A lively, fun filled activity to enjoy with your friends. Soak up the atmosphere at the bar in our 1772 brasserie and learn to make speciality cocktails with the knowledgeable bar team as your tutors. A great way to start your evening - why not book a table for dinner too? 

Available between Monday and Thursday @6pm

£35 per person, includes two cocktails and a welcome drink

Please book in advance

Pop in and browse Cotton and Gems with their beautiful range of demi-fine jewellery. 

From 9am until early evening - pop in for a browse and a coffee, or maybe a bite to eat!

The popular local duo return to The Retreat with their chilled covers of  classic songs from the 60s to the 90s.

Join us in the Atlas Room from 5:30pm.

There’s no need to book, but if you would like to stay for dinner please book your table in advance.

You are warmly invited to an evening of Restorative Yoga and Sound Healing with senior yoga teacher Maura Barber-Oosterhuis and holistic health coach Laura Penneycard.

This evening will include gentle yoga, use of essential oils, (self) massage and hands on guidance and adjustments, all underscored with the vibrational sounds of Tibetan singing bowls, followed by a healing sound bath.

£30 | £25 for members

A fun filled couple of days of tennis and crafts for kids aged 8-11 - perfect Easter Holiday entertainment!

With tennis coach Lorna Cowan, and our resident arts tutor, Laura.

9am - 11am: Mini Orange/Green Tennis
11 - 12:30pm: Crafts with Laura
12:20 - 1:30pm: Lunch provided by The Retreat
1:30 - 4:30pm: Mini Orange/Green Tennis
4:30 pick up time

£100 per child | £90 for members

Join Mike Dilger - nature presenter on BBC 1's The One Show - as he discusses his new book One Thousand Shades of Green: A Year in Search of Britain's Wild Plants. Includes supper and a signed copy of the book.

Menu >>

Prices - Come as a Couple and Save £15

Couple's Price (one book included)

2 courses £75 or 3 courses £85

Per Person

2 courses £45 or 3 courses £50

Members receive £5 discount per guest

Booking

To book, please call our Reservations Team on 01635 800520 or email reservations@retreatelcopark.com

This event is organised with the support of our friends at Hungerford Bookshop.

About the Book

Mike Dilger's nationwide quest to find 1,000 wild plant species in a single year.

For most of 2020, Mike Dilger's day-job of travelling to the four corners of the British Isles all but disappeared. Having been confined to one place by the Covid pandemic, and with daily dog walks his sole permitted outdoor pursuit, the simple pleasure of getting to know the flowers at his feet reignited a long-buried botanical passion.

Now Mike is on a mission: to see a thousand different wild plants in one calendar year, and assess how our fascinating flora is faring in modern Britain.

From Cornwall to Kent and Breckland to the Scottish Highlands, Mike meets the resilient reserve wardens and courageous conservationists tasked with protecting some of the nation's richest botanical sites, and experiences first-hand the many difficulties associated with saving our rarest and most charismatic plants.

Taking in city centres, mountain tops and every conceivable habitat in between, One Thousand Shades of Green is a manifesto on how to love and conserve our green and pleasant land, and celebrates the beauty and diversity of the nation's plants.

Create gorgeous Easter goodies with our resident craft teacher Laura. There will be three craft projects to choose from.

Please book in advance, though you can drop in any time between 3-5pm on Good Friday, 7th April. 

£15 per child | £10 for members

Nash’s beautiful voice and The Mac’s excellent guitar work make this duo unmissable, with their chilled-out set.

Join us in the Atlas Room from 5:30pm.

There’s no need to book, but if you would like to stay for dinner please book your table in advance.

Free to take part, from 10:30am

A lively and nostalgic music quiz, covering every genre, and spanning the 70s to the 90s. Free to enter, with a £100 Retreat voucher for the winning team!

If you know your music, this is the quiz for you!  Get some friends together and enjoy a fantastic midweek night out!

No entry fee

Top Prize £100 Retreat Voucher

Our regular menu will be available so whether you want to share some nibbles with your team or enjoy a full supper, the choice is yours!  We'll also have some special themed cocktails ...

Maximum 6 per team

Your little ones will learn juggling skills with our very own circus-trained Alex Storey!

