In December I turned 24 and Pete, ever the romantic, whisked me away for a couple of days for a surprise luxury stay, fine dining and perfect pampering at Harbour Hotel and Spa in Christchurch.
The perfect surprise. I woke up to a birthday card detailing what to pack in a suitcase; something to swim in, a nice dress for dinner and an overnight bag. We set off in the car, heading West along the Hampshire coast and crossing over into Dorset, stopping off for a lovely pub lunch on the way. As we pulled out of one of the winding roads, I spotted the familiar sight of Avon beach, where we’d recently been for a lovely birthday lunch at the beach with friends, and so realised that we were heading towards Christchurch harbour.
From seeing Harbour Hotels featured in other blog posts on Twitter and in articles, I’ve long been a follower of their beautiful hotels hoping one day to visit myself, so felt privileged that Pete had chosen Christchurch Harbour Hotel – especially at Christmastime when the hotel was filled with beautiful decorations!
Treated with 5-star service from when you arrive at the door, we found our stay to be fun, luxurious and pampering.
Pete had booked us the best four poster harbour view room in the hotel. The room was large and spacious rooms featuring coastal chic decor, a gorgeous four-poster bed, sea view and lovely white bathroom with lovely bathtub overlooking the harbour. The bathroom included an extra special touch of The White Company toiletries, which are one of my favourite brands.
An additional surprise was waiting on the bed where I discovered Pete had arranged for a spa leaflet and voucher for a 50 minute ESPA personalised facial down in the hotel spa. We put on our plush robes and slippers and made our way to the spa, where we enjoyed a swim in the serene pool, a relaxing soak in the hot tub, steam and sauna, then time of rest in the comfort of the relaxation room, which overlooks the harbour. I then went in for my facial treatment, which was so calming and relaxing.
Tailor-made for your personal skin type, the ESPA facial included double cleansing, gentle exfoliation, an acupressure facial massage and a deep cleansing and balancing face mask, accompanied by a scalp massage, before final moisturising.
Leaving the spa feeling rested and relaxed with my skin perfectly soft and supple, I made my way back up to our room to have a soak in the bath before dinner – only to find Pete had arranged for there to be Möet champagne to toast for my birthday!
For dinner we dressed up to enjoy a 3-course meal at The Jetty waterfront restaurant, which is in front of the hotel at the edge of the decking and overlooking the sea. A delightful menu full of fresh and flavoursome cuisine, I started with a twice baked cheese soufflé, which was so tasty – one of the best starters I’ve ever had! We then went onto mains of succulent belly pork accompanied by fine wine, before a sweet treat of sticky toffee pudding with ice cream. The food was delightful and the service was impeccable – I’d definitely like to eat there again.
In the morning I woke up to birthday treats of presents and cards before making our way down to breakfast, where there was a vast selection of continental food available from the buffet and hot food to order.
I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday trip to Christchurch Harbour Hotel, enjoying the beautiful views, lovely room, fine food and luxurious pampering at the spa! Why not make a romantic getaway to Christchurch Harbour Hotel this Valentines? I’d really recommend it!
No Comments