Friendship Travel

Easter 2012 in Newbury - Berkshire

Donnington Valley Hotel, Spa & Golf

Join us at our favourite British hotel for a relaxing Easter break - no black tie required! The hotel's parkland setting is great, yet it's easy to reach from the M4. The leisure facilities are second to none, the bedrooms are large and luxurious and the staff are welcoming: no wonder we keep coming back.

Here's our plan for the weekend:

Our three-night package takes full advantage of the Bank Holidays with a Friday afternoon arrival (time to try out the hotel’s pool) before a relaxed BBQ dinner (included, with wine). OR arrive on Saturday for two nights or even an overnight. Locals can drop in just for the party. The majority of rooms are held for 3 nights from Good Friday so we expect most people to stay for this duration.

Our first get-together is in the bar on Friday evening, before our relaxed BBQ dinner on the outdoor terrace (weather permitting). On Saturday, you will want to make the most of the hotel's superb facilities. The Spa boasts a large indoor pool and fully-equipped gym (both free for residents) as well as a host of pampering options (extra charge). Alternatively, you can challenge a fellow guest to a round of golf. For those who would like to stretch their legs without a club in hand, there's a half day ramble around Donnington's leafy lanes, including the nearby ruined castle.

Saturday night is party night, with a meal in the Cromwell Suite  followed by a Disco. The dress code for the Saturday dinner dance is smart dress, but NOT Black Tie. Feel free to pile on the bling if you wish, but the aim of the weekend is, first and foremost, to be comfortable. This is bound to be a late night, so breakfast on Easter Sunday is a quiet affair!

On Easter Day, you may laze around the hotel and enjoy the facilities, or go to the local church, but we're also suggesting a Ten Pin Bowling session at the nearby alley (small charge, payable locally), with a giant Easter egg as the star prize! There's a Fiendish NEW Friendship Quiz and the final three-course dinner with wine to round off the weekend, before we go our separate ways after breakfast on Monday.

Our four-star hotel offers a Large Spa with Health Club - pool and Jacuzzi and a fully-equipped gym, plus an 18 hole golf course. Rooms are luxurious and spacious, parking is free and the hotel is easily reached from the M4