Were Constable alive today, he might well gather up his oils and head up to Talbooth House & Spa to capture the entrancing views of the Dedham Vale on canvas. From this stylishly revamped Victorian country manor, you can take in the full sweep of the wooded Stour Valley that the Romantic artist loved so dearly – its water meadows, church steeples and stands of proud oaks are a painting come to life.
Without losing a jot of the manor’s original charm, owner Geraldine Milsom has sent Talbooth House & Spa winging into the 21st century. With her sharp eye for blending historic features with modern flair, she has filled the place with eye-catching artworks and one-off design pieces. With just 12 rooms, the mood is so intimate that it’s more like arriving at a good friend’s tasteful country pad than a hotel.
As you enter, you step into the Garden Room, where an open fire crackles during the chillier months and pre-dinner drinks are served. In this salon, plush armchairs and bubble chandeliers lend a decadent feel to a subtle palette of muted hues. Charcoal sketches of farm animals are a rural reminder of where we are, less you forget, which is unlikely as the windows frame the Dedham Vale view perfectly.
Room with a view
And so, to the rooms. Named after British poets, these are spacious, individually designed and luxurious, with incredibly comfy king-size beds draped in Egyptian cotton and goose-feather duvets that encourage lazy lie-ins. I love the little but all-important details: the DAB radios, the fluffy robes and slippers, the array of books and magazines and a minibar with complimentary soft drinks. A book with classic verses from the poets celebrated at the hotel is a lovely touch.
I’m staying in the Wordsworth, where oversized lamps, a bubble chandelier and a giant picture of a spacewoman haloed in pink light give a playful, pop art-style touch to classic lines and a palette of taupe, greys, caramel and black. Through the window are soothing country views, and there’s a sofa perfect for kicking back with a freshly made espresso or leaf tea. The step-down marble bathroom is huge, with a walk-in shower and a roll-top tub for leisurely soaks with organic Think, Act & Live Responsible products.
I take a peek in the other rooms, too, which swing from the brighter, silver-kissed Shelley, with dreamy views on either side across the gardens and to the Dedham Vale, to my favourite, the Shakespeare, an executive suite with a leather sofa to stretch out upon, a vast, beautifully tiled bathroom with a sunken double bathtub and a private terrace.
Embrace the outdoors
For a hotel of its size, Talbooth House & Spa offers terrific facilities, with tennis courts should you so wish, and plenty of activities in the surrounds, from canoeing to paddleboarding. The team can arrange bike hire, which is a fabulous way to explore the Dedham Vale in glorious slow motion.
The spa, however, is the clincher, with a heated outdoor pool for swimming laps, a lounge where a crackling log fire fills the air with the scent of woodsmoke, a deck with an outdoor hot tub for a lazy bubble and an infrared sauna. After a deeply relaxing back massage, I planned on spending an hour by the pool and ended up staying for half the day. Rimmed by tall trees, it’s incredibly peaceful here, especially midweek.
Staying at the hotel gets you instant access to the spa, but for the full-on effect I would suggest booking one of their Elemis treatments, which range from pro-glow facials to lava shell massages and the signature two therapist face-and-feet treatment (a facial and pedicure).
Fine dining by the River Stour
After a rest and refresh, a chauffeured car arrives to whisk me to award-winning Talbooth Restaurant nearby, one of highest regarded in Essex, where chefs put imaginative riffs on modern British food in a gorgeous timber-framed Tudor house on the banks of the River Stour. Dining is à la carte in the restaurant, where subtly modern décor and white linen-draped tables blend in with the timber-beamed interior. The wine list is extensive (let the sommelier talk you through it).
The sophisticated, season-driven menu plays up carefully sourced regional ingredients in brilliantly executed, exquisitely presented dishes like Talbooth smoked salmon tart with dashi jelly, black caviar and radish, and Thetford venison loin with garam masala-infused venison pithivier, mushroom purée, blackberry ketchup, cavolo nero and pommes gaufrettes. A feather-light rhubarb and ginger soufflé perfectly rounds out my meal.
Breakfast in bed
Breakfast is often a worthy judge of a hotel and back at Talbooth House it is bang on the money. I opt for breakfast in my room rather than heading down the road to sister hotel, Milsoms. It’s a fabulous spread, with fresh fruit, berry-yoghurt pots, patisserie with Tiptree preserves, Suffolk apple juice and proper coffee. Hot options are available to order, and I go for toasted sourdough topped with crushed avocado, feta and tomatoes.
It’s a fitting end to what has been a wonderful stay, and a great kick-start to a morning ramble along the willow-lined River Stour to Willy Lott’s House, which featured in Constable’s 1821 masterpiece The Hay Wain. On this sunny spring day, everything is in coming into bloom. Geese glide on the breeze. A kingfisher flits across the water. The landscape appears as soft and gentle as a brushstroke.
The Details
Talbooth House & Spa, Stratford Road, Dedham, Colchester, Essex, CO7 6HN, England.
Tel: +44 (0)1206 322367
Website: www.milsomhotels.com
Email: talboothhouseandspa@milsomhotels.com
Dedham is around a two-hour drive from London. Turn off the M25 at Brentwood onto the A12. Continue on A12 towards Ipswich, bypassing Colchester. Take the left exit signposted Stratford St Mary, Dedham and Higham and turn right at bottom of hill to Dedham, go over the bridge and the hotel is approximately 300yds along on the right-hand side.
Frequent trains run from London Liverpool Street to Colchester, with a journey time of one hour. From Colchester, it’s a 20-minute taxi ride to Dedham. Manningtree is an alternative.
Type of Hotel: Boutique Country Hotel
Number of Rooms: 12 rooms and suites (classic, deluxe, superior and executive), including complimentary Wi-Fi.
Price Band: High
Insider Tip: Check the special offers page on the website for deals such as cut-price spa breaks. Many of the ground-floor suites have terraces, whilst the rooms on the first floor have fine views of the Dedham Vale.
Fact Box: To book a spa treatment, call +44 (0)1206 806102 or visit the website. Classic double rooms start from £200 per night for two sharing including breakfast. Dinner from the à la carte menu at Talbooth Restaurant is from £75 per person for three courses. The two-course fixed price lunch is £44.
Overnight guests have full access to the spa’s pool house, hot tub and sauna. Signature treatments start at £90 for 55 minutes.
The hotel also has a civil wedding licence for up to 40 guests and can be hired exclusively for special occasions for ultimate privacy.
Families warmly welcome at Talbooth House and children’s swim times at the spa pool are between 8am and 9am and 5pm and 7pm. Children’s menus are available at Talbooth Restaurant. The hotel is also dog friendly.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10/10
Author Bio:
Kerry Walker is an award-winning travel writer and guidebook author.
Photographs courtesy of Milsom Hotels
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