HOTELS
It is one of the world’s most famous golfing destinations and a must for anyone with a passion for
the game.But there’s more to The Belfry than just golf - the problem is fitting it all in. Sue Smith
walked in the footsteps of music and golfing legends alike and met a duck that thought it was a dog.
Words by Sue Smith or grilled Dover sole,champagne beurre
blanc.
Less formally there is The Atrium
offering a carvery and where breakfast
offered up the best scrambled eggs everHE Belfry Hotel
eaten in a hotel. Sam’s Bar and Grill isand Leisure
good for burgers and sandwiches beforeTcomplex needs little
tee offor after a round.
If eating outside you will inevitably beintroduction to golf
joined by the tame ducks that make theirenthusiasts.Home of
way from the nearby lake and sit
patiently,Labrador-style,at your feet,world-class golf and host to
hoping a crumb or two might fall.unique venue offers the ideal weekendthe Ryder Cup for an
Having been added on to many timesescape.unprecedented four times,
over the years, the main building now hasThere are two superb restaurants,the
spurs of bedroom blocks,known asaward winning French Restaurantthis is a golfing Mecca.
houses,named after the greats,Trevino,overlooks The Brabazon through anOwned by Sean Quinn Jr,the son
Jacklin, Torrance and Ballesteros.avenue of heady lavender.Here diningof an Irish property billionaire, the
In the main building,the rooms andlooks formal but while the service isfamous Brabazon course quite aptly
suites also pay tribute to golfing termspolished and the food sublime,it managesstarted out as a potato field. It was
such as Pebble Beach - a fabulous suite ofto retain a relaxed atmosphere wheredeveloped and fashioned in the
rooms with a first-floor terracemale guests feel and look comfortableAmerican style and put firmly on the
overlooking the 18th green of thewithout a tie.map by Severiano Ballesteros in 1978
National PGA course - and in each roomChoose from the table d’hôte,athree-during the Hennessy Cup between
there is,ofcourse,special space for golfcourse menu at £34.95 which couldGreat Britain and Europe.The
bags.include warm consommé, goats cheeseSpaniard watched his opponent Nick
The Belfry has managed to pull offtheprofiterole or warm salad of woodFaldo hit an iron into the perfect
difficult combination of smart andpigeon, sweetcorn puree and candiedposition on the 10th fairway from
comfortable.Nothing is so grand as to bewalnuts with red wine dressing.Followwhich to pitch over the water on to
stuffy and comfort is key. It’s a bit likewith truffled guinea fowl breast andthe green.
visiting a well-to-do aunt who has not lostspring vegetable casserole or feta, redBallesteros took a driver and
sight of her family roots.pepper and cous cous roulade withlaunched the ball into orbit. The ball
If golf really isn’t your bag there’s theorange and olive salad.soared, cut right, carried the trees
Spa and Leisure Club on site with a gym,Deserts include warm chocolatestrategically placed to stop just such a
hair salon, squash courts,and tenfondant with marscapone chantilly orshot, and landed 8ft from the pin.
treatment rooms offering holisticorange and strawberry salad, sorrel syrupThere is now a plaque to mark the
therapies for both sexes and an extensiveand chocolate sorbet.moment at which the Belfry was truly
menu of spa treatments.As well as theThe a la carte with starters from £7.95Christened.
pool, shaped like a dolphin, and theand main courses up to £38 couldSituated on the outskirts of
Jacuzzi there is also Aquaspa, a separateinclude spider crab ravioli with braisedBirmingham where the Tamworth
complex offering a two-hour Fire and Icebaby lettuce and shellfish tarragon bisqueand Lichfield roads merge,The Belfry
experience.followed by fillet of halibut, asparaguswas known to locals from the late
Visitors begin with a warm footbathand young feve veloute with tempura1950s as the ideal venue for wedding
and gradually work their way around theoyster.receptions and the place where 60s
steam, sauna, hydro pool and ice roomsThere is also a ‘Simply’ menu offeringgroups (as bands were called in those
alternating between hot and coldgrilled prime beef with Bearnaise sauce,days) such as Led Zeppelin, Moody Blues,
treatments.Slade and Status Quo played live.
And if you still have the energy there isToday it is one of the world’s most
the Bel Air nightclub in the hotel groundsfamous golfing destinations.
featuring some of the West Midlands bestIt was while it was under the
DJs and entertainers, particularly popularownership of De Vere Hotels in 1993
with the stag and hen parties whichwhen The Belfry made history by
abound at the Belfry at weekends.hosting The Ryder for the third time
See you at the nineteenth. For a reviewthat the decision was made to spend
of the Belfry’s famous Brabazon courseanother £2.5 million on the complex.
see page 62.There are 324 bedrooms at the
hotel which has a four star rating and
two other golf courses,The PGA WIN AN INDULGENT
National and The Derby.
Although it is a golfer’s paradise WEEKEND FOR TWO
there is more to The Belfry than a
long walk with a caddy. Set in 550 AT THE BELFRY... >>
acres of beautiful countryside this
www.cotswoldessence.co.uk 27COTSWOLDESSENCE September - November 2008
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