Devere Venue: Denham Grove.

In February of this year we hauled our little family over to the mainland to attend a wedding. We had no idea what to expect, the bride and groom recommended the hotel hosting the reception as a great place to stay so we went with that option (crossing our fingers). Apart from a pretty ‘rough’ sea crossing, our trip went exceptionally well.

The wedding reception was held at one of the well-known Devere Venues – Denham Grove. Our GPS took us straight to the door which was brilliant – we had a 4 hour trip from the boat and getting lost would have been a nightmare. On arrival, I breathed a sigh of relief – the hotel looked fabulous!

I would be ‘fussy’ about certain little things and a good first impression is so important. The exterior was clean and tidy and I fell in love with the well placed and tended to potted plants and box tree topiary. The children were so excited it inevitably rubbed off on myself and I couldn’t wait to have a look around!

The room we booked was a family room which was recommended for 2 adults and 3 children. The room was HUGE, that is no exaggeration! Our bed was so big I want to ‘upgrade’ our bed at home! The children had a bed each and there was still ample room to walk around the room.

After unpacking (dumping) our luggage we went to seek out the pool – this was the highlight of the trip for the kids.

The pool area was gorgeous. A beautiful blue pool was surrounded with relaxing furniture and more well tended to plants. By now I am sure you have noticed I have a ‘thing’ for plants. I think it looks really bad to see ‘half dead’ plants crying out for water in an otherwise nice hotel – the luscious plants around the pool at Denham Grove emphasized the exotic feel of the surroundings.

The kids were so excited they were in the pool within half an hour of arriving at the hotel.

The pool area was so quiet and relaxing I was able to lounge around texting my friends news of our safe arrival and the pleasing destination. I was delighted to discover the free Wi-Fi which was a huge plus and it was actually user friendly to access, unlike some.  However, I soon wished I too had brought my kit as the Jacuzzi looked so inviting.

The wedding went well with the church fairly close by and then onto the best part – the reception! Our welcome back consisted of champagne and pastries – yummy. The wedding party had plenty of scope to move within the grounds, inside and out, to mingle and catch up with long lost family members. A pool table and large TV screens in secluded areas allowed for family to take ‘time out’ and catch up on the football scores.  The grounds around Denham Grove were perfect for the wedding photos – all 42 acres of them! I found the countryside absolutely breathtaking. So much greenery yet only 14 miles from Wembly Stadium!

The reception room, the food and the attentive staff all made for an enjoyable evening. I have to comment on the number of times I noted the ‘wedding co-coordinator’ (Liam) came to ask if everything was OK – the bride and groom could not have been better tended to.

My husbands speech blew all others ‘out of the water’ – and he achieved loud roars of laughter from all. I sat and smiled to muself- this is the only time he can make fun of our marriage and I actually let him get away with it! He commented on how important it is to compliment your wife – he obviously had bought a ‘best man speech’ book as these ideas certainly did not come from him!

The music which followed the food was great fun for adults and children alike. For those who couldn’t tear themselves away from their emails or Facebook, there was a row of computers along the corridor – my kids had such fun sharing their favourite you-tube videos with friends and family.

An unforgettable trip was had by all and I would return to Denham Grove in a heartbeat. Thanks to all the staff who make us feel so welcome and that our every need was met – this was very much appreciated.

For further information visit www.denhamgrove.co.uk