Kesgrave Hall in Ipswich is a lovely country-style hotel set in its own lush green grounds. The long drive up to the main building is the perfect showcase for what this place has to offer. It allows you to take in the surrounding and see all the buildings that make up this venue.
It is located on the edge of Ipswich, not far from the A12, making it an ideal weekend retreat. Ipswich is a short drive in one direction, with Woodbridge slightly further in the other.
The hotel is part of the Milsoms group, which owns a few venues in the area, some of which we had visited before. That gave us an idea of what to expect from Kesgrave Hall, which fortunately didn’t disappoint.
The hotel is made up of a main building and a selection of outbuildings that are also accommodation. It is a very effective way of getting more room without compromising the main structure and works well. The hotel itself is an impressive white rendered construct, surrounded by green lawns and trees. The grounds are impressive, the building even more so.
“Kesgrave Hall is a lovely relaxed hotel with a lot to offer.”
The interior is quite modern and works well. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed, which suits the location perfectly. The wooden floor is finished in a warm tone and polished to a high sheen, which is a word we could use for the rest of the hotel, polished.
From the chairs to the lights, everything is in great condition, seems of a high quality and designed with a great attention to detail. Even the staff were immaculate in their uniforms. No matter how busy they were, they always looked the part.
The balance between quality and relaxation is nice. It’s good to see brands who are committed to quality but also want guests to relax and enjoy themselves while staying at the hotel.
We had a Principal Room which was in one of the outside buildings. We had selected it purposely to see if there were any compromises in being outside the main hotel. There we no compromises anywhere to be seen.
The room was a good size and nicely furnished. Decoration is neutral, with feature walls and accents from the soft furnishings. The large bed was against one wall, facing the window and had a sofa at the foot. The bed was firm but comfortable, with crisp hotel linen, nice pillows and a warm cover. We slept very well indeed while there.
The open-plan room also had bedside tables, phone, LCD TV and access to the courtyard. The bathroom was also large, with a roll-top bath and walk-in shower. The entire room was utterly clean, well presented and had lovely fluffy towels.
The room had its own little courtyard that offered a nice bit of private space outside. As the sun was shining while we were there, it was the perfect place to take a coffee and get ready for the day.
The rest of the hotel was of a similar standard. It has plenty of eating options, including an all-day restaurant with open kitchen, the Bunker, a private dining room, a bar and a function room called The Hangar.
Kesgrave Hall is a lovely relaxed hotel with a lot to offer. Everything is of a high quality and we were looked after throughout our stay. We would definitely return.
The Bill: £285 per night
