Crunching nosily across Hotel on the Park’s pebble driveway, under the shadow of the honey-coloured regency building, the resident sporty little Morgan immediately caught our attention – but, as we soon discovered on our overnight stay, the luxurious touches at the demure Cheltenham hotel do not end there.

Through the polished marble-floor entrance, and past vases filled with freshly-cut flowers, we were greeted by an affable and extremely efficient receptionist, before we found ourselves promptly climbing the stairs clutching an oversized key to the Catherine Sinclair suite – reputedly the best of Hotel on the Park’s 12 individually-styled bedrooms.

Everything from how to turn-on the tiny television to how to empty the futuristic washing basin – which had apparently caused some guests confusion – was given to us as a well-rehearsed series of swift instructions, before the receptionist, smiling proudly, came onto the infinity bath – an illuminated showstopper of a tub, and when switched-on, one that would not look out of place in any self respecting Las Vegas suite.

In contrast to the modern bathroom tiled in cool beige, Catherine Sinclair – the room that is, not the Scottish novelist namesake, who wrote about visiting Cheltenham in the 1830s – was decked-out in warm gold and black stripes, with yellow-hued curtains and golden-framed antiquated prints of a camel and elephant hung on the wall.

An antique oak wardrobe hid thick white towelling robes and a cheeky leopard-print blanket was spread across the double bed, with a bright pink box of handmade chocolates and a bowl overflowing with exotic fruits adding a thoughtful touch, which had the desired effect of making us feel like very special guests indeed.

As some of the other guests made their way into town for the evening, dressed for dinner we headed downstairs for three-courses of modern British cuisine in the hotel’s own Parker’s the Brasserie restaurant – a decadent decision we’d certainly repeat, regardless of Cheltenham’s town centre eateries just a ten minute walk away!

While a few of the restaurant’s tables had been full, we were the only couple to take coffee and a terrific tower of petit fours in the lounge, and while eerily quiet by 10pm, there was no sense of urgency from the single staff member who had served us at dinner and who went on to wait attentively at the well-stocked bar, as we sipped our nightcaps.

Despite the chance to browse through the leather-bound books and glossy magazines on show in the library, and the opportunity to delve into the hotel’s collection of DVDs, trying out the Star Trek-style bath tub proved far more tempting – and with a hefty price tag of around £395 a night, it would seem a tad wasteful not to make full use of all the lavish facilities on offer.

The tap was turned on for half-an-hour or so, before the controls were played with, and the steaming hot water started to circulate – spilling-over the sides of the bath to create an ‘infinity’ effect, before the light show began – alternating through a colourful rainbow of illuminations. While we were sceptical about the warning that the use of red lights before bed can disturb sleep, the soft trickling and blue hues combined proved a fantastically relaxing way to unwind, before it was time to jump under the fine Egyptian cotton sheets.

The Sweet Home Alabama sweatshirt and southern drawls of ‘honey, will you pass the ketchup’ at breakfast the next morning were indicative of the hotel’s popularity with Americans – and it is easy to see why. It wasn’t just the Union Jack flying above the entrance that proclaimed Hotel on the Park to be terribly British – the chambermaids wore traditional black, while other staff members stood to attention in crisp white uniforms, there were oil paintings of grumpy old men that look like they pre-date stateside history, and Earl Grey tea is, of course, drank from bone china.

While Hotel on the Park risks teetering on the edge of twee, instead we came away from our overnight stay with the overall impression of elegant eccentricity that befits a traditional hotel which tourists – and business guests – from across the pond flock to in droves. With a multi-million pound refurbishment on the drawing boards, however, we hope that the no-expense-spared designs don’t risk losing this unique charm, which hoteliers across Gloucestershire can testify, money simply cannot buy.

A one-night stay for two people at Hotel on Park in Cheltenham costs from £155, excluding breakfast.

Don’t miss the Hotel on The Park photo gallery, and to find out more about the staying at the hotel, visit hotelonthepark.co.uk, email stay@hotelonthepark.co.uk or call (01242) 518898.

Michelle Byrne
1 December 2008