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