Relax or pick up new skills at country hotel

6:50am Saturday 8th November 2008

AS country retreats go, Thoresby Hall Hotel and Spa in Nottinghamshire certainly looks the part with its balconies, galleries and stags’ heads hanging on the wall of the majestic Great Hall.

Now owned by Warner Leisure Hotels, it’s the kind of place you can imagine Witley Court would have eventually ended up as if that kitchen fire hadn’t have started.

Set in 50 acres on the edge of Sherwood Forest, ideal for a morning or pre-dinner stroll – the adults only hotel is one of 13 Warner destinations across England and Wales.

If you want to take it easy and read that book that’s been stuck on your bedside table since Alan Bennett was a lad, go ahead.

Alternatively, you can hop on a coach trip to a nearby town or place of interest or opt for an Experience such as a Mini Cooper treasure hunt, clay pigeon shooting, watercolour painting or learning to salsa dance.

There’s entertainment every evening – among the performers booked at Warner venues for 2009 are X Factor finalist Andy Abraham and Cornish comic Jethro.

For our two-night sojourn at Thoresby Hall, we stayed in a contemporary Signature room with huge bed, TV and DVD player and posh Molton Brown toiletries.

Breakfast was both tasty and plentiful with fresh fruit, yoghurt and pancakes on offer alongside the more traditional sausage, bacon and eggs.

A three-course evening meal in Le Bistro – where I opted for Caribbean jerk fish and my husband selected a filling mushroom pasta dish – is included in the Signature room tariff. The white chocolate mousse, with cookie on the side, more than satisfied my sweet tooth.

The following night, we dined in the exquisite Blue Room (a supplement may apply depending on the accommodation you choose) and the food was, again, excellent.

Next week, I’ll be reliving my Spa Experience day, complete with facial and algae body wrap, at Thoresby Hall.

Three night weekend breaks for two sharing Ambassador accommodation start from £229 per person, to include comfortable accommodation, full English or continental breakfast, three course dinner, a range of optional daytime activities and live nightly entertainment.

A four night midweek break starts from £239 per person.

For more details, visit www.warnerleisurehotels.co.uk or call the information and booking line on 0800 1 388 399.