The grand, calming lobby at South Lodge Hotel is so inviting I feel a momentary pang watching the other guests check in and head for their rooms. But we're not staying inside the neo-Jacobean manor house; instead we're ushered into an electric golf buggy and whisked down a winding gravel path to the hotel's secluded lakeside lodges, The Reeds.
Fringed by vineyards and set far enough away from the main house to feel entirely self contained, there are just eight new luxury lodges. Ours, Pond Skater, arguably has the best views out across the lake. As our friendly hosts retreat back to the buggy, promising to return with breakfast the next morning, it begins to sink in just how different this is from an ordinary hotel stay. Save for the distant splash of a lone wild swimmer in the lake below, it is completely quiet.
Why stay here?
Locally sourced, upcycled wood has been used throughout each lodge
(Image credit: Feasts, Shoots and Leaves)
Situated among the chalk hills of the South Downs, less than a two-hour drive from London, the ivy-covered country house hotel is ideal for a weekend escape. Set within 93 acres of parkland, the immaculately tended grounds are dotted with colourful flowers – look out for the sprawling rhododendron (thought to be the UK's largest) on the front lawn.
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The hotel itself has 96 characterful rooms and suites. All are uniquely decorated but you can expect eclectic furnishings, comfy king-size beds, and, in many cases, impressive views of the Sussex countryside.
For total privacy, The Reeds are a novel option. To call them lodges feels like underselling – this is seriously luxurious accommodation – each positioned far enough away from the other to allow you to forget there is anyone else around.
Double height ceilings and windows flood the rooms with natural light
(Image credit: Feasts, Shoots and Leaves)
Carefully designed to ensure the lakeside location takes centre stage, the open-plan lodges are set across two floors, with two bedrooms, and feature double-height ceilings and windows flooding the rooms with natural light. The interior design nods to the surrounding area: locally sourced, upcycled wood has been used throughout and the walls are adorned with pretty drawings of trees and birds.
The bathroom deserves a mention here: clad in green marble with a freestanding bath, TV, and generously sized shower, you'll want to slip into your fluffy white robe as soon as you step foot inside. (There's also a nice selection of Pelegrims toiletries made using plant extracts from South Lodge's vineyards). But our favourite spot was the spacious (and completely private) outdoor deck, complete with a sofa, marble table, sun-loungers, and an enormous copper whirlpool bath.
Eating and drinking
The breakfast hamper includes freshly baked bread and homemade granola
(Image credit: Feasts, Shoots and Leaves)
If you're staying at The Reeds be sure to order the breakfast hamper – delivered at a time of your choice directly to a hatch in your lodge, the wooden basket is filled with treats from organic juices and homemade granola, to freshly baked (and still warm) bread and pastries. Eating breakfast on the sunny terrace looking out at the water was the highlight of our stay.
In the main hotel, there are several dining options including the Michelin-starred restaurant, The Pass, helmed by Ben Wilkinson offering an ever-changing seasonal tasting menu, and Camellia – a three AA rosette winning fine dining eatery where head chef Josh Mann has crafted a menu using ingredients hand-picked from the hotel's walled garden.
We dined at Botanica – a laid-back Mediterranean restaurant next to the spa. Dishes here are "health-conscious", and zero-waste but still very tasty: we had the surprisingly moreish spiced wasted carrot bread, followed by the harissa rubbed chicken and fillet of sea bream in a delicate tomato consommé with an assortment of summer vegetables. It was hard to believe the desserts were dairy-free; the honey cake (made with honey from South Lodge's bees) with charred peach and a creamy vanilla gelato was outstanding.
What to do
Wild swimming is open for guests at The Reeds all year round
(Image credit: Feasts, Shoots and Leaves)
A trip to The Reeds wouldn't be complete without taking a dip in the lake. Wild swimming is open all year round – luckily it was fairly mild when we stayed in late August but the hotel provides wetsuits for guests visiting over winter. If you've never been wild swimming (I hadn't) don't worry, you're in safe hands; you need to book a slot ahead of arrival, and, after signing a waiver, you’ll be given a colourful float and watched over closely by the hotel's lifeguards.
Afterwards, wrapped in a cosy robe, warm up in the spa back at the main house (you can either request the buggy or take a short walk through the woodland trail). As well as an outdoor hydrotherapy pool, you'll find a marble-lined salt steam room, sauna, sizable indoor pool, and, when you're ready to brave the cold again, an outdoor reed pool. Expert therapists are on-hand to carry out an array of treatments from calming aromatherapy massages to invigorating body wraps and diamond facials.
While it would be easy never to leave the hotel grounds, there is a lot to explore nearby. The South Downs stretches all the way from the valley of the River Itchen near Hampshire to Beachy Head in East Sussex, and there are plenty of hiking trails winding their way to scenic beauty spots like Devil's Dyke – the country's deepest and longest dry valley. Or, drive around half an hour to Brighton for a day spent wandering through the lanes and having fish and chips on the beach (watch out for the seagulls).
The verdict
There are plenty of hiking trails to explore nearby in the South Downs
(Image credit: South Lodge)
The total privacy found at The Reeds is hard to come by, and the beautiful surroundings, lakeside setting, and attentive but unobtrusive staff, made our stay really special. A perfect hideaway to leave behind the hectic pace of everyday life, it's the type of place that makes you want to start planning your next trip, even before you've left.
Irenie was a guest at The Reeds at South Lodge where prices start at £1,200 per night
Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.
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