This boutique country house hotel has all the makings of a perfect Norfolk weekend
Surrounded by the fields and meadows of the northwest Norfolk countryside, Congham Hall is an elegant, very peaceful and rather homely boutique country house hotel that's just 10 minutes' from King's Lynn and a short drive from Norfolk's fabulous sandy beaches, but feels a million miles from anywhere, which is exactly the point. The hotel retains a relaxed, weekend-in-the-country feel, but the rooms are top-notch, and it's a wonderful place to relax, with spacious grounds, an excellent spa and other leisure facilities, and lots of comfy ground floor lounges to plonk yourself in if you fancy doing nothing in particular.
A handsome Georgian manor house, Congham Hall was a private home until 1982, when it became a hotel. Its last decade or so has arguably been its best, when under the stewardship of Nicholas and Ruth Dickinson, it has refined its offering and expanded. It now has 31 rooms and suites – 15 in the main house, 11 'Garden' rooms and five magnificent 'Orchard' cabins. All the rooms are spacious and very comfortable, equipped with WiFi, Smart TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities and fresh milk, and still and sparkling water in mini-fridges. They all come with spacious en-suite bathrooms with separate baths and walk-in showers apart from the standard 'House' rooms, which have baths with overhead showers. The 'Best' Garden rooms can sleep a family of four if desired, while the Orchard Cabins are well-named, each with a private terrace overlooking Congham's orchards and complete with an outside bathtub for a spot of 'star-bathing'. Inside, they are sleek and spacious contemporary spaces with king-size beds, comfy armchairs and sumptuous bathrooms, each with a bath and large separate shower.
As for other facilities, the spa has a good-sized pool with big windows that let the outside in, a steam room, sauna, experience showers, a foot spa and a hot tub on the terrace, plus a selection of upstairs treatment rooms. There's a tennis court (you can borrow racquets and balls) and croquet, and they can provide details of a number of easy circular countryside walks in the local area, so you really can leave your car keys in your room while you're here. The restaurant and bar are bright and contemporary, serving a simple yet refined 2 AA-rosette menu based on ingredients from the kitchen garden and local area wherever possible. In short, Congham Hall has all the makings for a perfect weekend in the country.
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