Review: Bedford lodge hotel and spa, Newmarket

12th April 2023

By Rachel Ducker

At the global centre of thoroughbred horse racing not far from the race tracks you will find Bedford Lodge Hotel and Spa. Whether you’re a horse-racing fan or just a lover of beautiful English towns, Newmarket is sure to appeal.

Recognised by the Good Spa Guide with their highest “5 Bubble” rating, here you can take weekend breaks to calming spa days and then retreat back to their four Red Star hotel and award winning restaurant.

The spa is separate to the hotel, housed in a former hunting lodge on Bury Road near the famous Gallops and the smart Godolphin Stud. The main hydrotherapy area, is a modern extension made up almost entirely of glass which overlooks a perfectly manicured garden – glorious on a sunny day.

About our day…

We arrived early morning, starting our experience in the cost lounge , filling out consultation forms over coffee, this ensures we get the best outcomes for the day. We spent the next few hours unwinding in the hydrotherapy pool, using all of the massage areas to banish all those aches, moving onto the steam room sauna and ending up in the outdoor hot tub.

Before we knew it we hit lunchtime, so headed back down to the lounge for a healthy bite and a glass of prosecco.

I was undecided on what treatment to have (there are so many great ones), so I selected the ESPA Time 60 minute package.

Once you meet your therapist, they will help you to tailor make a treatment based on how you feel that day. It is the easiest and most flexible way to get the most out of your experience, which is convenient, stress free and maximises your treatment results. I decided, with the help of my therapist, to go with the ESPA energising body oil. I ended up having a full body massage and it rarely happens, but I actually drifted off, but indeed arose feeling energised again!

All chilled out I went to meet my husband, who I found content in the relaxation area reading a book, we had one final dip in the pool and made our way over the road to the hotel.

Check out my Instagram reel below to see more!

The hotel…

Bedford Lodge hotel is set in 3 acres of secluded rose garden, retaining the charm and character of a country house yet offering the very best in modern comfort and luxury, providing a perfect blend of old and new.

There are 80 luxury bedrooms including 23 super king-sized rooms, benefitting from the added luxury of a separate bath and shower.

Rooms are modern with a classic feel and well equipped with everything you would expect from a four star: gowns, comfy bed, sky TV, mini-bar, and much to my delight Molton Brown toiletries.

Food and drink…

The Roxana Bar is open all day and into the early hours of the morning, which flows through into Squires.The two AA rosette restaurant is named after a previous owner of the lodge, who’s said to have been a ‘notorious gentleman, skilled rider and trainer’.

Dishes contain seasonal favourites – with a menu mixing high end dishes with pub grub classics.

What we ordered…

From Buttermilk Korean BBQ cauliflower bites, to smoked haddock with confit egg yolk and oyster mushroom scallops (for me the veggie), we were really impressed with the balance of meat, fish and vegetarian offerings.

The main course to follow was also a triumph, a delicious artichoke risotto and poached plaice dish with seasonal vegetables.

Last but not least we were served two equisite dishes, a ‘snowball’ containing marshmallow, meringue and a chocolate white ball which oozes with snowball cocktail and a chocolate delice with palm violet sorbet (one for brining back childhood nostalgia)!