Written by Bethany, PA to Luke Granger
Our Visit to Kettering Park Hotel & Spa
As Kent based photographers, you may feel it a little unusual to be reading about a hotel and wedding venue based in Northamptonshire but as always we are happy to travel the country and love sharing our own experiences with all of our readers.
The purpose of our visit to Kettering Park Hotel and Spa in Kettering, Northamptonshire was a mixture of business and pleasure and we are delighted we chose such a fantastic hotel. With plans to meet one of newly engaged couples to discuss plans for their Normanton Church wedding next year, we were also keen to enjoy a little time away from home, as after all who wouldn't take advantage when the opportunity arises.
As a self confessed expert planner, I spent quite a lot of time ahead of our trip researching the best hotels in Northamptonshire, I struggled to find many in depth reviews of the Kettering Park Hotel & Spa so was interested to learn more but was drawn by the fantastic packages they had available.
The Short Break package we chose included - A bottle of champagne, breakfast each morning, £30pp each night to spend in their award winning restaurant and full use of spa facilities during our stay, let me share more of our visit with you.
5 Star Service at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa
From our initial arrival until departure, we received exceptional service, every member of the Kettering Park Hotel & Spa team we met were delightful throughout our whole stay and I would highly recommend visiting if you are looking for a hotel in Kettering. From the reception staff to the housekeeping team nothing was ever too much trouble; any questions we had were answered, we were welcomed each morning at breakfast by name and you could tell the team not only enjoyed their roles, they excelled at them.
On arrival we were issued room 238, a Signature double on the 2nd floor and although we had to navigate the corridor to reach it, we were very happy with our hotel room. A King sized bed (with super soft sheets), ensuite bathroom, large tv and ample storage were all fantastic benefits to staying at the Kettering Park Hotel & Spa.
A touch we really appreciated given that we were staying during a heatwave, was the in room refreshment facilities. Coffee and tea making facilities were all on hand should we need it but I was delighted that the Kettering Park Hotel & Spa included mini fridges within their signature rooms. Not filled with extortionately priced drinks and snacks that make your eyes water but instead a carafe inviting you to visit the filtered water dispensers in the nearby corridor. Both a environmentally friendly and well used addition that we appreciated throughout our stay.
With the addition of a large desk area, an armchair and footstool our hotel room at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa, was clean and had everything we needed for a short break. Our bathroom included toiletries from The White Company and a selection of fluffy towels, alongside robes and slippers for when using the spa. A welcoming home away from home that I am sure all hotel guests love to enjoy.
Dining at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa
During our stay we had the pleasure of dining for breakfast on three mornings, dinner service twice, late lunch one afternoon and an evening room service delivery too.
Anyone who knows Luke and I personally, will know that we both love our food. In his younger years, before becoming professional photographer, Luke actually trained to be a chef so we certainly do enjoy exploring the menus at such a wonderful restaurant.
For breakfast on the first day we both had the Northern breakfast, a flavoursome pinwheel sausage, bacon, eggs and plenty of trimmings on the side. The warm bloomer bread served was delicious. On the second morning, I chose the American Pancake stack and Luke had Waffles with banana, both of which we were delighted to smother in delicious warm chocolate sauce. On the third and final morning, Luke chose to enjoy waffles once again, whilst I chose scrambled eggs on toast.
Although we love our food, both of us can be slightly fussy but the restaurant team were always happy to adjust menu items to meet our requests. If you are a fussy eater and are hoping to visit Kettering Park Hotel & Spa, don't be concerned as I am sure they will accommodate for you too.
For our evening meals we found it hard to choose as there were quite a few things that sounded delicious. On the first evening we had already been out for lunch so we weren't hungry enough to go for the Cote de Boeuf which Is what I had my eye on. Instead, Luke had the Chicken Kiev and I chose the beef burger and we both enjoyed a Knickerbocker Glory ice cream sundae for dessert whilst sitting outside on the terrace. I had said I we weren't that hungry, however we still managed to polish off the lot.
For our second evening meal we both ended up choosing the same dishes. We actually do this quite often as we often get envious of each others food selection. Do other couples do this too?
Whilst we waited for our mains, we both enjoyed Crispy Pork Belly bites served with Apple sauce and before long our Thwaites Ale battered fish and chips arrived. I chose to have mine served with a salad which again was no trouble to adjust from the menu.
The following day we had spent so much time in the spa area we had skipped lunch so chose to instead have an early dinner. They had a slightly slimmed down menu at this time of day but again nothing was too much trouble and we enjoyed the afternoon sunshine dining again outside. Having enjoyed the burger so much on our first night we both chose this today, Luke adding bacon to his and we accompanied our mains with a side of onion rings. All of which were delicious.