4-5pm, Wednesday 12th April

£10 per child | £7.50 for members

Includes a set of juggling balls to take home

Hollie returns to The Retreat with a chilled set of piano, with her beautiful vocals, and songs that everyone will know.

Join us in the Atlas Room from 5:30pm.

There’s no need to book, but if you would like to stay for dinner please book your table in advance.

Our first Farmers Market of the year... pop in to The Courtyard to browse an array of local artisans, with food, gifts and more.

Why not stay for one of our sensational Sunday roasts?

Enjoy a traditional Argentine Dinner to celebrate International Malbec Day!

Argentina is the home of Malbec, and of course, world-class steak. We’re bringing the best of both together with an authentic menu and a carafe of our Ruca Malen Malbec. Full-bodied and juicy and just perfect with steak - it’s our best-selling red wine for good reason!

Our Argentinian menu will be available in our 1772 Brasserie for the evening of Monday 17th April.

All guests will be entered into a draw on the night to win a Magnum of Ruca Malen Malbec to take home!

And if you would like to make an evening of it, Newbury Dramatic Society will be performing their specially written play about the Romantic poet Percy Shelley, who has family connections to Elcot Park.  Please see our "What's On" page for details.

A Taste of Argentina: £55 | £50 for members

Percy Shelley Play: £15 | £12 for members

Starter

Chicken Empanadas

A Traditional Argentinian Mini Pasty

Main

Bavette Steak

Chimichurri, Green Salad & Frites

Pudding

Dulche de Leche Crème Caramel

Wine

A Carafe of Malbec for two to share

A short play exploring the life of the great Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, whose mother, sisters and other relatives lived here at Elcot Park during the 19th century.

Newbury Dramatic Society has written this superb play especially for The Retreat, having previously staged impressive dramatic depictions of the lives of other famous writers such as Charles Dickens and Rudyard Kipling. 

Shelley's extraordinary and fascinating life is explored in detail in this one hour play.

£15 | Members £12

It's also World Malbec Day, so why not stay for dinner and enjoy our special Argentinian menu?

Oarsum's unique range of bags and gifts is made from recycled boat sails - a perfect gift for Father's Day or a special birthday.

From 9:30am until early evening - pop in for a browse and a coffee!

We’ll spend the morning learning the fundamentals of wine and wine making, looking at why grapes taste different from different regions and how winemaker choices can influence style.

In addition, we’ll take a closer look at the English wine scene and why we are able to produce what are now considered some of the best sparkling wines in the world.

A delicious Retreat lunch will follow, after which we will enjoy a tour of the fantastic local vineyard, Winding Wood... with plenty of opportunities to sample the produce.

£150

£140 for members

Beautiful vocals, perfect guitar and the occasional burst of funky flute make for a unique take on classic songs.

Join us in the Atlas Room from 5:30pm.

There’s no need to book, but if you would like to stay for dinner please book your table in advance.

A programme of yoga, meditation, healthy food and more awaits, with a 20% discount on accommodation for guests who would like to stay with us during the retreat, for the full, immersive experience.

The retreat starts at 11am on Wednesday 26th April and finishes at midday on Thursday 27th April.

This 24-hour midweek retreat, led by our yoga instructor Zoe Warren over two days, is designed to be a short but deliciously sweet reset button, taking a pause from a busy life and committing to better health and well-being.

Zoe has led yoga classes in London and Hampshire for over 15 years with an individual free flowing style of movement that helps people reconnect to themselves, finding more physical and emotional release, balance and joy. 

The retreat includes three yoga / mindful movement classes with Zoe, an evening sound bath meditation, a walk in the beautiful local countryside, and healthy meals and snacks specially created by The Retreat's chefs.

The cost of the Peachy Retreat is £200 per guest and includes all of the above, which takes place over two days, though it does not include accommodation. 

Should you also choose to stay with us during the retreat, to enjoy the full immersive experience, we have a range of room options and are pleased to offer a 20% discount on accommodation, which you can book at the same time as booking the retreat.  Hotel residents also enjoy full use of the spa.

To book, click below or call 01635 800520.

Zoe's Website >>

‘Break out of your ‘Chardonnay and Sauvignon’ comfort zone with a vinous tour of our new wine list. Wines from Greece, Patagonia, California, and Austria are just the start… A perfect opportunity to taste a diverse and delicious range of wines with nibbles from the kitchen to compliment.’

