The perfect ‘his and hers’ getaway to relax, reconnect and create new romantic memories with the one you love; Laceby Manor is a luxury resort that offers a wonderful couple’s retreat. Offering guests a high-end holiday park experience with all of the luxurious facilities on site that you’d expect, Landal Laceby Manor Resort and Spa, part of Landal Green Parks group, boasts a golf course, gym, spa and two restaurants.
Accommodation
A collection of lodges arranged around manicured lawns and tranquil waterways, with a gravel drive connecting them all; guests can choose from a range of accommodation options. We were staying on one of the two developments in a brand new boutique retreat lodge; a two-bedroom cabin beautifully finished in soft, neutral tones which instantly welcome you in with warmth and hospitality. Cream panelled walls and white vaulted ceilings make the space open and airy, accentuated with monochrome soft furnishings and contemporary art.
Cleverly designed to make the most of the views across the ponds, while also offering privacy for guests to enjoy the private decking, cabana, hot tub and infra-red sauna; the lodges provide ample space for a couple, family or group of friends while also creating a cosy home-away-from-home.
There’s a smart, well-appointed kitchen with peninsula and dining table, which opens onto the cosy lounge with a contemporary fireplace at its centre and a large television above. Despite being new with some construction still going on around us, I instantly felt comfortable and at home when we arrived at the lodge, lit the fire and snuggled into the sofa to watch an old James Bond film and tuck into the complimentary jar of white chocolate cookies.
As the lodges have only recently opened there were a few teething problems and our boiler wasn’t working when we arrived, but maintenance arrived within five minutes of our call to reception and efficiently fixed the problem and had our hot water up and running promptly.
Two ensuite bedrooms make the most of the compact dimensions, with cosy mattresses and soft bedding, and the bathrooms have large walk-in rainfall showers with The White Company ‘Noir’ products. The only thing missing is a bluetooth speaker system so you can connect your own background music as you cook, relax in the hot tub or chill in front of the fire.
If you fancy something a little more intimate, nestled between the trees in the middle of the golf course is a little oasis of snug, romantic garden pods named after famous golf courses; perfect for a romantic weekend away, especially if golf is your love language!
Food and drink
There are plenty of dining options at Laceby Manor, whether you want to cook in your lodge, head out to eat at a restaurant nearby, or dine at one of the two restaurants on site.
The Oak Room is a beautifully built restaurant nestled in the spa gardens, overlooking the greens of the golf course. Thick oak beams are exposed throughout, showing the strong but beautiful structure of the building, and there’s an open kitchen and huge pizza oven to warm the space and fill it with delicious aromas as the chefs prepare dinner. The design team have cleverly used lighting to create an intimate setting, where couples and groups of friends can enjoy a relaxed but formal dinner.
The varied menu offered lots of yummy choices and we started with the crispy duck salad with sesame, soy dressing and sweet bites of mango – deliciously tasty but presented in a tiny bowl, making it tricky to eat. The soup was wonderfully warming and the perfect blend of asparagus and courgette, served with crunchy sourdough bread and oozy butter.
There weren’t many alcohol-free options on the drinks menu and my husband was a little disappointed at the lack of beer choices but found solace in a glass of Spanish red to wash down his steak, peppercorn sauce, skin-on fries and rocket salad. I had the ‘caprina’ pizza – goats’ cheese and red onion jam topped with rocket – which had a crispy base, cooked to just the right moment in the big oven, with a thick, hot layer of toppings.
The whole team provided service with a smile and were very attentive although a little slow towards the end of the evening. When we eventually got our desserts – a rich but smooth chocolate mousse with raspberries and homemade honeycomb (the best I’ve ever had!) and a unique creme brulee with a hint of espresso beneath the crack of the crispy sugary top – they were a sweet end to an exquisite meal.
Facilities
There’s so much to do at Laceby Manor that you needn’t leave the resort – with an 18-hole championship golf course set within the 150 acre site, as well as a state-of-the-art golf simulator. Then, there’s the spa; a tranquil and serene space. As is the case with all nice spas, it was busy and there was little space on the loungers or in the hydropool, but it was easy to find another quiet corner to relax with my book.
