Once upon a time, a mini-break meant a 5am flight from Luton, an airport Wetherspoon’s breakfast, too much sun and not enough sleep.
Now, as a perpetually tired, time-poor mother of two young boys, my approach has shifted dramatically.
Time away is rare and usually over in the blink of an eye, leaving little room for error. I want to know that wherever I’m going, the food will be delicious, the bed luxurious and the spa facilities soothing enough to quieten my whirring brain.
So, as we hurtle down the M25 towards Foxhills Club & Resort in Ottershaw, Surrey, we’re already off to a good start.
My sat nav predicts a journey of just one hour and 20 minutes from my front door in south-east London. I’ve spent longer commuting to work.
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If Foxhills can deliver a proper sense of escape without any of the usual holiday travel exhaustion, we might just be on to something.
The Victorian manor house sits on a 400-acre estate, where towering pines frame three golf courses and immaculate grounds are edged with lavender and roses.
There’s also 24 tennis courts including three for padel and two for pickleball, a 1.5 mile woodland trail, a state-of-the-art gym, a cycling studio and yoga cabin.
Most classes and all facilities, except the 18-hole golf courses, are free for guests.
It feels every inch the classic English country retreat, complete with croquet lawns and lovely pagodas where you can linger over afternoon tea.
Yet what struck me most wasn’t the setting or all it offers, but the atmosphere.
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Foxhill’s somehow manages to feel indulgent without being intimidating.
Around me, small groups hang about in the gardens, the low hum of conversation providing a soundtrack while the generous spacing between seating areas means everyone still enjoys their own pocket of privacy.
Even the family-focused areas, with an air-conditioned soft play, adventure playgrounds, nature trails and a lifeguarded pool, feel thoughtfully designed.
There’s none of the sensory overload you might expect from a typical kids’ zone.
Instead, Foxhills nails the balancing act of feeling genuinely luxurious while remaining welcoming to families, a combination that’s hard to find.
And, in case you do need a change of scenery, the likes of Thorpe Park, Legoland, Windsor, Mercedes Benz World and RHS Garden Wisley are all under a 30-minute drive away.
I make my way to the spa garden, where I find myself swinging in an oversized hammock surrounded by gently swaying wildflowers.
Less than three hours after dropping the kids at school, I’ve already reached peak zen.
Every so often, I climb down to cool off in the natural swimming pool, purified by reed plants and minerals rather than chlorine.
It has a faintly pond-like quality to it, so if crystal-clear, chlorinated water is more your thing, there are four other pools across the estate to choose from.
A late-afternoon Aperol on a Riviera-style striped picnic bench provides the perfect bridge between a day spent unwinding and an evening of indulgence.
It’s one of those rare moments when time seems to stretch, rather than disappear. Nobody is checking their watch or rushing to the next activity, a feeling I’d almost forgotten.
If the surroundings soothe the soul, Lomri, Foxhills’ new Indian restaurant, revives the senses.
Having spent months travelling around India in my twenties, I’d arrived with high expectations.
From unidentified street food to giant thalis served on banana leaves, the food on my travels rarely disappointed.
A restaurant promising dishes shaped by coastal spice routes, royal kitchens and street food had a lot to live up to. Thankfully, it more than delivered.
Every dish came with a story. To kick things off came pani poori, inspired by India’s street food culture: crisp, delicate bites traditionally shared during celebrations that were light and refreshing enough to challenge the idea that Indian food is always rich and heavy.
Beautifully charred lamb chops, smoky from the grill, melted into the mouth with every bite.
Then came the Dal Makhani (which the chefs explained translates as ‘made by mother’), a bowl of creamy, slow-cooked lentils so comforting it evoked memories of buttery fingers clutching a warm crumpet as a child.
The standout was the Pork of Coorg, inspired by a dish traditionally made with wild boar and slow-cooked with spices from India’s mountainous spice-growing region.
Its warm, aromatic flavours had me reaching for just one more mouthful long after I’d run out of room.
Even the cocktails, from the floral Jasmine Jalebi to the Mango Chutney Margarita – reflected the same thoughtful balance of regional flavours and modern creativity.
Too often, food is the weak link at country house hotels: beautiful surroundings, disappointing dinners and pub grub with a luxury price tag.
Thankfully, Foxhills bucks the trend.
Lomri is reason enough to visit in its own right and, with a £20 post-checkout day pass to the estate’s facilities, you can happily justify ordering dessert knowing you’ll be sweating it out in the sauna the following morning.
Driving home, I reflect on the best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages, convinced a king-size bed and hotel-quality sheets might just be the answer to all my problems.
Our spacious Superior Double Room certainly helped, with dual-aspect windows letting in a gentle breeze as we sipped cups of tea and watched television on a gloriously lazy morning.
Then again, perhaps it was simply the absence of two small children waking me up whenever they damn well please.
Within an hour and a half of leaving, though, normal life comes crashing back.
My three-year-old has lost a puzzle piece, my 18-month-old has skipped his nap, and the calm I’d carefully cultivated begins to evaporate.
For a moment, it almost feels like the previous 24 hours never happened. Almost. But they did.
Next time, we’ll bring the boys and see whether Foxhills can work the same magic on all four of us.
Ella Millward was a guest of Foxhills Club & Resort but don’t expect us to sugarcoat anything — our reviews are 100% independent.
Executive rooms start from £280 per night. Breakfast is included. Prices vary with dynamic pricing over busy holiday periods.
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