Moonfleet Manor
by Take the Family
4 March 2008
The manager was dressed casually and some how straight away this put me at ease. We’d had a 3 ½ hour car journey down to just outside Weymouth and the kids were bursting with excitement at the prospect of a weekend at Moonfleet Manor, one of the five hotels owned by the group Luxury Family Hotels. As soon as we arrived we were whisked off to the Den, where the kids enjoyed a high tea buffet with gorgeous dishes such as homemade meatballs, fish & chips, all finished with smooth chocolate mousse or fruit salad and served by the lovely ladies from the crèche with whom our kids formed an instant bond. We also soon found ourselves with a very welcome glass of wine and a beer in our hands.
The Den was situated next to the indoor play area, an absolutely fabulous space (probably half a football pitch) which I can only presume was an ex bowling green. A raised bar at one end with seating area where parents could relax and watch their children play. There was a trampoline, table tennis, big chess, big connect 4, ride on toys, scooters and a secluded area for computer games, xbox, playstation, dreamcast, and for us it was great for early evening, but I imagine also in wet weather though we were fortunate not to have any. As well as the indoor area there is an outside play area, an indoor pool, lots of lovely coastal walks and bountiful amounts of sea air which altogether mean it is difficult for the kids not to sleep well.
Unusually, it was the people without children that seemed to stand out rather than those with screaming toddlers. I wondered why I had never been before, it all seemed so simple, you go to a nice hotel, you spend quality time with your kids, or you put your young ones into the crèche and catch up on that much needed sleep or experience an Indian stone massage (which by the way is highly recommended). The later sittings in the restaurant were kid free, which was quite a treat and the food was really very good. The baby listening service run by reception worked well, although there was also an option for babysitting.
The hotel itself seemed a little tired in places and the architecture seemed to lurch from one century to another, but somehow this just added to the charm and character of the place, plus it meant that we were less worried about the children hurtling around and making a mess! I was truly impressed by all the staff and their friendly and relaxed way, from the manager to the chamber maid. Although the stars for us were definitely the crèche nannies, who went out of their way to settle the children and us!
I would highly recommend Moonfleet Manor to families (and their dogs - several of the families we met had brought theirs with them). Beautiful sea views, lovely surroundings, wonderful food, great staff, happy children, less stressed parents – who could ask for more.
Other feature articles by Take the Family
