It was a few days before Christmas and all through the land, all the adult creatures where going mental trying to plan. But I was en route to a lovely night away, out in the country on a chilly Saturday. The visit to Mercure Burton Upon Trent Newton Park Hotel could not have come at a more perfect time. Four days before Christmas I was very lucky to have a quick escape to this four star country manor house in Staffordshire.
The hotel sits within 8 acres of beautiful lawns and gardens. My room had an incredibly spectacular view which I had the privilege to see when I awoke. The sun had already set when I had arrived on Saturday. I was welcomed at reception and directed to my room. The foyer of Newton Park was a great scene in this grade-II listed building. The grand oak panelled entrance was decorated with warm greens and gold in line with the festive season.
My room was a double with the garden view. The decor was contemporary. The hotel is an 18th century manor house, it would have been ideal if the room contained some feature of the originality of the history of the venue but alas, the room however was to standard and had that clean feel to it.
I came on this break on my own to collect my thoughts, to catch my breath from the hectic preparations before Christmas. So my main goal was to put my feet up and relax in the bed and watch TV. I had already been told upon booking that the The Folly restaurant was not going to be available due to an event. So, I was going to be able to fully relax with room service and peace. Ideal!
The selection for room service was limited. Ranging between £7.00 – £16 the choices were Burgers, Pizzas, Pasta, Sandwiches and Salads, plus cakes for puddings. The drink selection was soft drinks, beer and fizz. I admit I was craving a steak, but I understood that the restaurant was not available, so I ordered the Classic Cheeseburger and a glass of red wine. I cheated and brought a bottle of Prosecco with me so while I waited for my meal to arrive I settled in the bed with a glass and the TV screen straight ahead and enjoyed the peace and quiet. Oh, you are probably wondering how having the TV on can be considered peace and quiet, well, I have 4 children.
So as I am now 30 mins into my relaxed mode I hear a knock at the door and there was my burger. The plate was cute, with a mini fry basket full of hot chunky chips. The burger was quite thick and the brioche was soft. The relish on the side was phenomenal, I wanted a bucket of it. I had a chocolate brownie cake for pudding.
Dining over, it was time to turn in for the night. With only one night away I needed to make sure I caught as many winks as possible before heading home in the morning. The bed was quite inviting and it did not take me long to feel the day ease out and become quite sleepy. The hotel is large and I was on the second floor, the event at the bottom ran on until about 11pm and as soon as it finished I managed to sleep straight through until about 8am.
When I got up I opened the curtains and I was surprised to see the view. The garden was beautiful indeed and went back for ages. My room seemed to be strategically placed between the stone ornaments making the view stunning. I am in the process of planning for a wedding and my first thought was “wow, this would make a beautiful setting for bridal pictures”. To have this as the first thing to see in the morning made the night away complete. Upon returning to reception to check out I was met with a lovely smile and greetings. I walked to my car and looked back at the building. Because I had arrived at night I had not been able to take in the grand Italian influenced scene.
The hotel is close to Derby and the theme park, Alton Towers so good for families. The town Newton Solney is a small village containing the hotel, 2 pubs and a school, it is a picturesque parish with lots of beautiful walks and the confluence of the River Trent and Dove so good for a weekend away.
Hotel Mercure Burton upon Trent Newton Park
Newton Road
Newton Solney
Burton-on-Trent
DE15 0SS
