Ockenden Manor Hotel & Spa

The spa day I had with my daughter in February was wonderful. After a stressful time, the hotel lunch, spa access and one-hour treatment felt like a real balm. Flavius showed us to a window table with wide countryside views, and the vegetarian dishes could be adjusted if we wanted. The food was superb and the service exemplary. At the modern spa we used the hot tub, pool and sauna before treatments. Lauren’s massage was perfect, and my daughter really enjoyed Karla’s facial. We left relaxed and well cared for, and hoped to repeat the day soon. My later attempt to book a four-night restorative retreat for March went very differently. I’d been impressed by Flavius and Lauren during that visit, so I emailed three times about a specific Cuckfield room and the “Stay Longer” package, explaining that I wanted a quiet sanctuary. Those requirements weren’t addressed. The reception team’s emails used bold text unnecessarily, and replies to management were generic, without useful alternatives or dates. They also misspelled my name in formal correspondence. It’s a shame the high-quality spa and dining staff are let down by such a rigid front-of-house operation. I cancelled and booked elsewhere.

Breakfast was nice and the service there was good, and the room itself was okay with a nice bathroom. Dinner tasted good too, but the portion was small for the price. The spa was the main reason we booked, and that part let us down. We paid £90 each for a 30-minute massage, which was pleasant but felt overpriced. The pool was far too crowded, with no number limits, no poolside seating or upper level available, and noisy children around. On checkout day we wanted to use the spa until 2pm as included in the deal, but it was even busier and we couldn’t get in. We didn’t get the full spa experience. We’ve had better value and a more relaxing stay at other spas, so we won’t return. If you want a peaceful spa break, I’d look elsewhere. Two out of five from us.

I ran a three-day Mentorship at Ockenden Manor, and the whole venue was exquisite. Adam was incredibly helpful from the start. The rooms looked stunning, the food was excellent, and the dining staff were great, especially Russ. Everything made for an incredible experience. Thank you, Ockenden Manor Team.

For my sister’s birthday, I booked us the spa day and afternoon tea package, and we had such a lovely time. We both had hot stone massages, then spent time in the relaxation room under weighted blankets. I could have stayed there forever, though the lovely pool and jacuzzi were worth using too. The changing rooms were clean, towels warm and robes generously sized for all sizes. Afternoon tea was lovely, and the sparkling Rose with it was the nicest we’ve had. The waitresses were so kind, one shared a map of local vineyards, and another gave us a mini tour of the older dining rooms. Can’t wait to visit again!