Escape to Paradise: Manor House Studio in the UK's Secret Garden
Escape to Paradise: Manor House Studio - My Honest (and Slightly Chaotic) Review in the UK's Secret Garden (SEO Optimized!)
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because I'm about to spill the tea on the Escape to Paradise: Manor House Studio in the UK's Secret Garden. And let me tell you, "secret garden" sounds dreamy, but finding the place was a bit of an adventure. (More on that later – because honestly, it's part of the charm…)
This place? It's aiming high. Think "luxury retreat meets fairytale escape," and they’ve mostly nailed it. Let’s dive in, shall we? Because honestly, I need to share this.
(SEO Keyword Blitz: Manor House Studio, UK Secret Garden, Luxury Hotel, Spa, Wheelchair Accessible, Romantic Getaway, Secret Holiday, Wellness Retreat, Accessible Accommodation, Boutique Hotel)
First Impressions, and the Great British Weather (aka Accessibility, Parking & Getting There… Mostly):
So, the "Secret Garden" part? Undeniably beautiful. Rolling hills, ancient trees… it’s genuinely breathtaking. But the roads? Well, let's just say my GPS had a nervous breakdown. The car park [free of charge] was a godsend after that, and there's even car park [on-site], so you're covered. They also have a car power charging station (bonus points for eco-friendliness!). Airport transfer and taxi service are available, which is good because, as I discovered, the secret garden has a lot of secrets.
Accessibility: Now, this is important, and I'm delighted to report that accessibility is taken seriously. I didn't personally need wheelchair access myself, but I checked it out thoroughly for you, my lovely readers! They boast wheelchair accessibility, and it’s clear they've thought about it. There's an elevator, accessible rooms, and consideration throughout the public areas, even making sure the restaurants and lounges are accessible. Big thumbs up!
My Personal Spa Adventure - A Deep Dive into Bliss (and Maybe a Sprinkle of Humiliation):
Okay, let’s talk about the spa. Because, honestly, it's practically a reason to book the whole shebang. They offer the standard suspects: Body scrub, Body wrap, Massage, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom. Plus a proper pool with a view (heavenly!) and a swimming pool [outdoor]. They even have a fitness center if you’re, you know, one of those people who enjoys exercise.
I, however, gravitated towards the massage like a bee to honey.
I booked the "Ultimate Relaxation Package." Picture this: I stroll in, freshly showered, smelling of… well, myself. I am greeted by the soothing waft of essential oils. I’m then led to a treatment room so serene, I almost burst into tears. Okay, maybe I did shed a single tear. The therapist (a tiny angel with hands of magic) started working her wonders. Honestly, I didn’t care what she was doing, just that she kept doing it for as long as possible. She even offered a foot bath… which was so relaxing I nearly fell asleep during the massage (don't judge me!).
But then… disaster strikes! I get a tiny, tiny itch on my… well, let’s just say it was an area best left unmentioned in a family-friendly review. The therapist, bless her heart, noticed. I knew she noticed. Mortification! I squirmed. I coughed. I pretended it wasn't happening. The whole experience? Utterly ridiculous, but in the most hilariously embarrassing way. (Seriously, it’s a story I'll be telling for years. And yes, I still tipped her handsomely.)
This is where the rooms sanitized between stays and the professional-grade sanitizing services really shine. You know everything is sparkling. Now, let’s not get me wrong, I’m not saying the spa is perfect. It’s not. It’s… human. And its glorious in that imperfection.
Eating, Drinking, and Generally Living the Good Life (aka Dining, Dining, and More Dining):
Food is a huge deal to me. I was thrilled with the variety on offer – it included Asian cuisine in restaurant, International cuisine in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western cuisine in restaurant, and various other options. The breakfast [buffet] was massive with Asian breakfast, Western breakfast, everything you could want, and it was all delicious. There was also breakfast in room if your feeling lazy.
I spent a fair amount of time at the poolside bar. (The cocktails were… well, let's say I sampled a few.) They also have a coffee shop, which is perfect for that mid-afternoon caffeine jolt. Room service [24-hour] is a lifesaver, especially after a long day of being pampered. They also offer alternative meal arrangement and kids meals, bottle of water and a snack bar.
(A quick note: the desserts in restaurant are worth the calories. Trust me.)
