Last Updated on January 31, 2022
A winter staycation with a warm welcome
A mid-winter staycation might not be as warm as flying off for some winter sun, a ploy I once used to get through the long, cold months. Yet nowadays, with Covid-19 and climate concerns on my mind, I prefer staying closer to home so an invitation to review the four-star Holiday Inn, Winchester, arrived just at the right time. Winchester is a must-visit town in Hampshire and the local Holiday Inn has recently received a makeover and also sports the Ana Spa where Elemis treatments will soothe, spoil and pamper.
I arrived at Holiday Inn, Winchester both cold and muddy having spent the afternoon hiking in the hills that surround the city. An out of town location – there is a short, 10-minute drive into central Winchester – and large parking area means there is no need to stress about where to leave the car. The welcome was warm and, although it was already dusk, the lobby and lounge were brightly illuminated with contemporary lights making a strong style impression. A double volume space with a massive glass wall makes the spacious area feel up to date, with the area broken into cosy spaces dotted with colourful sofas and pops of colour on shelves that function as space dividers. A long bar and area with funky blue banquettes makes a lovely space for a pre-dinner drink.
Up in our Executive room – the rooms are located on two floors along two wings that radiate from the central lobby – we found a large and very comfortable bed, armchair, plus a desk and chair for a bit of working from home. There is a glass-walled conference room in the building and no doubt this makes Holiday Inn Winchester a sought after venue for work and team meetings.
Hot water was plentiful in the bath and the shower had good pressure. Toiletries from The White Company were much appreciated. White waffle gowns and slippers added to the feeling of comfort and were great to settle into after a much needed hot bath. Guests also have an ironing board and iron, hairdryer, mini bar fridge and tea and coffee making facilities with biscuits. There is 24-hour room service should it be required.
In the evening, having enjoyed a glass of Da Luca prosecco, we had dinner at The Odyssey, the restaurant, pizzeria and bar at Holiday Inn, Winchester. Marble topped tables, an open plan kitchen, contemporary metro tiles and herringbone floors made for an attractive space which is also where breakfast is served for guests. The waiting staff were particularly friendly and the food was delivered promptly. We chose from a menu which touches most bases from meat to fish with plenty for vegetarians. There is pasta, specialist flatbreads and pizzas with creative toppings as well as fish and chips, curry and other family favourites. There is also a good wine and beer list for those looking to settle in for the evening.
We chose a Greek salad to start along with a tear and share garlic bread which turned out to be the size of a large dinner plate. The salad was fresh and generously scattered with olives and feta. Continuing the healthy theme, I chose a salmon fillet prepared on the grill. It was served with two large grilled mushrooms and tomatoes and a small flower pot filled with chips. My husband enjoyed a rib eye steak which was similarly adorned. We enjoyed a veritable mound of fresh, seasonal veg as a side where well-seasoned crunchy green beans were mixed with sprouts, savoy cabbage, carrot and sweet potato. We had certainly had more than our five a day in one meal. Diners can choose a two-course meal with a glass of wine for £39.99 or dine a la carte. With large portions and a varied menu, this is a great value way for guests to enjoy being able to eat out while eating in.
After a comfortable night, it was time for eating again. I do love hotel breakfasts and Holiday Inn Winchester has all the favourites. Along the open kitchen counter sat a row of chafing dishes containing the components of the cooked breakfast (£14.95) – Cumberland sausage, bacon, baked beans, black pudding, scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, and hash browns. A central island was devoted to the Continental breakfast option (£7.50) with pastries, charcuterie, cheese, cereals, fresh fruit, muesli, granola, a variety of yoghurts, breads, spreads, preserves and a toaster to make your toast just as you like it.
The cooked breakfast, which will set you up for a full day of sightseeing, includes the option of ordering items such as kippers, haddock, omelettes, eggs Benedict, scrambled egg with smoked salmon, porridge, Quorn sausage or pancakes – all cooked fresh to order. I requested a poached egg and within a couple of minutes, two lovely eggs were delivered to the table. My husband tucked into The Full English with hungry relish.
