A Review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and Spa | Ludlow

18th January 2017

At the end of November we took a little trip to Ludlow in Shropshire, to visit the lovely Fishmore Hall Hotel and try out their brand new Spa.

A review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and Spa

Fishmore Hall is a privately-owned boutique country house hotel overlooking the town of Ludlow, with lovely views over the Shropshire countryside. We spent a very relaxed afternoon and a night there and really enjoyed it, and came away feeling very revived and ready for the Christmas madness.

The hotel is a restored Georgian house, with  15 bedrooms perfect for a lazy weekend break or mid-week getaway. The room we were in was massive, with loads of floor space, chairs to chill in with a coffee from the Nespresso machine, and a huge bathroom with a big bath and shower. There were lovely views of fields out of the window which really added to the getting-away-from-it-all feeling.

The Room

The room is quite modern, super clean with a couple of bits that could do with updating. The wire toiletries rack in the shower was quite rusty, but nothing that made a huge difference, it just seemed a shame to have those bits in such a beautiful place. As it is such an old building the bathroom floor sloped down quite a bit in places, but that really just added to the charm of the place, and it was a really lovely room.

The Food

A review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and SpaA review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and Spa

Fishmore Hall has a 3AA Rosette restaurant, Forelles, that has both a la carte and tasting menus that feature the best seasonal ingredients from the local area of Shropshire. As well as this fine dining experience, they also have a brasserie style menu available for more informal dining. As we were there on a Sunday evening, only the Brasserie menu was available, which was a bit of a shame, as I would have loved to try the tasting menu (it all sounds amazing!) and really see what the restaurant and head chef Andrew Birch (who was previously sous-chef at a Michelin Star restaurant and recently appeared on Great British Menu) has to offer.

We enjoyed the meal we had from the Brasserie menu; we both liked our starters, although I did feel slightly disappointed with my main in particular – I just felt like it could have been better, and the burger that the boy had came in a huge bun (cob!) that was way too big for the burger inside. I think I just expected more from it all and I thought it would all be beautifully presented, as the restaurant and menus seem to be a huge part of the attraction to the hotel, with the accolades they have and the standard of chefs. I’m sure I would have felt differently if we’d eaten in the Forelles restaurant.

A review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and SpaA review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and Spa

The breakfast the next morning was really nice, with a cooked breakfast as well as cereals and loads of different toppings. The cooked breakfast looked great, and was very tasty, but we were both disappointed that it didn’t come with beans, and despite the menu saying you could request something, they didn’t have any beans for us! It’s a small thing, but seemed like an unusual thing not to have.

A review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and Spa

The Spa

The highight of our stay was definitely our chilled afternoon at the new Spa facility nestled in the garden of Fishmore Hall. The ladies were all really, really lovely and made us feel so comfortable and welcome. We had the spa to ourselves for the afternoon which was brilliant. Other guests can use the facilities whilst you are there, but the areas are quite cosy, so I would think people would tend to book a treatment or two and spend a few hours there, rather than just nipping in for a sauna or jacuzzi.

The spa has four treatment rooms, which combine to create two couples rooms, as well as a steam room, sauna, an outdoor Cedar wellness pool and an oversized hammock on the decking overlooking the beautiful Shropshire countryside. There’s lots of space outside to chill out, and an outdoor bucket and monsoon drench shower to really refresh you. After a dip in the jacuzzi, I tried out the bucket shower and being winter in England I can confirm it was bloody freezing! It’s great for your circulation though so I sucked it up and forced myself to pull the chain! Luckily the lovely warm inside area and my cosy robe were only a few steps away!

A review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and SpaA review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and SpaA review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and SpaA review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and SpaA review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and Spa

The SPAshell™ has only been open since October, and it has been so beautifully designed and finished. The whole space is sleek, modern and beautiful and just a really enjoyable place to be, and I didn’t want to leave.

The treatment rooms are very tranquil and private and offer wellbeing treatments by ELEMIS to rebalance and refresh both your body and mind. I had an incredible signature facial – the ELEMIS Superfood Pro-Radiance (£65) and I honestly didn’t want it to end.

“A nutritional boost rich in superfoods and essential minerals designed to pack stressed, dull skin with energising, detoxifying actives. Clinically proven to leave skin plumper, radiant and lit up with good health.”

I’d never had a facial before this, and I was slightly worried it would make me a bit uncomfortable, but I absolutely loved it, and want another as soon as possible! The therapist was brilliant and discussed my skin type and any problems I have with my skin with me. The whole experience was so relaxing and my skin felt wonderful afterwards.

We also both had the Lava Shell® Thermal Relax Experience (£65)…

“This unique signature treatment for the SPAshell uses the Hot Lava Shell massage to create a sense of deep relaxation. Using Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil we release calm and balance. The result is sparkling vitality with the added bonus of intensely hydrated skin.”

This type of massage uses Lava Shells® to provide a continuous and seamless body massage. They are the world’s first self-heating massage tool, and a natural, biodegradable heat technology. Due to the Lava Shells® unique shape and angles they become an extension of the therapist’s hands, deploying deeply therapeutic relief to where it is needed.

I was slightly worried that a Lava Shell massage wouldn’t be quite as good as a normal massage – I thought it might be a bit too soft for me without the therapists fingers available to get deep in there! But as I hadn’t heard of it before, I thought it would be a good choice to try as one of Fishmore Hall’s signature treatments. The shells really did just become an extension of the therapist’s hands though, with the added bonus of the warmth and smoothness of the shells. It was really lovely, and again I just didn’t want it to end! I had the same lovely therapist for both of my treatments, and that was really nice for continuity and I got comfortable with her.

A review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and SpaA review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and SpaA review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and Spa

January Offer at Fishmore Hall

Fishmore Hall are currently running an amazing offer until 22nd January – if you book a six-course surprise tasting menu for two at the hotel’s restaurant, priced at £60 per person, you can book a nights accomodation for only £30! The head chef, Andrew Birch, has created a delicious tasting menu where every dish will be a surprise! You will also get a full english breakfast in the morning, as well as 15% off all ELEMIS spa treatments, as well as off products purchased in the SPAshell. The offer is only available until this Sunday, but includes dates up to 31st March.

To book a room, visit www.fishmorehall.com or call 01584 875148, quoting promo code Jan30 when making your booking.

We had such a lovely time at both the hotel and the new spa – Fishmore Hall is perfect for a night or two away, whilst completely getting away from it all, and I’d love to go back soon!

We were guests of Fishmore Hall, but all words and opinions are my own.

One response to “A Review of Fishmore Hall Hotel and Spa | Ludlow”

  1. This looks absolutely stunning! Shame about the little things with the food though, no beans for a cooked breakfast?! x

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