The Waterfront Restaurant and Y Spa, Wyboston Lakes Resort – Wyboston, Bedfordshire (UK)

Wyboston Lakes, located between Cambridge, Bedford and Milton Keynes, is a 380-acre resort offering conference facilities, a training centre, serviced offices, a golf course, spa, hotel and restaurant. With such a focus on business, it’s easy to forget that The Waterfront Hotel houses a luxury spa and a wonderful restaurant. Admittedly the premises have a corporate and industrial feel – our first impression driving in the area – and the exterior of the hotel is a tad dated but all that was quickly forgotten upon entering the bright welcoming space.

I was invited to experience Y Spa, including lunch, then enjoy dinner afterwards at The Waterfront Restaurant. Men are welcome at the spa; they even offer treatments especially for couples, so I was delighted to have a little luxury break with Paulo in this peaceful oasis.

The spa was simply outstanding. All of the staff were friendly, helpful and welcoming. The facilities feature the spa café, treatment rooms, relaxation areas and thermal spa suites, including an 11-metre outdoor hydrotherapy pool, saunas, steam rooms and showers. We received waterproof wrist bands at check-in which proved handy to charge any food or drinks, open doors and securely lock our lockers.

After filling in a medical questionnaire, we were welcomed at the café with a mango tea, complete with hourglass to time the desired brewing strength.

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The Flitch of Bacon – Little Dunmow, Essex (UK)

The Flitch of Bacon is located in Little Dunmow, a pretty village in the heart of Essex. I’ve been following its progress for quite a while. It’s an exciting new venture by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Clifford of Midsummer House in Cambridge.

The Flitch of Bacon

We received a warm welcome and I was pleased to see that it wasn’t a snooty gastropub (but let’s not use that word, shall we?). The atmosphere in this beautifully restored pub was friendly and inviting. There is even an informal bar at the front with cosy seating by the fireplace.

The Flitch of Bacon collage

I loved the casual yet stylish décor with a mixture of plush seats and wooden chairs. The flowery wallpaper added the perfect contrast and the lighting set a warm and inviting tone to our evening.

Flitch of Bacon wallpaper

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