Pudding today was ice cream for Luke and another knickerbocker glory sundae for me, the brownie inside was delicious.
The Spa at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa
Enjoying a relaxing spa experience is one of my favourite things to do. Although visiting a spa is not an every day occurrence, I enjoy taking a little time at a slower pace occasionally. A dip in the pool between reading a book, people watching or just chatting helps unwind a little.
Enjoying the refreshing shallow pool area for a short while before the whirlpool hot tub was a great way to unwind before bedtime one evening during our stay at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa. With just a handful of other guests visiting the spa we could chat freely whilst enjoying the relaxing atmosphere.
The following day we spent around 4 hours in the spa area, again just soaking up the calming atmosphere of our surroundings. Having selected two sun loungers we had the perfect place to work, after all the two of us always have plenty of work to do wherever we go. Part way through our visit we enjoyed a complimentary hot chocolate and we enjoyed a short dip in the pool to cool down.
There were lots of spa packages available for both day and overnight guests to enjoy so if you are looking for a Spa experience, do take a look on the Kettering Park Hotel & Spa website. With a selection of beauty and massage treatments, alongside afternoon tea experiences to enjoy with a friend there is plenty of choice for everyone.
We chose not to have any treatments during our stay but that didn't impact our visit at all. With the Pool, Hot Tub, Sauna & Steam room there is plenty to enjoy and not only were there a selection of seats inside, there were plenty outside overlooking the pond too. Sun loungers and deck chairs a plenty, a perfect place to relax in the sunshine and enjoy the peace and tranquility at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa in comfort.
Weddings at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa
As well as being an excellent Hotel and Spa venue, Kettering Park is a popular wedding venue and its not hard to see why. With beautiful landscaped gardens, fantastic service standards and its close proximity to London, Oxford, Cambridge, Leicester and Birmingham its great choice if you are looking for a wedding venue in Northamptonshire.
As wedding photographers based in Kent, we love exploring new wedding venues across the UK and took full advantage of our stay at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa to see what they have to offer. If you have read this review so far, I'm sure you can already tell we have throughly enjoyed our stay and from exploring their wedding offerings I think it makes a great choice if you are looking for a Northamptonshire wedding venue.
At Kettering Park Hotel & Spa there are 4 options for locations to host your wedding.
For an outdoor ceremony The Garden Room is an idyllic location and looked beautiful on our visit in the summer sunshine.
The Rutland and Rockingham Suites offer great spaces to enjoy wedding ceremonies or evening wedding receptions all year round, both with private bars and the ability to host over 150 guests, you can rest assured the team will take care of you. For smaller, intimate wedding receptions, The Little Harrowden is just off the main restaurant, a lovely area which I imagine would also be fantastic for smaller family celebrations.
As wedding photographers, we scouted plenty of locations both inside and outdoors that would make fantastic places to take some amazing wedding photographs. Throughout the hotel there are ornate fireplaces, cosy sofas and even a beautiful staircase, perfect to pose alongside; outside you are greeted by well maintained floral gardens and picturesque water fountains, such a welcoming atmosphere for both you and your wedding guests.
With various room types, guests can enjoy the comfort and luxury Kettering Park Hotel & Spa has to offer during an overnight stay and even take an early morning dip in the pool or a trip to the fitness gym if they wish.
If you are looking for a wedding venue in Kettering, Northamptonshire I would suggest getting in touch with the team at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa. I am certain they would take great care of you as the team were all so helpful during our stay.
Our Stay at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa, it was just what we needed after being so busy recently. Naturally, running our own businesses means we don't take breaks as often as we should so combining our trip with a couple's engagement photoshoot nearby and a handful of other business meetings worked perfectly for us.
With comfy beds, excellent customer service, delicious food and a fantastic setting, we would highly recommend choosing Kettering Park Hotel & Spa if you are looking for a hotel or wedding venue in Northamptonshire. With spa experiences and planned guest activities such as game nights, cinema club and special events, there is plenty to keep everyone entertained.
Our stay at the Kettering Park Hotel & Spa were funded by ourselves entirely and the hotel or their associates did not request or reward us for this review. As we enjoyed our short break at Kettering Park Hotel & Spa we chose to share with our readers who may be interested in also visiting. As trusted individuals within the wedding industry, we love building connections with others and are happy to be invited to experience what a business has to offer but will never falsely review or mislead our readers..
If you would like to discuss working with us on a real review do contact bethany@lukegranger.co.uk
