I’ve been long overdue for a vacation. Given the current circumstance, I was quite apprehensive on going abroad with borders closing, quarantine measures, and so on. So decided to take a domestic vacation – most commonly, referred to as a “staycation.” Since we are currently in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, let’s refer to my vacation as a “coronaction.”
My search criteria for a destination was the following:
- scenic hotel somewhere in the country
- accessible by train (as I don’t drive in the UK)
- somewhere with a few amenities and activities to do on site so we don’t get bored
- a good restaurant onsite
- a spa and a pool
We choose to stay at the Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa which sits on 30 acres of land by the sea in Climping, West Sussex. Only 1.5 hour from London, accessible from London Victoria. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Bailiffscourt. It ticked all my boxes for my domestic coronaction. A big plus also was that they were also strictly enforcing Covid measures in the hotel. The other downside to our stay which is in nature’s control was that there were loads of wasps that became quite an annoyance when sitting outside (we stayed here in early September).
Around Bailifscourt Hotel
Eat
As a hotel guest, there is breakfast every morning. The breakfast menu features both continental breakfast with fruits, yoghurt, cereal, and crossiants. And also hot food options including a full English breakfast and waffles. There is a set menu dinner available at the hotel in evenings as well. You can also book a nightly rate that includes dinner. The dinner at the hotel was tasty. Although, I did have a lovely foie gras to start and a souffle for dessert. The options for main courses were a bit lacklustre. I would suggest venturing out to East Sussex for dining options (see below for more about this).
Explore
The hotel is situated on 30 acres of land and adjacent to the seaside on Climping beach. When checking into the hotel, they provide you with a map of the grounds that lays out the various walking trails. Along the various trails, you will walk along the thatched houses and the peacocks (they are a quite a spectacle and one of them is pretty fiesty). There is a path that takes you along to Climping beach and the seaside.
Around the hotel grounds, there are tennis courts and croquet lawn. Within the main hotel building, there is a games room and a pool table that can be used for hotel guests. If you’re a history buff, you can also inquire about the historical points around the hotel.
Relax
The spa and wellness facilities are housed in a different building from the main hotel. There is spa facilities, both an indoor and outdoor pool, and fitness centre. I enjoyed my pretty relaxing “Rose Quartz and Truffle” massage. There was no actual truffles involved in the massage unfortunately.
Around West Sussex
Arundel
Explore
Walk around Arundel and check out the shops. There are a few small shops and antique shops to take a peek at. We also checked out the Arundel cathedral. The main attraction of Arundel is the castle and gardens. Be sure to book tickets ahead of time. The gardens at the Arundel Castle are mesmerizing!
Eat
We had dinner at Parsons Table. Parsons Table is run by a couple that met while working in the kitchen at Claridge’s and they have a successful track record in hospitality and dining internationally. As expected, the food at Parsons Table was spectacular. Motte and Bailey Cafe is a good spot during the day for brunch or lunch.
Littlehampton
Explore
Walk along East Beach. You will also see the longest bench in the UK. You can then walk along the river to the town centre.
Eat
We had lunch at East Beach Cafe. The food was awesome as the building the cafe is situated in. There were so many delicious options on the main and specials menu. They had brunch classics and also plenty of fish options as well, which is ideal for a seaside meal! We also had dinner at Fish Factory, which specialises in fish and chips. You can select the fish you like and they will prepare it either in a beer batter, grilled, or steamed. I tried a Huss Fillet, which is native to Britain and is similar to a shark.