£15

Complimentary for Members

Pop in and browse Routes Interiors gorgeous collection of earth-born, handwoven home textiles journeying all the way from Mexico.

Lovingly made by the dedicated hands of artisan partners who create pieces rooted in natural materials and old age tradition.

Inspired by the rich, colourful and intricately crafted Mayan textiles, the collection of cushions, tabletop textiles and throws works in alignment with mother earth and nurtures a deeper sense of connection between customers and the products we surround ourselves with in the home.

From 9am till early evening - pop in for a coffee and a browse.

You are warmly invited to an evening of Restorative Yoga and Sound Healing with senior yoga teacher Maura Barber-Oosterhuis and holistic health coach Laura Penneycard.

This evening will include gentle yoga, use of essential oils, (self) massage and hands on guidance and adjustments, all underscored with the vibrational sounds of Tibetan singing bowls, followed by a healing sound bath.

£30 | £25 for members

Join us for a 3-course supper and conversation with Nicola Chester about her writing career, including her book "On Gallows Down", documenting Newbury's history of protests and social activism. 

A copy of "On Gallows Down" is included, which Nicola will be happy to sign for you. 

Menu >>

Prices - Come as a Couple and Save £15

Couple's Price (one book included)

2 courses £75 or 3 courses £85

Per Person

2 courses £45 or 3 courses £50

Members receive £5 discount per guest

Booking

To book, please call our Reservations Team on 01635 800520 or email reservations@retreatelcopark.com

This event is organised with the support of our friends at Hungerford Bookshop.

On Gallows Down

From the girl catching the eye of the “peace women” of Greenham Common to the young woman protesting the loss of ancient and beloved trees, and as a mother raising a family in a farm cottage in the shadow of grand, country estates, this is the story of how Nicola Chester came to write – as a means of protest. The story of how she discovered the rich seam of resistance that runs through her village of Newbury and its people – from the English Civil War to the Swing Riots and the battle against the Newbury Bypass. And the story of the hope she finds in the rewilding of Greenham Common after the military left, the stories told by the landscapes of Watership Down, the gallows perched high on Inkpen Beacon and Highclere Castle (the setting of Downtown Abbey).

Nature is indelibly linked to belonging for Nicola. She charts her story, raising her children in the chalk hills of the North Wessex Downs, though the song of the nightingale and the red kites, fieldfares, skylarks, and lapwings that surround her; the badger cubs she watches at night; the velvety mole she discovers in her garden, and the cuckoo, whose return she awaits. On Gallows Down tells how Nicola came to realize that it is she who can decide where she belongs and how, for home is a place in nature and imagination, which must be protected through words and actions.

‘We are writing for our very lives and for those wild lives we share this one, lonely planet with.’

A wonderful set of blues, country and Americana. Liza’s beautiful amber voice will leave you spellbound.

Join us in the Atlas Room from 5:30pm.

There’s no need to book, but if you would like to stay for dinner please book your table in advance.

The ever-popular Dan Pryde returns to The Retreat with an acoustic set of covers and originals.

Join us in the Atlas Room from 5:30pm.

There’s no need to book, but if you would like to stay for dinner please book your table in advance.

Celebrate the coronation of King Charles III with a quintessentially English afternoon tea, in the company of the wonderful violin and cello duo Astri Strings.

£40 per guest | £50 with a glass of Bollinger

To book, please call 01635 800520 or email reservations@retreatelcotpark.com

Browse beautiful, unique clothing where British design meets stunning block prints from Rajasthan to create colourful jackets, dresses, jumpsuits, shirts and children's clothing. Shibori London will be launching their brand new range of unisex shirts and lambswool gilets at this event.

From 9am till early evening - just pop in. 

Why not stay for lunch?

Superb local guitarist Mike Edwards returns to The Retreat with his unique arrangements of well-loved songs.

Join us in the Atlas Room from 5:30pm.

There’s no need to book, but if you would like to stay for dinner please book your table in advance.

A fabulous weekend for budding authors, with tutor Peter Govey and a guest talk from award-winning author Claire Fuller.

The weekend starts with a hosted dinner on the Friday night so you can get to know your fellow writers (maximum 12), followed by two days creative writing, and a talk from acclaimed author Claire Fuller.  Lunch is included on the Saturday.

