Luxury Staycation at The Four Seasons, Hampshire

Living Up All Four Seasons In One, In The Hampshire

After six months of being cooped up at home in my London flat, I was craving fresh air and new sights. And that’s when I stumbled upon The Four Seasons Hampshire for my next staycation.

Located southwest of London, it houses the county town of Winchester, the former capital city of England. And it’s also the birthplace of famed writers, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.

With its long winding green pathways leading up to the red-bricked main building, I felt just like Lady Mary from Downton Abbey heading home. And then I stepped out of the car and saw the sight, endless rolling green hills for as far as I can see, leading up to a lake twinkling in the back. This is the sweet moment of freedom that I’ve so been longing for.

Tip: Download the Four Seasons app, and book your swim slots, spa treatments, activities, and restaurant reservations via their chat feature prior to arrival.

Upon arrival, we were promptly screened and our temperatures were taken in a non-invasive manner. Seeing how they were running things, immediately made me and my super nervous family feel at ease.

I have stayed in many hotels but none like this. This truly felt like a secluded spa getaway in the upmost luxury possible. The peacefulness, flower arrangements, and open gardens were truly a calming and beautiful place. Perfect for my staycation.

What To Do At The Four Seasons in The Hampshire?

Go For A Swim

Luckily the sun came out for us this week. With the temperature soaring beyond 30^oC, an afternoon swim really did hit the spot. With its spacious large indoor pool leading directly into the outdoor spa pool, this was definitely an enjoyable swim. Not to mention, the pool entry was restricted to just a few individuals with a one-way swim system in place. It definitely felt Covid-19 safe.

Have A Meal (or ALL) At The Wild Carrot Restaurant

The Wild Carrot is the restaurant available at The Four Seasons Hampshire. They went above and beyond for every meal and truly offered a fine service. We had recorded our Halal dietary and allergy requirements at the point of booking, and each server was fully aware of our restrictions before even taking our order. Not to mention that all of the meat served was Halal!!!

Every meal that we had here was consistent in flavour and presentation. And for the first time ever, my picky taste buds didn’t not only hate anything, but I loved every meal that was served. Even their complimentary olive bread.

I loved it so much, I wrote an entire blog dedicated to The Wild Carrot, Four Seasons, Hampshire. Check it out here for a scrumptious affair.

For An Active Staycation, Explore The Four Seasons 500 Acres Of Land

With acres of greenery on all sides, pick a spot, and get walking.

Tip: Apply sunscreen, grab a bottle of water and ensure you have on some very comfy trainers or walking boots. Lastly don’t forget your camera, you’ll thank me?

One of my favourite walks was to head out from the restaurant and follow the pathway towards the bench sitting pristinely on the hill. From there, follow the path all the way up until you hit the property lines. On your way back, walk AROUND the shooting area and not through it. Keep following the path around, until you make your way back to the restaurant. This is where you can reward yourself with a refreshing lemonade.

This 45 mins walk did so much for my mental health! just being around stillness and calmness and acres and acres of greenery for as far as I could see, without any other person being in my personal space, it was freeing.

Have A Picnic By The Lake

With the Hampshire offering so much in natural beauty, it’s no surprise that The Four Seasons has a lake for you to enjoy during your staycation. So grab a picnic and head out straight from the main entrance, to undertake a 20 minutes walk, leading you to the crisp blue lake. Don’t forget to take a moment and breathe in the fresh country air and appreciate the Cattles along the way there.

Tip: Follow the path! It’s tempting to walk through the tall grass, but trust me this will just tire you out before you even begin. Despite it looking ‘shorter’ it will take much longer. At least it did for my little legs!!

Once you’ve taken in the sights, settle down for your picnic at the spacious picnic table or make yourself at home on the grass. Feeling lazy to walk back after your food coma? no problem, simply message the front desk via the app and request a lift. Within five minutes, a buggy will arrive ready to take you back.

Play A Round Of Tennis

We wanted to make sure that we had physical activity built into our staycation, so we booked a court via the Four Seasons app. Now, this was intense. With the midday sun beating down on us, we miserably attempted to play tennis. Okay, it was really more us chasing after the balls that we failed to hit. But we gave it a go.

There are two courts available for complimentary use, and a bottle of cleaning solution is conveniently placed by the rackets, allowing you to disinfect them pre and post-game.

Amplify Your Staycation by Going Horse Riding At The Four Seasons Hampshire

After my not so great introduction to horse riding in Egypt 5 years ago, I finally got on a horse again. And oah my, was he a gentle beauty.

For starters, this was more of a walk than a ride and the instructor lead the horse the entire time. Initially, we met some of the cutest little Shetland ponies and the other horses that were out grazing and then headed towards the lake. Once we’ve taken in the sights, we then headed up towards the hotel, and finally circled back around until we reached the equestrian center.

Did I feel nervous? 100%! In fact, I was so scared that he was going to suddenly throw me off, that I spent the first half of the ride just trying to not think about it rather than enjoying the moment.

The instructor, however, was so lovely and calm clearly knew what she was doing, so I chose to put my trust in them both and enjoy the ride. Not to mention that I learned many many horse riding tips and local facts from her. As a city girl, I always love hearing about the stories from smaller towns and her story was truly an interesting one. Everyone in her town rides a horse! And its not even considered an elite thing. My only regret was not having a riding lesson with her, as I’m sure there was plenty more I could learn.

Complete Your Staycation At The Four Seasons Hampshire By Winding Down At The Spa

Now, no trip is complete without a massage. On this occasion I opted for a Noom Deep Sleep Massage.

At the start, the masseuse discussed any health issues that I may have and asked me to choose my choice of light therapy and scent. A light to medium pressure was applied the whole time which made me think I was wasting my money (as I’m used to deep tissue and Thai massages) but oh my, I was literally in a trance by the time this was over. So much so that I don’t even know how I got dressed and found my way out of there.

The only downside that I would have to admit, is when the masseuse sprayed the scent above my head in order to aid the experience. However, as someone with a perfume allergy, this was a big no-no. I found myself struggling to breathe for a short while, which ended up being counterproductive to the whole relaxing experience.

Tip: If you have a perfume allergy, emphasise to the masseuse to not apply any scents near your head.