EMERGING from the heady, kaleidoscopic haze of Glastonbury 2025 – six days of boundless music, endless dancing, and marathon stretches of festival wanderings – I found myself in pursuit of sanctuary. My destination: The Grove Hotel and Spa, a serene Hertfordshire estate where nature, luxury, and exquisite well-being entwine.
It was one of those rare English summer days when the mercury dances at thirty degrees. As I arrived, the idea of an outdoor pool bordered by manicured lawns and accompanied by frozen daiquiris felt like a dream delicately plucked from the ether. My guest and I clinked glasses in celebration of our brief sojourn, savouring the first moments of tranquillity.
The Grove’s Walled Garden
The heart of this idyllic scene is The Grove’s Walled Garden, where the heated pool gleams beneath an open sky. Luxe daybeds are draped in soft linens, offering a calm that transcends the frenetic hum of London lidos. Beyond this oasis, 300 acres of rolling Hertfordshire countryside stretch out — a realm of golf fairways, woodland trails, and an ever-evolving calendar of activities and masterclasses.
Freestanding bath in a room at The Grove
Feast on Cloud
Our suite, one of 214 beautifully appointed rooms, was a private retreat in itself. A freestanding bath stood poised beside wide windows framing verdant hills, while in the distance, The Grove’s newest culinary venture, a hot-air-balloon-inspired restaurant, promised delight.
Dinner was a journey in its own right. At The Glasshouse, buffet dining is elevated to theatre. Each station – from the roast carvery to the sushi counter, from a fragrant Thai kitchen to a decadent cheese bar – is a stage where chefs craft plates to order, blending precision with flourish. I lingered over fresh pasta, sampled sashimi as delicate as silk, and surrendered to the charms of a 2022 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc, its wild New Zealand character igniting the palate.
Sequoia Kitchen at The Grove
Vitality Pool at Sequoia Spa
Morning brought the part of our visit I had most anticipated – the Sequoia Spa. A haven of hushed corridors, warm stone, and softly diffused light, it invited us to shed the last vestiges of festival fatigue. We moved slowly between sauna, steam room, and vitality pool, each step drawing us deeper into a quiet rhythm.
Then came the De-Stress Massage, 80 minutes of restorative artistry. I chose rosemary oil for its invigorating clarity, surrendering to the therapist’s intuitive touch as muscle and mind dissolved into stillness. My guest emerged equally transformed. This was not simply a treatment, but a recalibration. Marking the gentle return to the self after days of exuberant disarray.
Sequoia Spa
Sequoia Spa Sauna Showers
The De-Stress package at the Sequoia Spa invites you to step away from the everyday and into a world of considered calm. Including breakfast in The Glasshouse, The Stables, or the quiet privacy of your room, an overnight stay for two, an 80-minute de-stress massage and complementary access to the serene Sequoia spa facilities, it offers a retreat for body and mind. Whether shared with a partner, a friend, or someone you wish to gift with the luxury of stillness, this is a rare chance to rejuvenate without the distractions of life.
At The Grove, time is not merely passed; it is savoured, steeped in beauty, and restored to balance. As we departed, I felt the rare lightness that comes only when body and spirit have been cared for in equal measure.
by Lily Rimmer
The Sequoia Spa is open 7 days a week at The Grove, and can be booked here.