Mother’s Day trip to Cheltenham Spa

The older I get, the more and more time I want to spend with my parents and the people that are really important to me.

And as I have a busy life in London and my parents live up north, an easy way to get around this, is for us to go on mini breaks or long weekend stays in the UK. And that happens to be my mums (and my) ideal Mother’s Day gift. Spending quality time together and enjoying a little pampering break, with not too much travelling involved.  

Last year we thought we’d meet somewhere in the middle. And that happens to be the picturesque, Regency town of Cheltenham. Often referred to as Cheltenham Spa, because it was historically a vibrant Spa Town. It’s a scenic place to visit, with aesthetic architecture, in an area of great natural beauty, known as the Cotswolds.  

The first natural spring was discovered in Cheltenham in 1716, and from that point on, this beautiful town became the vibrant and thriving hub for well heeled, noble families and aristocracy, to come and bathe in the waters and heal themselves. King George III is also known to have frequented the baths. And as my mum loves a spa treatment, as well as period costume dramas, I knew this would be perfect.

So, I checked us (and my lovely dad) in for a mini spa weekend in Cheltenham. We stayed at the Queen Hotel (she is a queen after all!) and I organised some lovely mum friendly activities…

The Queens Hotel in Cheltenham

The grand dame of hotels in Cheltenham, originally built in 1838 for the sole purpose of welcoming spa tourism. The Queens was ‘the’ place to stay when on a trip to Cotswolds. It was named in honour of Queen Victoria, who in fact stayed at the hotel, in the Montpelier Suite! Which pleased my mum immensely!

Afternoon tea  

Luckily for us, one of the ‘must do’ activities when in Cheltenham, is to indulge in a little afternoon tea. So, we strolled downstairs and tried out some Earl grey and Darjeeling concoctions, to go with our rather regal, tiered, cake selection.  Served in the glass orangery or the duck egg blue drawing room, it all felt rather formal and decadent.

Spa treatment  

After our indulgent tea, I whisked us off to the beautiful Chapel Spa, housed (as the name suggests) in an old chapel. The interiors were warm, cosy and atmospheric. We each had an hour long, full body massage, followed by a dip in the plunge pool and a glass of champagne.

Dinner at the Ivy  

It is a well-known fact that all mums love The Ivy! So, for dinner we all got dressed up and headed off to the Ivy Restaurant in central Cheltenham. I, of course, had the famous shepherd’s pie and my mum had the delicious chicken escalope. The Cheltenham Ivy is housed in such a beautifully restored, historic building, with an incredible dome at the centre, the whole evening felt very glamorous indeed.

Walk at Pitville Park and Pump Room

The next morning after a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we drove over to Pitville Park, the original home of the Cheltenham Spa. The spa building is surrounded by beautiful grounds, park land and calm lakes. The sun was out and it was the perfect place for a Sunday morning stroll.  

Shopping in Cheltenham  

Me and mum love shopping, so we decided to end our trip with a little mooch around the pretty, art galleries and independent, fashion boutiques in the town centre. The shopping area is quite small and very accessible, so that makes it the perfect place for older parents to get around.

I loved our beautiful weekend break to Cheltenham. The compact size of the town makes it an ideal place to get around easily and quickly. It also happens to be very picturesque and the perfect place for culture, spa and indulgent, afternoon tea loving mums!  

A good time was had by all!  

Want to treat your mum for Mothers Day, book Bonnie's recommended hotel here

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