Unwind with Writing!

If you, like so many of us these days, are finding the pressures of modern life increasingly intrusive, this course is designed to help!

And if you have ever tried to clear your mind by writing so much as a to-do list, you have already taken the first step in your journey of writing to unwind.

Using a plethora of accessible and stimulating creative writing ideas, our aim will be to provide you with a way of fighting stress with creativity and enjoyment and to provide exercises and  tools to enhance and develop your creative writing skills.

And while we can’t turn you into a best-selling author overnight–only you can do that–we can help you build a bridge between brain and biro to set your imagination free!

Absolutely no previous experience is needed–only a willingness to open your mind, and an eagerness to write.

What's Included

A Three course supper on the Friday evening hosted by course leader Peter Govey. View the menu here.

Working buffet lunch on Saturday

A full day and a half of creative writing workshops with extra time on Sunday if required 

Guest talk from author Claire Fuller on the Saturday afternoon

The cost of the Creative Writing Weekend, including everything above, is £150 per guest.

To book, please call our reservations team on 01635 800520, or email reservations@retreatelcotpark.com.

Would you like to stay for the weekend too?

If you would like to stay with us for the weekend - on the Friday, Saturday or both nights - we are delighted to offer a 10% discount on any of our rooms. When you call to book the weekend, our reservations team will guide you through the options, or you can browse our rooms here.

Pop into The Courtyard and browse the local sellers, with artisan foods, fabulous gifts, unique homewares and more...

Why not stay for one of our amazing Sunday roasts?

The popular local duo return to The Retreat with their chilled covers of  classic songs from the 60s to the 90s.

Join us in the Atlas Room from 5:30pm.

There’s no need to book, but if you would like to stay for dinner please book your table in advance.

From Provence to the Languedoc, coastal Spain and the Greek Islands, come and taste a selection of wines influenced by sun, sea, and good living - the distinct character of the Med!

Includes canapes. Limited places, please book early to avoid disappointment.

£20 | £10 for members

Cleo was an aide to Boris Johnson during the pandemic and has worked in political campaigning for many years - from Obama's re-election to two UK general elections.  She has had a front row seat, and occasionally a seat at the table, for some of the most decisive moments in recent British history. 

Her first novel - Whips - has been described as "House of Cards meets 50 Shades of Grey". The story is set in Westminster in the 2020s, where the business of governing is the last thing on the agenda for anyone worth their salt. In the SW1 bubble, politics moves fast, schemes are hatched and foiled - through both accident and conspiracy - within hours, and sex and power preside.

"An Evening with Cleo Watson" includes talks by Cleo, a delicious two-course dinner and a complimentary copy of the book, which Cleo will happily sign for you. 

Menu >>

Prices - Come as a Couple and Save £15

Couple's Price (one book included)

2 courses £75 or 3 courses £85

Per Person

2 courses £45 or 3 courses £50

Members receive £5 discount per guest

Booking

To book, please call our Reservations Team on 01635 800520 or email reservations@retreatelcopark.com

This event is organised with the support of our friends at Hungerford Bookshop.

About the Book

Cleo Watson takes readers behind the doors of Number 10 and delivers a gripping tale of modern government, filled with intrigue and scandal and written with insight and verve.

Westminster in the 2020s, where the business of governing is the last thing on the agenda for anyone worth their salt. In the SW1 bubble, politics moves fast, schemes are hatched and foiled - through both accident and conspiracy - within hours, and sex and power preside.

When Bobby Cliveden decides to campaign against the closure of her local mental health unit, she scarcely thought it would take her straight to the heart of the UK's bustling political centre.

She heads to London to work for her local MP, the ambitious Simon Daly, and moves in with her two old university friends, Jess, a new lobby journalist, and Eva, a junior Downing Street adviser. The three of them quickly become wrapped up in the political circus of glamorous parties, insufferable bosses and demanding workloads - and the desire to win. Beneath the headline grabbing battle of a male-dominated leadership contest, they discover the secret, soft-skilled machinery behind so much political change at the very highest level of government: women.

Riotous and all too believable, Whips is a timely satire on politics and Party people. Watson takes us behind the doors of Number 10 and delivers a gripping tale of modern government, filled with intrigue and scandal and written with insight and verve. Whips delivers on every promise.