The sunny patio hosts loungers and beds if the weather is kind enough to sit outside, and allows you to listen to the leaves rustling in the breeze and watch the golfers tee off on the ninth, just beyond the natural swimming ponds. Any spa-goers feeling brave enough can choose between a ‘clean’ 6m-deep pond, shrouded in bushy reeds, or a larger, shallow pond left natural for the resident fish – far too cold for me and bump!
The indoor-outdoor pool is small but offers multiple areas of jets and bubbles, and there’s also a cosy reading room and a bright and airy relaxation lounge up on the first-floor with sweeping views across the course.
I was excited for my massage and Janessa instantly put me at ease and we chatted candidly as she wrapped my feet in rejuvenating seaweed. The warm sunlight beamed through the open skylight (a nice contrast to the usual dark treatment rooms at spas) as she gently rubbed oils and creams into my skin. I felt completely relaxed after the 50-minute treatment and was ushered into the tiger-themed cushette to relax on the cosy day bed under the dim lighting and dark, patterned wallpaper.
Healthy salads and stone-baked pizzas make up the menu back in The Oak Room where spa day guests can settle for their lunch. I chose the poke bowl superfood salad; a rainbow-coloured mix of crispy croutons, boiled egg, charred Mediterranean vegetables, edamame beans, and salad tossed in a zingy pesto dressing. I treated myself to chocolate tart; a generous helping of warm, rich chocolate ganache inside a thin pastry casing – the heat of the tart slowly melting the neat ball of vanilla ice cream perched delicately on top. The perfect mix of wholesome goodness and indulgence.
While most spas provide lounges that are dark and cosy, Laceby celebrates the light in all of its spaces – even the sauna and bathing rooms have windows out to the pristine gardens. For more privacy, guests can also relax in the steam room, hammam and Rasul (where they can choose from a different mud each season), or book into a range of treatments.
There’s a lovely flow to the spa experience – from the friendly receptionists who check you in and sit you down with a warm towel and ‘health shot’ (raspberry smoothie) while you fill in forms, to the smiley spa butlers in their striped shirts who give you a tour and bring you drinks. The team even gave me a tasty tropical smoothie to take on my way as I bid them a farewell and hit the road to head back home.
To do
There was a brisk chill in the air on a late September Saturday as we headed out to explore. Bright blue skies stretched as far as the eye could see, as the leaves on the trees, just on the cusp of autumn, gave a sneak peak of the reds and oranges to come.
We decided to make the easy 50-minute journey to the beautiful city of Lincoln to explore its steep, cobbled streets, breath-taking medieval cathedral and historic castle – still home to the world-famous Magna Carta. We wandered along the waterfront and gazed in the shop windows, explored the hallowed heights of the Cathedral and listened to the sweet songs of the choir as they rehearsed for an afternoon service.
Just a few miles from the Humber, Laceby Manor is perfectly positioned to explore the Lincolnshire coastline, too – with the family-fun seaside towns and bright arcade lights of Grimsby and Cleethorpes Beach just a few miles away, and the popular staycation destination of Skegness less than an hour’s drive. To the west is the beautiful scenery of the Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape, filled with excellent walking trails and pretty market towns to explore.
In a nutshell
No matter what level of relaxation you need, Laceby Manor can deliver. If you’re most relaxed swinging a nine iron on the rolling greens of a golf course, if you’re rejuvenated by a sizzle in a scented room and a soak in a swirling jacuzzi, or if you’re refreshed by an evening of exquisite food and a glass of wine – you can find it all here.
Factbox
A four-night stay for up to four people in the Luxury Boutique Retreat lodge costs from £489.
Address: Laceby Manor Resort & Spa, Barton Street, Laceby, Grimsby, DN37 7LD
Phone: 01472 873468 or 01603 367066
Website: landal.co.uk/parks/laceby-manor-resort