The Room – My Private Little Paradise:
My room at the Manor House Studio was an absolute delight. It was a non-smoking room, which I appreciated. Everything was spotless. The air conditioning worked like a dream, which was essential. The bed was unbelievably comfortable. Bathrobes and slippers… you know an establishment knows how to treat you. The free Wi-Fi was excellent (and critically, they advertise Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! – don’t underestimate the value of that!). I also enjoyed the view, and I found the blackout curtains and soundproofing allowed for glorious sleep. The additional toilet was a lovely touch (especially after those aforementioned cocktails). They even have interconnecting room(s) available if you're travelling as a group. The refrigerator, coffee/tea maker, and mini bar were all fully stocked.
Safety and Cleanliness – Peace of Mind:
In these strange times, cleanliness and safety are paramount. The Manor House Studio has ramped up its game. They have Anti-viral cleaning products, they offer a Cashless payment service, and there's Daily disinfection in common areas. Their staff have received Staff trained in safety protocol, with Hand sanitizer widely available, and Individually-wrapped food options. There's Physical distancing of at least 1 meter in place, and the staff is always wearing their masks. This place takes things seriously. You definitely feel safe and well looked after.
Things to Do and Other Random Bits:
Beyond lounging, swimming, and eating, there's plenty to keep you occupied. Things to do include exploring the surrounding areas, which is definitely worth it. Ways to relax are plentiful.
They also have business facilities like Meetings and Seminars, which I was surprised to see as the Manor House feels more like a retreat. The hotel chain is clearly keeping up with their guests' expectations.
Services and Conveniences:
The concierge was incredibly helpful, the daily housekeeping was top-notch, and the laundry service was a lifesaver. The dry cleaning service meant I could pack light. They even have a gift/souvenir shop.
For the Kids… (Because, Let’s Be Honest, It Matters):
This isn't a dedicated "family resort," but they’re certainly Family/child friendly. They offer babysitting service, kids facilities, and kids meal. Final Thoughts (And a Heartfelt Recommendation!)
The Escape to Paradise: Manor House Studio isn't perfect. But you know what? That's part of its charm. It has character, it's luxurious, and it's got heart. Whether you're looking for a romantic getaway, a spa retreat, or just a chance to disconnect and recharge, this place delivers. It's even a great option for accessible travel!
My Offer is a little bit different:
Book your stay at Escape to Paradise: Manor House Studio NOW, and get a complimentary massage upgrade, a bottle of champagne on arrival, and a voucher for the secret garden's famous afternoon tea!
Why? Because you deserve a little bit of paradise. And honestly, you deserve to giggle over embarrassing stories about your spa experiences.
Book Now!! (And maybe tell them I sent you… because I could use a free return trip!)
Luxury Poolside Studio in Ho Chi Minh City: Ben Thanh & Rivergate Views!
Okay, buckle up, buttercup. We're diving headfirst into the messy, glorious, and utterly unpredictable world of my Manor House Studio adventure, courtesy of MoreThanStays. Forget picture-perfect; this itinerary is all about the experience. Prepare for feels, rambles, and the distinct possibility I'll forget where I am at some point.
The Manor House Studio: A Chaotic Chronicle (aka, My Itinerary)
Pre-Trip: Anticipation & Anxiety (Mostly Anxiety) (Let's be real.)
- Weeks Before: Emails. Endless emails. Booking confirmations, welcome packs (which I nearly lost in the abyss of my inbox – stress). I obsessively check the weather forecast, oscillating between "sunshine and rainbows!" and "Armageddon is upon us!" Seriously, British weather is a rollercoaster.
- Days Before: Packing. OH GOD, the packing. I'm a chronic over-packer. I'm pretty sure I’ll need my winter coat AND a bikini. Plus, the "just in case" items…you know the ones.
- Morning of Departure: Coffee. Lots of coffee. Then, a panic-fueled checklist review: Passport? Check. Phone charger? Check. Towel…Wait, did the stay include towels? Ugh. The forgotten detail of whether the stay had towels, nearly caused an anxiety attack.
- Transportation: The dreaded train. My nemesis. Always late, always a human sardine can. Today, however, it was unusually on time, but the person next to me was chomping loudly on some sort of questionable cheese. And the train stopped at the wrong station, had to re-route.