After breakfast, we relaxed on a sofa in the adjoining lounge with mugs of tea, and I was ready to hunker down for the morning with my book. While it is tempting to do just that, Winchester has a wealth of sights and museums, walks, restaurants, pubs, ruins, and a world-famous Cathedral. For families staying at Holiday Inn, Winchester, the science museum and planetarium is next door to the hotel so it could not be easier to entertain the kids with a day out with no need to get them into the car.
For adults wishing to venture no further than the basement of Holiday Inn Winchester, the Ana Spa is an oasis of calm. A menu of tempting treatments from the luxury British skincare brand Elemis includes a 55 minute thousand flower detox wrap, a cleansing salt scrub or a choice of massage treatments. Guests can select from a list of facial treatments including the Elemis BIOTEC facial. There is a tailored menu of treatments for men as well as for mums to be. There are Spa fizz days for friends, afternoon tea or after work evening packages, Sunday evening Spa specials and treatments for couples. The Ana Spa boasts a hydrotherapy pool, a Himalayan salt sauna, sensory shower, crystal steam room and bubbly foot spa. For the more energetic guest, there is a gym and studio classes. Guests can relax and eat in the Spa lounge. When I return to the hotel, I will certainly book myself and my husband in for the mud Rasul suite where you begin with a sea salt exfoliation followed by painting one another with mud and then relaxing in dry heat while impurities are drawn out of the skin. A warm, rain shower completes the treatment. It sounds blissful.
Perhaps the most unusual way in which I put the Holiday Inn Winchester to the test was not by ordering poached eggs or assessing the number of channels on the large TV, but what happened when an emergency developed. Although this is unusual, it happened to us during our weekend stay, and when we emerged from our room at 3 am en route to the local A&E at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital (three cheers to the NHS), the three young men who comprised the night desk team were calm, concerned and kind. When I popped back later in the morning to collect our bags, having missed breakfast, a staff member offered to make me a cup of tea to take away. The Holiday Inn, Winchester has staff that are thoughtful, well trained, and well selected. At the end of the day, a hotel is a home from home and everything that makes guests feel welcome, safe, and cared for is much appreciated.
A few of my personal favourite things to do in Winchester:
- A visit to the Winchester City Mill – one of the oldest, functioning water mills, centuries-old and fascinating to see in action. We had a lovely light lunch in the Café – leek and potato soup with sourdough bread baked with the mill’s own flour which you can watch being produced. You can buy bags of stoneground wholemeal flour to take home.
- Evensong at Winchester Cathedral – an opportunity for reflection and to hear the choir sing amidst the splendour of one of England’s finest Gothic cathedrals.
- An evening drink at Wykeham Arms pub – roaring log fires, hundreds of beer tankards hanging from the rafters, wood-panelled traditional pub with old desks from nearby Winchester College. Very atmospheric and the menu looked good too.
- Walk up the hill behind the High Street – Winchester has a fair number of hills – to visit The Great Hall. An interesting piece of history.
- Have a meal at Kyoto Kitchen – creative Japanese cuisine on a Winchester side street. The restaurant uses wasabi that is grown on a farm not far from Winchester and the waiter freshly grates it using a sharkskin grater. A different flavour to the wasabi often used in restaurants that is filled out with horseradish. Tastes wonderful on the speciality of the house – the Winchester roll which uniquely uses wasabi leaf instead of seaweed and is wrapped around smoked trout.
- Book lovers will adore Winchester. There are second-hand bookshops everywhere. My favourite is the joyful selection of newer and really old books to browse through at The Deanery, behind the Cathedral. Proceeds go toward the Choir.
- Put on your hiking boots and walk through the water meadows (which inspired Keats’ poem On Autumn) to the medieval Hospital of St Cross, one of the oldest operating almshouses in England. Ask for the wayfarer’s dole – a piece of bread and a cup of ale.
- While you have your boots on, climb the 300 steps to the top of nearby St Catherine’s Hill for 360-degree views of the surrounding area. After your hike, refresh at The Handlebar Café at the bottom of the hill, overlooking the Itchen Navigation canal. The café is run by a social development enterprise which means ethical refuelling before you head back into town along a tow-path.
And for more about some of the attractions I’ve already mentioned and a few new ones, check our feature on things to do in Winchester
Holiday Inn, Winchester
Telegraph Way,
Winchester SO21 1HZ
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