“We call it the Reeds-mobile,” says Beth, our friendly host and concierge, as she zooms us down to one of South Lodge’s new luxury lakeside lodges, The Reeds, in a brand new electric buggy.
Our lodge, Dragonfly, certainly has a luxury feel, with two-storey windows, a copper whirlpool bath overlooking the lake, and homemade macarons and Ridgeview fizz awaiting us in a chic wooden ice bucket. Beth beckons us over, keen to show us to her favourite part of the lodge: the hatch next to the front door, in which staff will leave our breakfast hamper in the morning.
Twelve hours later — one seven-course tasting menu and many glasses of fizz down — we see what she means. Fresh fruit and granola, crusty sourdough and gorgeous fluffy pastries await us, ready to eat on our private sun-deck while a small group of wild swimmers glide past us with their toe floats.
A couple of hours later, we’re down there in the lake ourselves, bobbing about while Cameron our lifeguard stands ready to hand us our South Lodge-branded DryRobes. I could get used to this kind of lakeside living.
South Lodge hotel’s eight eco-lodges opened last month. They are the latest addition to the award-winning 96-room hotel since the launch of its £15 million spa in 2019.
Luxury and sustainability are the order of the day here, with charming little swing seats dotted around the grounds, a reed-filled natural pool at the centre of the spa, and locally-sourced ingredients at the heart of the menu at the hotel’s Michelin-star restaurant, The Pass, by chef Ben Wilkinson.
From guided swimming sessions to the on-site vineyard, here’s what to expect.
Where is it?
Just south of Horsham and Crawley and a 45-minute train ride and 10-minute taxi from central London, on the edge of the South Downs. Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens is just down the road, and Bolney Wine Estate is a 10-minute drive away. You won’t go thirsty.
Style
Expect natural woods, plump sage sofas and plant-filled living rooms. Green marble bathrooms boasts baskets of white fluffy towels.
While rooms in the main hotel have a historic feel, the lodges feel contemporary and bright. No dark panneling or four-poster beds here down by the lake: instead, think upcycled, locally-sourced or naturally-derived materials, neutral colour palettes and flashes of yellow and sage.
There’s a zen, calming feel to the place, like you’ve just walked into a high-end yoga studio — and you can make it one, if you like. There are yoga mats available to use in each lodge for some morning flow on your private terrace. Take a glass of wine out there for golden hour and watch the sunset over the lake, either from your sun-lounger or the heavenly copper whirlpool bath. There’s plenty of space for two.
Which room?
There are eight lodges in total: six around the perimeter of hotel’s newly-filled wild swimming lake, and two spa lodges slightly set back from the water. Each one is accessed via a short woodland walk or electric buggy ride — just call reception and ask for a lift. Lodge number three is wheelchair accessible, featuring a wet room shower with a tamp, pull cords and downstairs bedroom.
The six lakeside lodges are geared towards families, with a large naturally-lit living area, two bedrooms and a private terrace with a dining area, sun-loungers and an outdoor bath (decks are carefully designed with privacy in mind, so you can enjoy candlelit suppers without being overlooked). The main living area is open-plan and double-height, with remote-controlled curtains unveiling one of the best lake views of any hotel in Britain. Spa-lovers and honeymooners should choose one of the spa lodges, which are designed specifically for couples, with a downstairs lounge, upstairs bedroom and private steam shower, outdoor whirlpool bath and infrared halotherapy sauna.
Our lakeside lodge Dragonfly was decked out with everything from an electric fire for cosy autumn evenings to a small kitchenette with a fridge, Soho House-style crockery and a complimentary snack drawer. The exclusive Pelegrims toiletries were made using samples from the hotel’s on-site vineyard — one of many sweet personal touches. Another was Lord Sussex, the Jellycat sheep toy left out on the bed in a nod to the lodge’s family feel and the hotel’s mascot.
Food & drink
Beef fillet with smoked emulsion and truffle. Hand-dived scallop with English peas, chipotle and confit garlic butter. Lemon gnocci with rocket and coriander and basil sauce.
The food at South Lodge is one of the highlights, from brunch on a sun terrace overlooking the spa to seven-course tasting menus at the hotel’s child-free restaurant, The Pass by chef Ben Wilkinson, which holds a Michelin star and four AA Rosettes.
Wilkinson comes out to introduce many of the dishes himself and there’s an intimate feel to the place, with space for just 28 diners at a time and an open kitchen where you can watch the seasonally-rotating menu being made, from day boat turbot to strawberry sorbet with elderflower.
All seven courses are exquisite and the wine pairing is worth doing, though make sure you leave room for your next meal. The breakfast or charcuterie hamper delivery option is a highlight of a stay in one of the lodges, with fresh bread, fruit, granola and yoghurt cleverly and stylishly delivered to your hatch, and a ‘collect hamper’ option on the bedside tablets so staff know to come up and clear up when you’re finished.
We enjoyed a sunny hamper breakfast on our private terrace one morning, and brunch at Botania — a more casual, dairy-free, Mediterranean-inspired dining option above the spa — on the Sunday. There’s also Camelia, a wood-panelled, white tablecloth-style restaurant for more formal lunches and dinners, with a focus on local ingredients including vegetables grown in the on-site garden.
Kitchenettes come with tea and coffee-making facilities and little bottles of semi-skimmed milk in the fridge. Just call reception and staff will happily bring you alternative milks if you fancy.
Facilities
Like many of the hotels in the Exclusive Collection — a B Corp certified independent group which includes Fanhams Hall and Pennyhill Park — one of the main focuses of a stay at South Lodge is the spa, a 44,000 square-foot, nature-inspired haven featuring an indoor pool, outdoor hydrotherapy pool and natural dipping pool, thermal suite and 14 treatment rooms offering everything from massages to manicures. It’s all airy and bright, with guests invited to relax with a mint tea overlooking the outdoor pool after their treatment and a large spa garden with multiple lounge areas for summer visitors. There are multiple spa packages available for day guests.
Guests at The Reeds have access to the spa throughout their stay, and can book to swim in the lake if they fancy an even wilder swim than the reed-filled pool up at the spa. The water has been tested by the Water Association and is tested daily by staff — but no jumping in from your deck. Staff ensure you sign a waiver agreeing to wild swim from the specifically-allocated jetty, accessible via a little wood-chip path, where small groups of guests are escorted by a guide and each given a toe float for safety and a robe for warming up. Fun fact: the lake is home to water lilies exclusively sourced from Monet’s renowned garden in Giverny, the only location outside of France.
The estate’s grounds also include tennis courts and a vineyard spread across two sites, one producing Chardonnay, the other Pinot Noir. Local Sussex wine estate Ridgeview is the hotel’s wine partner, maintaining the vineyard and primed for its next harvest.
Dogs are welcome at South Lodge and there are maps of nearby walking routes available at reception via a QR code. We arrived with every intention to head off-site for a walk and or a run. Did we? Of course not. We were having far too lovely a time exploring the 93 acres of grounds.
What to Instagram
The ever-changing view from your lodge over the lake, from the mist rising over the water in the morning to the sunset as you sip your evening glass of Ridgeview.
Best for?
Families, couples and swimming-lovers looking for a sustainable yet luxury spa break close to London.
The details
Horsham is a 45-minute train ride from Clapham Junction, then it’s a 10-minute taxi journey to the hotel. It’s just under a 90-minute drive from central London.