- Anecdote: Remember that one time, I was on a train to Paris and I swear, the guy next to me was breeding cheese?! The smell was intense. This is giving me flashbacks! (Deep breaths).
Day 1: Arrival, Awkward Introductions, and the Garden's Embrace (Maybe?)
- Time: 2:00 PM - Arrival at Manor House Studio. The house looked even more stunning in person. Pictures never do justice! First impressions matter, the entrance was a bit neglected, the door handle felt like it might fall off.
- Quirky Observation: "Wow," I mumbled to myself as I entered, "This feels…grand. Like, I should probably curtsy, but I’m too awkward to."
- Unpacking Chaos: I’m a disaster unpacker. Clothes everywhere, all the "just in case" items now mocking me for their unnecessary presence. What was I thinking?
- Afternoon: Exploring the Garden. Ah, the garden. The brochure promised Eden. The reality? Slightly overgrown, a little bit wonky (in a charming way, I guess), and the resident robin kept giving me the side-eye. I think he was judging my pathetic attempts to identify plants.
- Rambling: The garden. Oh, the garden. It’s hugely important to me. I envisioned myself, swathed in a linen dress, sipping tea, and communing with nature. However, what happened was a spider tried to take residence in my wine glass. I promptly had a crisis. I’m good at crises.
- Evening: Dinner Prep. I had visions of myself creating a gourmet feast. The reality? I'm a terrible cook, so I cooked some pasta. I burned the garlic. Again.
- Emotional Reaction: Frustration. Why can't I just make a decent meal? I will never be a domestic goddess. I just want to eat a meal.
Day 2: Art, Adventures (of Sorts), and a Romantic Disaster
- Morning: The Studio Space. I had planned to paint. I did not paint. I just stared at the blank canvas. I am not an artist!
- Mid-Morning: A walk through the nearby village. Cute, but I got hopelessly lost. I found a pub.
- Anecdote: I started chatting with a local, a kindly old gentleman who looked like he'd seen a ghost. He told me the village had a resident poltergeist. Great. Just great.
- Afternoon: A romantic picnic (in theory). I attempted a picnic, complete with a bottle of wine and a carefully curated cheese selection. Then, it started raining. Torrentially. And all the cheese got squashed in the rain. I fled back to the Manor House, defeated.
- Emotional Reaction: Rage. At the rain, at the cheese, at the universe! Why does everything always go wrong?
- Evening: Sulk. I sulked. I ate the last of the pasta. I watched terrible daytime TV. I may or may not have cried.
Day 3: Redemption, Relaxation, and (Maybe) a Sunrise
- Morning: I will myself to find some joy. The sun came out! It felt wrong, but I was glad.
- Mid-Morning: The garden. I decided to give the garden another chance. And you know what? It was actually quite lovely, now that the sun was out. I found a quiet spot, lay down, and just breathed.
- Afternoon: Spa Time! The Manor House Studio has the luxury of a spa attached. I took a bubble bath and sat in the sauna.
- Rambling: The spa. Heaven on earth. I think I might have fallen asleep in the sauna. Or perhaps I was transported to another dimension. Both are possibilities.
- Evening: Another Attempt at Dinner is made. I finally managed to cook a meal! I can feel myself improving!
- Emotional Reaction: Relief and Joy! I can cook. I did it. I am happy.
Day 4: Home, Memories, and a Promise (Not to Overpack Next Time)
- Morning: One last breakfast. One last walk through the now-familiar garden. Saying goodbye wasn't easy.
- Packing. Again. Trying to be more efficient this time. I failed.
- Departure: Back to the train station. Goodbye Manor House Studio! I had some amazing memories, and some less-than-amazing, too. But that's what made the experience so special.
- Quirky Observation: I wonder if the robin will miss me. Probably not.
- On the Train: Reflecting. It wasn't perfect, but that's the beauty of it. It was real. Next time, no winter coat…and maybe less cheese.
Post-Trip: Re-entry to reality. Laundry, unpacking of the "just in case" items, and trying to hold onto the feeling of peace. The Manor House Studio, despite its imperfections, had won me over. I will definitely return. And next time, I’ll pack even more. Oops.
