insideKENT Magazine Issue 38 - May 2015 | Page 113

GETAWAYS Cedar Lodge at Alexander House Hotel by Samantha G Exquisite luxury: check. Bold finishes to a beautiful 17th-century house: check. Gorgeous food: check. An award-winning spa: check. A brand spanking new ultracontemporary hotel annex on the property: check. Really? Yes really! Introducing the new Cedar Lodge Suites at Alexander House Hotel. You know you’re on to a winner when every time you tell someone that you are off for a stay at Alexander House you are met with envious looks, sighs with a slightly jealous edge and exclamations of “ooh I love it there...” And it’s easy to see why. This 5-star hotel nestled in the heart of the rolling Sussex countryside has been wowing its guests year on year since it opened. The problem, however, when your popularity over a decade shows no sign of diminishing: how to try and accommodate more guests, particularly when you are based in an old manor house that doesn’t quite lend itself to numerous extensions and buildings. The answer? A bold and daring vision that led to the creation of the Cedar Lodge, home to 19 modern sumptuous garden suites including its pinnacle, an amazing duplex suite. Arrival into the building is through the doubleheight glass entrance lobby. Adorned with modern art, the clean lines and unique lighting makes this more modern art gallery than country house hotel, and having only opened its cool doors back in October it still has that new smell that makes you excited to realise you are among the first to experience what awaits beyond the smooth ivory staircase. With a personal concierge, checking into our suite was smooth; the door opened onto a large well-appointed bedroom-come-lounge, flooded with light from the doors to the balcony beyond, and a huge luxury bathroom with double-size bath, rainforest shower and twin sinks cleverly hidden behind double wooden doors. it to the marmite effect, but of course this is exactly why they work. Guests can now choose whether to stay in the traditional suites in the main house or the contemporary suites of the Cedar Lodge, with both options offering full access to the hotel’s great facilities and dining options. So what’s the first thing you do when checking into a new amazingly appointed suite? Run your hands along the finishes and furnishings? Lounge on the sumptuous corner sofa? Admire the balcony views of the Sussex countryside in the afternoon sun? Run a huge Temple Spa bubble bath in the wondrous tub for two? Cocoon yourself in Egyptian cotton on the ViSprung king-size bed? Nope – you play with the lights! The two preset mood panels, one each for the bedroom and bathroom areas, allow you to create your own haven of blissful luxury and if you’re in the know about these things – lighting really is everything! And so it’s the touches such as these, the clean lines, mirrors and the Bob Crooks Glass decor that assure you that the vision has paid off and Alexander House have got these suites just right. Guests are encouraged to relax and wear their robes and slippers during their stay, and whilst the first signs of spring sunshine were on the horizon, the dozen or so gravel crunching steps to the main building seemed just a tad too far in the crisp March air. So, armed with our robes in tow, we strolled to the beautiful award-winning Utopia Spa, fresh from scooping its most recent accolade: the Conde Nast Johansens Luxury Spa for Excellence 2015. Granted the ultra modern finish may not be everyone’s expectation of an historic country house hotel – a member of staff even likened 113 In this subterranean paradise my guest and I were drawn to the cool turquoise waters of the pool, set off against the white Grecian pillars and bright blue mosaic décor. We happily swam, lounged, made use of the