It’s rare to find a holiday that feels like a treat for parents just as much as the children, but that’s the idea behind The Ickworth Hotel and Spa.
The question is, is it possible?
Just outside of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, The Ickworth is one of five UK properties owned by Luxury Family Hotels (LFH), a brand that claims to be ‘family-focused, not just family-friendly’.
Despite the tag line, the newly-reopened hotel looks elegant and grown-up following its six-month closure and full refurbishment. You wouldn’t risk these soft furnishings in your average family home, lest they get covered in squash.
The real USP of The Ickworth, though, is childcare. If you love your little darling, but also really need a break from them, you can drop them off at the Ofsted-registered nursery while you enjoy the spa.
To see how it fared, we packed up the car with our toddler, along with the grandparents, in search of the ultimate multi-generational break.
First impressions
The hotel is set on the impressive National Trust Ickworth estate, with the historic house beautifully juxtaposing the hotel’s modern festoon lighting leading to the entrance.
Greeted by an enthusiastic receptionist, we checked into two rooms: The Theodora suite for us, plus one of the Cosy Rooms for my in-laws.
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The two-bedroom suite (from £530 per night) feels decadently large, with a spacious master bedroom for parents alongside a generously sized children’s room, plus a bathroom with twin sinks. The brand-new interiors blend heritage references with a playful twist: think horsey artwork alongside jazzy curtains.
The hotel will provide either a Bugaboo travel cot or bed guards on booking (we asked for both), plus there’s toddler toilet seats, bathroom steps, baby monitors and a Yoto story box available on request.
The hobby horse, bubbles and children’s book were a lovely surprise touch.
My in-laws were in one of the Cosy Rooms, which, as the name suggests, are much smaller. Though still decorated with impressive attention to detail, their one gripe was that the bed was two twins pushed together, leading to a cavern in the night if anybody wiggled too much. Still, at a significantly cheaper price (from £205 per night), it might be worth putting up with.
The hotel has a lift between floors, plus ramp access if required, so accessibility wasn’t an issue. There are a few steps up to the Theodora suite.
The grounds and facilities
My favourite moment of the holiday was simply sitting in the sunshine with a drink, watching my son play with a giant Connect 4 while his dad and grandpa larked around with a Velcro bat and ball.
There are lawn games aplenty to amuse families, plus a small playpark with musical bits to bang, a swing, mini trampoline and slide. There’s also a mud kitchen, a giant giraffe statue and two resident bunnies. For older children, you’ll find a games room and cinema in the basement, plus a tennis court.
My in-laws made the most of the National Trust access while my husband and I hit the spa. Set in a pretty walled garden, we enjoyed a blissful 90 minutes in the hot tub, sauna and steam room, but I do wonder how the outdoor facilities would work in the rain.
There’s also a pool on site, with toys and floats provided during the child-specific hours, which the whole family enjoyed.
The childcare
Every night’s stay at The Ickworth includes two complimentary hours at the Four Bears Den – the hotel’s Ofsted-registered kids’ club for children aged three months to eight years – subject to pre-booking and availability.
You’ll fill in a form about your child in advance and we were impressed when staff double checked details about our two-year-old at drop-off. For example, they told us where his EpiPen would be kept during the session and reassured us they’d help with toilet training.
In the spirit of transparency, I think it’s important to tell you my son was tearful at pick-up, though staff said they’d managed to ‘distract him’ enough to keep a lid on it.
Toddlers are hard to predict and, on this occasion, the new environment wasn’t for him. Keep that in mind before you commit to back-to-back spa treatments.
Food and drink
There aren’t many places you can sip on a margarita while your child enjoys a plate of beans on toast (ordered off-menu), but nobody will bat an eyelid in the Conservatory.
The restaurant has been designed for families, with meals for all ages (including purée for babies), plus high chairs, sippy cups, bibs and toddler-friendly cutlery. Somehow, it still feels classy.
Come 5pm, the room is a hub of activity with toddlers feasting on complimentary crudités or happily colouring until dinner arrives.
Dinner for the grown-ups is just as good. Our group enjoyed a range spanning fish and chips and a burger, to handmade pappardelle, cheese soufflé, and pan-roasted trout. The desserts are the real highlight, though; we worked our way through the menu and savoured every mouthful.
On the second night, the grandparents babysat while my husband and I sneaked out for a solo dinner. Our 8pm booking meant we had the restaurant to ourselves; this is a place that dines (and sleeps) early.
The only downside
Let’s start with the positives: everybody we encountered at The Ickworth was fantastic with children. The housekeeper even spotted my son hypnotised by her hoover and let him have a quick go in the corridor.
But the hotel’s staff had a huge turnover following the refurbishment and at times, this cohort felt a little green. Waits for drinks and lunch were longer than you’d expect and some finishing touches need refinement.
We found a previous guest’s food in our fridge, for example, and the toddler toilet seat and steps we’d requested weren’t in the room on arrival.
These teething problems are fairly minor, but mean the hotel currently falls just short of luxury.
Overall verdict
The Ickworth ticked almost every box for a family holiday that catered to every generation, feeling like a home-from-home with much nicer wallpaper.
There are plenty of activities on offer but the environment is relaxed and not overly programmed, meaning you’ll come away feeling rested. Yes, even with a toddler.
Give it a few weeks to find its feet after the refurbishment and I’m sure The Ickworth will be a hotel worth returning to.
Rachel Moss was a guest of The Ickworth Hotel and Spa, but don’t expect us to sugarcoat anything — our reviews are 100% independent.
Source: Metro Lifestyle
