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Wednesday 3 July 2024

Two of the VSL team were lucky enough to be invited along to the stunning Down Hall Hotel & Spa for a site visit, taste of the facilities and a spot of wellness; something we can confirm they do very well indeed! 

Set within 110 acres of surrounding woodland, the hotel is an ideal option for those out of town corporate away days, summer parties and team building - just a stones throw away from central London.

Down Hall Hotel is one of England’s most established country house hotels. Located in Hatfield Heath, near Bishop’s Stortford on the Hertfordshire and Essex border, Down Hall is 45 minutes from central London and also ideally located near Stansted Airport. With a history dating back to the 11th century, the estate, with this impressive Italianate mansion, is a truly historic setting. The hotel’s luxury interiors, ornate ceilings and abundance of natural daylight make for an experience like no other.

The hotel created a wonderful itinerary for us, including Breath Work and Crystal Workshops, followed by an evening Sound Bath after dinner, curated by the stunningly talented Camilla Sheeley (give her a follow @camilla_glowwell on Insta). 

With fourteen private dining and events spaces in total, ranging from intimate boardrooms to a larger space for up to 200 guests, the hotel is the perfect choice for a full company takeover, with 98 refurbished and well appointed bedrooms on site. Each of the four private rooms within the Mansion House offer guests high ceilings and plenty of natural light where you can feel at home with modern audio visual equipment, comfortable seating, executive boardroom options and original characteristics such as open fireplaces and decorative Edwardian style doorways. 

The multi-million pound refurbishment is evident to see, with incredibly tasteful furnishings and nuances of Soho House throughout. This 4* property is perfect for those corporate buyers seeking luxury, without wanting to commit to a 5* property and price-tag. 

Utilising the landscaped grounds during your event is a must! Down Hall have partnerships with leading team building companies who will be pleased to help tailor a package for your goals. Whether you are after a better understanding of your team roles, processes, or simply want to reward your employees, they can provide team building activities that are fun and creative. 

We were lucky enough to spend the night in some of the wonderful Estate Patio Rooms, located in the West Wing, featuring a vibrant colour palette, custom-made headboards and Osborne & Little wallpaper. With direct access to the patio and formal gardens beyond via French doors, they are ideal for those wanting space and tranquility. 

Want to check the hotel out for yourself? Why not book onto one of their many activities on site, such as outdoor cinema screenings, seasonal afternoon tea, a Sunday Jazz Brunch, guided Hacks through the woodland and Wellness Weekends to name but a few!

The team shared a special new event space with us, at their outdoor Kitchen Garden - ideal for rustic dinners amongst the flora; picture festoon lighting, hand carved wooden tables from felled trees within the woodland and guests picking their own mint for a Pimms reception! The Kitchen Garden provides an abundance of fruit, vegetables and salad which is used by their team of Chef’s. They change  menus as regularly as necessary in order to best utilise ingredients from the kitchen garden and work within the seasons - any excess produce is given to team members to avoid waste.

Facilities have been developed to ensure guests don’t need to leave the resort. The estate benefits from padel tennis, tennis, short-tennis and badminton courts as well as a trim trail through the woodland, fully equipped gym, French boules, giant chess, a Wet Spa and a play park. The hotel have also recently introduced beehives to the resort and created their own gin from produce foraged within the woodland and Kitchen Garden, continuing their strong commitment to hosting sustainable events.