the well-known 18-hole championship golf course. On the menu you’ll find great British classics, with a redefined twist as you’d expect, and many of the ingredients are picked from Jemima’s Kitchen Garden. The weekday lunches are great value at £30 for two courses and if you rather grab something quickly, The Stables Bar has a great menu of bar bites too.
We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at The Stables, savouring mains of roasted cauliflower steak, market spiced caramelised purée, pickled shallots (VG) and the blackened chicken supreme, served with grilled tender stem broccoli, chestnut mushrooms. We ordered just one course, saving our appetite to the three-course dinner to follow later at the Amber Suite where we were attending an awards event.
Award-winning dining at The Grove
The other restaurants looked incredibly inviting too, such as Madhu’s at The Grove,where New Delhi meets The Grove over their famous Indian banquets as well as their a la carte menu. Madhu’s is a refined space in the heart of the Mansion and we were not surprised to learn that Madhu’s had recently won ‘Asian Restaurant of the Year’ in the Asian Restaurant Awards 2024. Congratulations to the Chef and the kitchen team!
Madhu’s also serve a very special afternoon tea – the High Chai, a unique fusion of British and Indian culinary traditions. Rooted in Indian heritage and Eastern African influences, the menu bridges cultural divides.
The Glasshouse is the place to experience one of the world’s finest buffets, as seen on Netflix’s ‘Million Dollar Buffet’ documentary with Grace Dent. You can taste your way around the selection of live-action food stations, showcasing the very best international cuisine. Just be sure to bring your appetite.
Breakfast is also served here, and what a feast it was too. It’s worth staying over just to enjoy breakfast.
A festive lunch will be available every day between 2 and 20 December, what a great option for festive team get-togethers, or for friends and family reunions. A glass of Prosecco is on the house to get you in the mood for your feast.
Sequoia Kitchen is a perfect place to relax and refuel with a nourishing menu, whether you’re winding down after a treatment or simply looking for a light bite during your stay.
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- Amber Suite
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- The Potting Shed
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- The Glasshouse terrace with a firepit
Event and meeting spaces at The Grove
There are wonderful and flexible event spaces offering a range of inspiring and relaxing packages to engage your guests before, during and after your event. From the traditional 18th Century Mansion to the contemporary Cedar Suite, The Grove has 28 bright and beautiful spaces for you to choose for your events. We attended a 250 person sit-down dinner at the Amber Suite. Its more traditional luxury setting can cater for a celebration of up to 450 guests. At the other end of the spectrum you is a chance to experience the outdoors in the wonderfully verdant Walled Garden. And so many more options in between, all with natural daylight and with many also offering garden access.
An unbeatable location
The Grove is set in 300 acres of rolling Hertfordshire countryside just 18 miles from London. It’s a country estate just outside London and the perfect hideaway for a creative event of any size.
What are the bedrooms like at The Grove?
Every bedroom in the Grade-II listed Mansion and the contemporary West Wing has been given the luxury treatment. So no matter where you lay your head, sink-into-me sheets and a king-size bed come as standard.
We stayed in the Deluxe Room with a garden view from its own a balcony. The decor of the room was so exquisite, and refreshingly different from big name hotel chains, even at the luxury end. The contemporary bathroom was exactly as one would love to style a home bathroom.
The hotel has 214 bedrooms and suites in total.
Activities and teambuilding
There are plenty of outdoor pursuits available year-round to keep all guests with varying tastes entertained. They are great as free time activities for your teams and execs and include bike rides, archery, tennis and even laser clay shooting. During weekends and school holidays, there is also a range of sports-based and crafting activities on offer.
And the Sequoia Spa of course! We had a wonderful morning enjoying the saunas and steam room, jacuzzi and a few laps in the indoor pool like no other, tiled in black mosaics making it feel like swimming in wild water. As you’d expect, the spa offers a great choice of treatments from a massage to facials and have no less than 18 treatment rooms. This is the ultimate place to relax, rejuvenate and recharge. The spa has also proudly secured the 8th spot in Condé Nast Traveller’s 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards among the top 15 spa hotels in the UK.
Other activities of offer at The Grove
18 hole championship golf course
Team building activities
Swimming
Bike rides
Archery
Laser clay shooting
Full-size football pitch
Tennis
Horse riding
Falconry displays
Outdoor games in the Walled Garden
Beach volleyball
Indoor games in the Potting Shed
Everyman Cinema
The hotel also has an OFSTED-registered Anouska’s Kids Club on-site.
Family activities and things to do near The Grove
There’s always plenty to do in lively Hertfordshire and The Grove is just a short drive from a variety of activities and attractions. Kids and adults alike will love exploring the wonders of the Wizarding World at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter. London’s closest indoor real snow slope, The Snow Centre, is also on the doorstep.
Travel to The Grove is easy with great transport links
Watford Junction – 10 mins – 2 miles
Watford High Street – 10 mins – 3 miles
Watford Underground – 10 mins – 3 miles
Watford North – 10 mins – 3 miles
On-site helipad, must be pre-booked
See more about The Grove or get in touch with their helpful events team at events@thegrove.co.uk
PA Life Club enjoyed a wonderful visit to The Grove in July.
