SQUIB: a : a short humorous or satiric writing or speech; b : a short news item. (Merriam-Webster)
This Travel Squib is going to describe classic British style without once mentioning Downton Abbey (except that one time just now).
Ellenborough Park might just make staying in a city bound luxury hotel seem like quite a letdown. Dominating the rolling hillside above Cheltenham Racecourse, Ellenborough Park was a private residence, with construction beginning in the early 1500s. Over the centuries, it’s been a royal residence, a rented property, a school for girls, a hotel and the current resort.
A stay at Ellenborough provides a chance to sample the life of an English country gentlemen of eras passed as the hotel’s location offers short trips to horse racing, polo, shooting, horseback riding and hunting (in season).
The rooms in the main portion of the house are spacious and imminently comfortable. A more recent extension at the back of the property offers additional quality space with private patios surrounding a heated swimming pool. That back addition doesn’t quite match the centuries old main house in outward appearance, but hotel staff did suggest a move was afoot to aesthetically “age” the addition. The Ellenborough powers that be must tread carefully, as the hotel is a historical property.
The Beaufort Dining Room offers sophisticated, multi-course dining with wine pairings by night, and complete English breakfast in the morning. The Brasserie Bar offers locally sourced, upscale pub faire in a more casual atmosphere.
Ellenborough Park has an aura of sophistication with echoes of rugged country life — letting a visitor recharge amidst modern comforts in an environment rich in history.
For more images of the hotel and nearby Cheltenham Racecourse, enjoy the collection below:
