Macdonald Berystede Hotel and Spa

Macdonald Berystede Hotel & Spa is a beautiful 4-star hotel located in Ascot near Windsor. Surrounded by wonderful landscaped gardens, the hotel is close to the Ascot Racecourse yet away from all the commotion and hubbub.

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Macdonald Berystede is the perfect base from where you can explore the various attractions in Ascot and Windsor, from Legoland to Windsor Castle to Thorpe Park.

First Impressions

Our first impressions of the 4-star hotel were of a stately Victorian home that oozed character. The building is styled like a chateau and exudes a certain level of old-world charm. As we walked in through the main door and the small entrance hall towards the reception, I could imagine myself dressed in a Victorian gown with wide puffed sleeves! For a moment it felt like I was transported back in time!

The Room

The hotel has 126 individually-styled luxury bedrooms. We stayed in one of the hotel's executive double bedrooms. The room was spacious and comfortable and had a contemporary look and feel. It had all the mod-cons one would expect from such a hotel room: multi-channel flat-screen TV, free WiFi, a minibar, trouser press, hairdryer, iron & ironing board and tea/coffee making facilities. We liked the room - it was roomy and perfect for the two of us.

The bathroom was compact but we were happy with the size as it had both a bathtub and a shower cubicle and most importantly it was clean. The all-white walls were broken up with a row of black tiles creating a streamlined look. Bathrobe and slippers were provided. Bath and body products from the Apothecary range of Arran Aromatics were also provided. I love Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils and this range was a perfect inclusion the room.

Facilities

The hotel has a state-of-the-art spa and leisure complex (called Vital) with six spa treatment rooms, an 18-metre indoor swimming pool, two nail bars, rock and infra red saunas and an outdoor hydrotherapy pool. Spa packages start from as low as £49 per person and you can even book the spa for hen parties. While I did not use the spa facilities during our stay, I did manage to take a quick look and the place looked very inviting - especially the loungers near the pool. One of the treatments on the hotel's spa package list caught my fancy - the exotic Coconut Rub and Milk ritual wrap. Sounds pampering, doesn't it? I think I will head back soon for a spa treatment at the Macdonald Berystede.

Being close to Central London, the hotel makes for a superb venue for business conferences as it does for a staycation family holiday or a romantic getaway. There is ample free car parking and the communal areas were lovely. The guest lounges were perfect to enjoy a glass of wine or read one of the many magazines that were provided. The hotel is licensed for civil marriages and has a selection of suites with capacity for around 400 guests. This, I feel, makes Macdonald Berystede an excellent venue for special occasions. During our stay, we happened to see the arrangements that had been made for someone's 21st birthday party. It was lovely.

Food and Drink

Breakfast was buffet-style and you could have it delivered to your room if you wished. We enjoyed our breakfast in the AA Rosette award-winning Hyperion Restaurant. There was a selection of cereals and dried fruit, yoghurts, compotes, seasonal fruits, croissants and Danish pastries, jams and spreads, cheese and a selection drinks. We opted for the cooked vegetarian breakfast which included vegetarian sausages, baked beans, mushroom and tomato and egg cooked to our liking. The breakfast was filling and the perfect way to start our day.

We enjoyed our dinner as well in the Hyperion Restaurant. On the first night, the restaurant was full to its capacity and though we had a booking, we had to wait a while. The food was lovely and so was the service, even though it was a bit slow. On the second night, it was just the opposite in terms of the occupancy of the restaurant. There were just a few other guests in addition to us and the service was quick yet relaxed. I loved the desserts that we ordered on both the nights - truly delicious and beautifully presented. Definitely the highlight of our dinner.

Drinks, snacks and light meals are served all day and evening in the bar and guests can enjoy their drinks or snacks on one of the resplendent seats in either of the two lounges at the hotel - Oak Lounge or Wentworth Lounge.

Local information | Things to do

Macdonald Berystede is a wonderful place to spend a staycation holiday. There are many popular attractions nearby such as Windsor Castle, Savill gardens, Royal Ascot, Legoland, Thorpe Park and Wentworth Golf Course. Mercedes Benz World is just a little over 30 minutes away. You can talk to the reception if you want to book package deals to any of the attractions.

Plan your stay

Macdonald Berystede will appeal to both business and leisure travellers alike due to its location (less than an hour from Central London) and the facilities it offers.

The bedrooms come in four grades - Classic Double, Executive Double, Feature Double and Feature Suite. Prices start from £74 per night (for a Classic Double Saturday-Sunday) to £195 per night (for the Feature Suite Monday-Friday). Spa packages start from £49 per person. The hotel also offers short break packages like the Legoland Windsor family break which costs £279 per family and includes overnight accommodation, two day passes to Legoland and Windsor and complimentary access to the pool & spa among other things. You can check with the hotel for special offers and packages available at the time of booking.

To get to the hotel or to make a booking:
Macdonald Berystede Hotel & Spa | Bagshot Road, Sunninghill, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 9JH
Tel 0344 879 9104

*We stayed as guests of the hotel but all opinions expressed are, as always, our own.