Travel Matters Insight

Great Fosters

About…

Nestled away just outside of Windsor in the heart of Surrey a delightful Tudor Estate awaits your arrival. The aptly named Great Fosters, is hidden amongst 50 acres of tranquil gardens that are home to charming fountains, a Japanese bridge, listed topiary mazes that have been shaped ornamentally to add intrigue and an impressive Saxon moat.

Today the Hotel is comprised of 43 exclusively considered bedrooms & suites. Each room has been furnished with complete comfort and opulence in mind, to ensure a special stay for you and your guests. Great Fosters is also a recognised haven for fine dining and with good reason! Tony Parkin has taken charge of the The Tudor Room Restaurant, who have now been awarded a much coveted Michelin Star for their take on contemporary cuisine. Guests are reminded to make reservations well in advance, as foodies flock from all over the Home Counties to secure a table at this formidable restaurant. For a more casual dining experience, guests are invited to eat at The Estate Grill. The 2-AA Rosette awarded restaurant is ideal for luncheons and everyday dining amongst sunlit patios that overlook the lush & pristine gardens...al-fresco dining at its best! 

Great Fosters Gardens are a place of solitude & relaxation. Excitingly hidden amongst the foliage are a selection of fine Arts & Crafts, which have been sourced, designed and tactically positioned by W H Romaine Walker and Gilbert Jenkins. It’s important to put plenty of time aside to revel in the spoils of this enchanting exterior exhibition that is framed by a Saxon moat. Enquire today and Travel Matters will help organise a picnic that you & your loved ones can enjoy in this unforgettable setting. 

Last but not least, The Utopia Retreat spa is the final asset of Great Fosters to be boasted about. If you feel your Shakra’s are in need of some TLC, make a reservation with one of the Utopia Retreat therapists who are specialised in providing unique Facials and Massages. After your afternoon of self love, feel free to reside by the Estate’s art-deco heated outdoor pool, which is open during the summer months.

Key Sustainable Features…

Being a Grade One Listed Building, the Team at Great Fosters is always striving to maintain and manage the impressive building & grounds. Having a host of legal restrictions, due to its status, means that Great Fosters and the Sutcliffe Family have adopted aspects of their Environmental Policy that has the overall aim to reduce the Hotels Carbon Footprint through a 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' framework. Here are some of their fantastic initiatives -

• On-site Filtered & bottled (so no air/food miles, is 500 times purer than tap water and measurably purer than most mineral waters)

• Bottles are reused & recycled

• Installation of low energy light bulbs have been installed throughout the hotel where possible

• Unwanted paper is shredded on-site and added to our compost heap

• Honey Bee conservation (started in 2011)

• Local Suppliers are used to buy locally grown produce, for seasonal dishes

• Use of L'Occitane & Molton Brown toiletries

• No insecticides or fungicides are used in the gardens and grounds

• Green waste generated by gardeners is matured into nutrient-rich compost on-site

• Water butts are installed around the gardeners’ sheds and the harvested rainwater is used for watering.

• Redundant furniture and fittings are donated to local charities.

• Obsolete IT and electrical equipment is recycled in accordance with WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive)

Travel Matters Highlights…

History! Great Fosters is without a doubt the most impressive Hotel with a history that Travel Matters is proud to be in partnership with. Its illustrious history spans over more than six centuries. It’s stories are literally woven into the brick & mortar of the Estate, so it is a must that guests treat their visit like that of a mini museum tour. Formally known as the Manor of Imworth, this grand estate dates back to 1224. The property was later used as a Royal Residence for Henry VIII, who used it as his hunting lodge. It was later used by Queen Elizabeth I as a holiday home, which has been landmarked by an original royal crest that dates back to 1598. In more recent times Great Fosters has welcomed major celebrities, such as Orson Welles and Charlie Chaplin, who were clearly seeking some much needed & cherished R&R amongst incredible surroundings and impeccable service.

During your visit, you will be amazed by what you learn and even humbled by knowing that you are stood where many greats have once stood before. Therefore, we invite you to enjoy your tour - Firstly ‘The Anne Boleyn Room’, formerly a Chapel, showcases an exceptional display of a 1600’s ceiling that is stunningly adorned in emblems of Queen Anne Boleyn - her badges of a noble Falcon, Tudor Rose and Lion Passant (which had previously been embossed on her Royal Sceptre) sit amongst another upon the impressive canvas. Guests may also notice a secret staircase leading to ‘The Tapestry Room’ and ‘Nursery’ above. This discreet space is home to a very special feature that tells the earliest story of the Book of Genesis - Adam and Eve can be seen carved into the chalk firestone mantel, as they frolic amongst the Garden of Eden. This unique piece is framed in17th Century Flemish tapestries that hug the walls.

Finally, Travel Matters wants to draw your attention to the ‘Tithe Barn’ (The Tenth Part). Dating back to 1390, this barn use to live off-site in a separate location and was dismantled and reassembled in Great Fosters during the 1930’s, for the measly sum of £4 million. Originally used to store produce that had been collected from the harvest, the barn made a slow metamorphosis into a charming function room that guests are able to use today.

A stay at Great Fosters is more than staying at sanctuary of bliss, it’s a playground of wonderful history that you can a part of!

Map & Location…

The town of Egham is located within the Borough of Runnymede, Surrey. It has a fascinating biography, having been mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and the nearby Runnymede witnessed the sealing of the Magna Carta in 1215 and was honoured with a memorial, built by the American Bar Association at the foot of Cooper's Hill.

Today Egham is a hotspot for families who are in search of culture and the great outdoors. One of its main pulls is the National Trust at Runnymede and Ankerwycke. Its meadows are home to two prominent pieces of artwork; ‘The Jurors’ by Hew Locke and ‘Writ in Water’ by Mark Wallinger. The National Trust has also done a superb job of protecting & showcasing their memorials to ‘The Struggle for Freedom’, as well as the site of the sealing of Magna Carta 800 years ago.

Another experience that Travel Matters can’t recommend enough is the ‘French Brothers Boats Runnymede’ boat trip. This 45 minute tour seats its crew within a replica of a Victorian paddle Steamer, the 'Lucy Fisher'. During your journey upstream to the Bells of Ouzeley, you will be dazzled by the beauty of the Surrey countryside and will have the chance to disembark for a family picnic.

If you are travelling with little ones, you will be pleased to know that there are a host of multiple activities to suit all ages, so build your days around visits to ‘Legoland Windsor’, ‘Go Ape Black Park’ and ‘Windsor Duck Tours’. The perfect summer holiday for you & your family.