Birch Selsdon
UK England South East England Greater London Croydon
020 3953 3000 126 Addington Road, South Croydon CR2 8YA
- 181 Guest Rooms
- Contemporary Luxury
Birch's latest addition to their just-out-of-London creative retreat portfolio is Birch Selsdon – this time half an hour south of the capital, and like Birch Cheshunt to the north, it's 'less a hotel and more a playground.'
What this means in practice is a beautiful country mansion set within 200 acres of rolling, green hills and meadows that were once a golf course and are now one of London's largest re-wilding projects. The rooms are gorgeous – medium to large, suite to family – with a very natural feel. There's furniture made from wood from their own grounds, bespoke artwork, and lights enclosed in hand-blown, recycled glass. There are no TVs in the rooms – that's a Birch standard – but families, for example, have their own dedicated hub, where the kids can run free, with gardens, playrooms and activity programmes. Some rooms, meanwhile, are designated as dog-friendly, with beds provided.
As for adults, creatives, explorers and dreamers, Birch Selsdon has you covered, with an extraordinary array of activities, features, events and services. There's a gym, co-working spaces, a lido with a 25-metre pool (opening late summer 2023), HIIT sessions and the rest, if you're into the whole urban-retreat thing. Or, you can go total chill-out – they even have their own pottery studio. Add in foraging tours, plant-dye workshops, re-wilding walks, and Japanese tie-dyeing sessions, and the whole 'escape for explorers' tagline makes a whole lot of sense.
The nice thing about the Birch concept is it's as relaxed or as top-end as you want to make it. Dining and drinking is in two stylish restaurants and three bars, sourcing ingredients and produce for dishes from their own grounds. The spaces throughout are beautiful, but it's very definitely not snooty or overbearing; instead, glossy glamour meets laidback leisure inside, with plenty of al fresco places for drinks and dining if the weather behaves itself. And all this is just a ten-minute taxi ride from East Croydon station. It really is the stress-free city escape you've been looking for.
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Facilities
Each bedroom celebrates craft and nature, with bespoke artwork and wardrobes that are more like sculptures. Features Birch (Selsdon) particularly proud of include a carbon-negative light cork floor, recycled linen curtains, wall lights encased in hand-blown recycled glass, and furniture made with wood from their grounds. Respectful of the building’s history and architecture and mindful of minimising waste, the existing infrastructure has been adapted and repurposed where possible.Nearby
Set amongst 200 acres of nature, Birch (Selsdon) takes ‘urban retreat’ to a whole new level. This is a space to do a system reboot. To galvanise and re-energise. Weekly classes, either in the Wellness Space, mansion house or in the grounds, will keep you sweating, stretching, and sculpting. The Lido (opening this summer) has had an Art Deco-inspired makeover and with a yoga deck to keep it company.Food & Drink
Two restaurants and three bars await. Menus for both signature restaurant, Elodie, and all-day dining affair Vervain, were developed by Michelin-starred chef, Lee Westcott. Known to the public from appearances on Masterchef, Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen and for his leadership of Pensons and Typing Room, his next venture will take cues from the estate’s major rewilding project, using the surrounding 200 acres. Every 1 of 200 acres is used to grow own food and sustain livestock for the kitchen.Open
Open all year.Pricing
Double room only from £160, B&B from £200The Owner Says
Location
Contact Website 020 3953 3000 Birch Selsdon, 126 Addington Road, South Croydon CR2 8YA
Getting There
If you’re coming by train then head for East Croydon station. From there, the hotel is a short bus ride or 10-minute taxi/Uber.
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