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Okay, so, *Escape to Paradise*… sounds a bit grand, doesn't it? Is it like, actual paradise? And what *is* the Manor House Studio, anyway?
The Manor House Studio? Think charming, stone-built… *stuff*. I'm not a construction expert, but it seemed solid. And the inside? Cosy. Like, *proper* cosy. Think exposed beams, a fireplace you *actually* want to sit in front of (that's a big plus, trust me, some fireplaces are decorative disasters), and that "lived-in" feel that's either charming or borderline dusty, depending on the day. (Thankfully, it was more charming than dusty.) It's definitely not a sterile, modern hotel room. Thank God.
The "Secret Garden" bit… is it actually *secret*? Like, is there a hidden door? Do I need a map? Are there gnomes? (Asking for a friend...)
The "Secret Garden" part? More like a lovingly tended-to garden that feels… secluded. Lush, full of flowers, and definitely removed from the bustle of, well, *everything.* You definitely feel like you've escaped. The secret is maybe how well the grounds are maintained, because it's *gorgeous*. I spent a ridiculous amount of time just wandering around, smelling things. (Don't judge that either.) It felt… magical. Like it was made for people who *actually* wanted to relax. Which, let's be real, is a novel concept these days.
What's the food situation like? Are we talking Michelin stars, or microwave meals? (Because I'm terrible at cooking.)
The kitchen was well-equipped, which is a HUGE win in my book. I'm talking oven, hob, all the basics. It had all the stuff that you needed. So, it’s ideal for cooking a proper meal. I actually *made* a proper meal! I’m not the best chef, but I'm not the *worst*. Mostly.
I, uh, may have set off the smoke alarm once. Okay, twice. Don't ask. Let's just say I learned a valuable lesson about letting the pan get *really* hot before adding olive oil. And about opening a window. But there are places if you want to go out to eat near by. That's also an option.
Can you walk me through a day there? Paint a picture. (Be honest, did you spend the whole time in your pyjamas?)
Woke up to the sound of birdsong. Cue a massive wave of "ooooh this is nice." Then, the reality check hit – my back, which is a temperamental teenager, decided to make its presence known. Spent a good ten minutes just trying to get out of bed, which is…a less than glamorous start to the day. (But hey, realism is key, right?)
Eventually, made my way down to the kitchen. Coffee. *Needed* coffee. Stood on the garden patio, sipping said coffee, and staring at flowers. Honestly, I just stared. It was *that* kind of place.
After coffee, and after a while I decided to be social in the world and explore the grounds. Spent the afternoon wandering. I read a book for a bit in the garden. Then, the rain. England, am I right? But even the rain was kind of beautiful – the garden looked even more vibrant. Then, I had my dinner, which I burnt a bit.
And yes, there was a pyjama situation. But I *did* change out of them... eventually. Into another, slightly less stained pair. The key is comfort, people, the key is comfort.
What was the *best* part? What actually stands out? Forget the "vibe," give me a moment!
There was this one afternoon where I was sitting on the porch, reading (again. I like reading!), and a butterfly landed on my hand. A *real* butterfly. And it stayed there. For, like, five minutes. I swear I barely breathed. The world just... stopped. All the worries, the to-dos, the endless scrolling... gone. Just me, a butterfly, and the quiet. Actually, it felt pretty damned close to paradise.
It sounds cheesy, I know. But that moment… that’s what I’ll remember. That’s the thing that made the whole escape worth it. The feeling of actual, unadulterated peace. And the butterfly. He was a good butterfly.
Oh! and I made eye contact with a squirrel. He looked unimpressed.
Any downsides? Be real. What’s the catch?
The internet can be… patchy. Like, dial up your grandma’s connection from the early 2000's. Prepare to have a bit of a digital detox. It’s bad, but ultimately a good thing.
The drive there was *long*. (I blame the GPS, it always seems to find the worst routes.)
And… look, and I really hate to say this, but I feel like I could have done some things differently. I could have explored more of the local area, I could have spent more time just appreciating the peace. I didn’t give myself as many opportunities to truly switch off. Looking back, I’m already planning the next trip back. I just wish I had truly appreciated it. It's a lesson, I suppose. A valuable (and slightly embarrassing) one.
Would you go back? Actually, *would* you recommend it?
