Baby friendly hotels

[uptime]

Can anyone recommend a decent baby friendly hotel within 1-2 hours of Dulwich? We are foodies so a hotel with a really good restaurant and baby-sitting service would be ideal. Many thanks.

[ladywotlunches]

Oh the dream! There doesn't seem to be anything like this close by. I've looked several times and always end up in Cornwall. We've been to Bedruthan steps hotel before which is lovely, but this Easter discovered Sands Resort, which fits the bill perfectly. Baby listening, nice restaurant, reasonably priced wine list, and nice beach close by. Its about 5 hours drive from here though (without factoring in the baby stops!)

Every time we go down there we start dreaming of opening something similar closer by, but don't know of anyone with a spare few ?mill capital to get it set up!!

[Vickster]

The Grove in Hertfordshire has a good restaurant and spa and a cr?che but not sure about baby listening

[Mellors]

This place is great:

http://www.ickworthhotel.co.uk/

[Norfolkvillas]

Calcot Manor in the Cotswolds, Babington House in NE Somerset, Woolley Grange in Wiltshire or Ickworth as recommended above in Suffolk.

The Mr & Mrs Smith website has all of these along with details of exactly what child-friendly features each hotel offers, via the kid-friendly search functionality here: http://www.mrandmrssmith.com/au/child-friendly-hotels.

Calcot would probably be my top choice - amazing food, totally family friendly, gorgeous surroundings.

Hope this helps!

[LI]

http://www.hotelterravina.co.uk/

Lovely small hotel with great food and wine - a bit like the hotel du vins (which are also great if you take your own baby monitor) but terra vina has monitors and they listen to them at the reception while you are eating. Plus a nice rubber duck for your baby in the bath! It's in the New Forest so easy 2 hours from Dulwich.

[Belle]

Just looked up this thread to post about Hotel Terra Vina and saw yr post LI. I'd second the recommendation. It was started by the original founders of Hotel Du Vin hence the similarity. The monitor thing must be new as when we went (son was 6 mths at time) our monitor wouldn't stretch to the (fabulous) restaurant - so the receptionist kept it by her desk and listened for us. Plus, we took turns to go and check. It felt like a v nice and secure hotel. We had a sort of suite called Jerpigo I think, which allowed us to put son on a lower level room from us (down 2/3 steps) in travel cot - meant we could watch telly on low and not be in pitch dark etc. If you're foodies I shd think you'd love the place.

[Lochie]

We've been here quite alot:

http://www.ashdownpark.com/

1.5 hours from Dulwich, babysitting service (?10 per hour), good restaurant (bit formal though). Its quite a traditional hotel, not as trendy as places like Babington House but the staff are very kid friendly and the main draw is the lovely indoor pool for you and baby and the stunning massive grounds. There are always lots of kids/babies there when we go...

[uptime]

Thanks so much for the recommendations. We are going to try a couple of those suggested.