Escape: Places: Cotswolds Gem: Whatley Manor

Cotswolds Gem: Whatley Manor

Smart yet warm, contemporary yet comfortable: Whatley, exemplifies the best of the new Cotwolds, a bucolic region a two-hour drive from London. The tree-lined driveway and electric solid oak gates are a good indication of the hotel’s ethos. From the proprietors of the Beau Rivage Palace in Lausanne comes a rather Swiss place, efficiently run to say the least, and sensibly re-named from the original (Twatley Farm). Nothing is too much trouble at the hyper-polished hotel, which is a little too stylized or ‘done-up’ for some, though it has been livened up with modern luxuries and a sense of fun. Sundays in the fall, for instance, feature movie screenings in the sleek cinema, afternoon jazz concerts, even a tutorial with the former head gardener at Highgrove.

The 12,000-square-foot Aquarias Spa is the main attraction. With oodles of awards and dedicated fans, it’s a destination spa for those in the know. Fashioned within the skeleton of the old stable block, the water-based therapies takes center stage with one of the largest indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy pools in England. You’re not expected to swim—goodness nothing so vigorous as that. Just wade around and be pummeled by the whooshing waterfalls and bubbling jets. Then waft through the spa’s thermal suite if you have the energy, from tepidarium, to laconium, to caldarium, to chamomile steam grotto, and finally a Finnish sauna. You’ll emerge utterly blissed-out and ready to feast in one of the hotel’s two fab restaurants. TIP: Indagare’s Connoisseur members receive special VIP benefits from Relais and Chateaux. Click on the plus sign above for details. Rates from $566 include breakfast and use of the spa.