LIFE

A weekend away with the kids: The Ickworth, Suffolk

Last modified on Wednesday 19 April 2017

Looking for a kid-friendly short break in the UK with a bit of luxury and comfort thrown in? The Ickworth hotel in the depths of beautiful Suffolk could be just what you're after.

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With three kids under six, busy careers and the usual juggles of running a family home, it’s fair to say life is pretty hectic. We needed a weekend to recharge but didn’t want a long drive, or the hassle of flying.

Luckily we found the perfect spot, just over an hour's drive from our home in Bedfordshire.

The former home of the Hervey family (as in sisters Lady Isabella and Lady Victoria), Ickworth House, is now owned by the National Trust. The East Wing has been converted into a beautiful family-friendly hotel and the West Wing and gardens are open to National Trust visitors.

Despite its grand appearances, the hotel manages to be completely family friendly with boxes of kids toys in the communal lounges and outside bedrooms, welly boots in all sizes to borrow in the front porch and all-round excellent facilities.

It truly was a relaxing weekend – which with three kids in tow is high praise indeed.

What to do here

There’s plenty to do both inside and out.

The sun was shining on our first morning so we decided to make the most of it and head out to explore the 1,800 acres of National Trust gardens. Bikes can be hired for free, simply pop into the bike shed at the hotel and borrow what you need.

We managed to find a combination that worked (14-month-old in a toddler seat, three-year on her own with stabilisers, six-year old leading the way) and enjoyed a lovely morning riding through the grounds and over to the National Trust adventure playground.

After lunch, my two oldest went into the hotel’s fantastic kids’ club.

Children aged between three-months and up to eight-years old receive two hours of free childcare for every night stayed. It’s a great facility: plenty of toys, fantastic range of dressing-up outfits, plenty of Lego and a great selection of art and craft activities.

My two had a blast and I would have felt more than comfortable leaving my toddler, but he opted for an afternoon snooze (hubby joined him) and I headed off for a much-needed massage in the treatment rooms.

Older kids are not forgotten either, with a games room with consoles and ping-pong table open all hours.

Each evening at 6pm the hotel screens a recent kids film and we found this the perfect way for ours to unwind. Children can eat dinner early at 5pm and then chill out on bean bags watching the movie before heading up to bed. And if you do manage to get them off to sleep, and feel comfortable leaving them, the hotel has a great baby-listening service, so you can come downstairs and eat without them.

On our second day we all enjoyed a splash around in the lovely indoor swimming pool (toys and floats are provided) and then a good stomp around the hotel’s Fairy Garden playground, with climbing frames, Little Tike ride-ons, swings and a sandpit.

Hotel guests also receive free admission into the National Trust’s West Wing. With everything else on offer, we didn’t manage to find the time to visit, but heard great feedback from other guests so it’s on our to-do list for next time.

Where to eat

Food is all locally sourced and delicious – you won’t go hungry!

There are two restaurants: The Conservatory for laid-back family dining, and Fredericks for adult-only fine dining.

You can always pick up snacks and light-bites in either of the lounges throughout the day. The Conservatory also serves Afternoon Tea, but you’ll need to book that well in advance, as this is also open to non-hotel guests and is extremely popular.

One bug-bear of mine is a family hotel stay where breakfast at the weekend doesn’t start until late. Not a problem pre-kids, but mine are early risers and always ravenous first thing, so I was pleased to discover breakfast at The Ickworth is from 7.30am – thank goodness!

Although when we needed to come down even earlier than that one morning, no one batted an eye-lid when we cheekily ordered a coffee and made a start on the toast while they were still setting up.

In the evenings, kids can eat at 5pm, although the earliest sitting to eat with parents is 6pm. Do plan afternoon naps and some strategic snacks. Plus, there's always room service; a mid-afternoon pick-me-up of tea and milkshakes delivered to our room was a great treat for the kids (and us, too!)

The rooms

As a family of five we opted for a large double family room. Even with a super comfy king bed, two singles and a travel cot, there was still plenty of space and we certainly didn’t feel on top of each other.

The Ickworth is ideal for a special family celebration, we saw many multi-generation family groups celebrating special birthdays. Aside from the hotel (and for a very special treat) you can hire the Lodge, which has eight separate apartments and three double rooms, plus four acres of private grounds.

When to go

The Ickworth really is a hotel for all seasons. Our visit in March was a perfect mix of cosy log fires for the evenings (all safely behind fire-guards) and bike-rides through the daffodils in the sunshine.

There’s plenty to do indoors so you don’t need to worry about the weather spoiling your fun. If you're not bound by school holidays, then going during term time, and a short mid-week break, will bag you the cheapest rates.

Who should go?

Families looking for a luxury hotel stay with plenty to kiddies of all ages. It really felt like you were staying in a friend’s county pad: the vibe was really laid-back; no one bats an eyelid at yoghurt-smeared faces at dinner or toddlers running along hotel corridors.

Getting there

By train: Bury St Edmunds rail station is located 3.2 miles away.
By car: Central London is 80 miles away; a one hour and 35-minute drive by car. There is ample free parking.

More information

A large double family room will cost around £370 per room, per night for a midweek stay in May. This includes breakfast and a room that can sleep two adults and up to three children.

The Ickworth , Horringer, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP29 5QE

For reservations, visit the website or call: 01284 735350.