The FAM trips Be-Gin at Oakley Hall Hotel and Bombay Sapphire Distillery
Last month, Emma and I were invited by Hotel Republic, a hotel sales and marketing representative, on what was our first FAM trip of the year to the wonderful Oakley Hall Hotel and Bombay Sapphire Distillery in Hampshire.
We were excited to return to Oakley Hall for the first time since its VIP re-launch with Richard E Grant back in 2014. A £4 million restoration has returned this 18th Century Georgian manor house to its former glory. Over the years, the hall has been used as a boarding school and wedding and events venue, but today this upscale hotel, located just 5 miles from the M3 motorway and set in 315 acres of gorgeous, landscaped grounds, is a popular event space.
On arrival, we headed to the very elegant Garden Room to meet up with the other agents, representatives from Hotel Republic and the sales team from the Oakley Hall Hotel. Also present were representatives from the Grand Luxor Hotel and PortAventura, both superb conference venues in Spain represented by Hotel Republic.
We were split into groups for a whistle-stop tour. There’s 50 stylish bedrooms, including two four poster-suites and six executive bedrooms, all with stunning views of the gardens, oversized baths and crisp Egyptian cotton linens. There’s also a three-bed gingerbread-style Garden Cottage tucked away in the grounds that’s ideal for groups of up to six, with a luxurious sitting room and kitchen, beautiful views in every direction, plus private patio.
There’s no shortage of meetings and events spaces either to accommodate a variety of size and styles. The largest and newest of these is the Garden Pavilion, built in 2018, and able to host up to 400 delegates theatre style. The hotel’s extensive grounds are also ideal for corporate hospitality and team building events and have hosted a variety of activities, from clay pigeon shooting and archery to human duck herding, motorised sports and giant inflatable assault courses!
Converted in 2020, The Glasshouse Restaurant offers a wonderfully laid-back fine dining experience. A seated terrace provides beautiful views of the hotel grounds and gardens, whilst its field to fork philosophy and innovative menus have earned it two AA Rosettes.
After exploring what the Oakley Hall Hotel has to offer, we headed a 10-minute drive away to the world-famous Bombay Sapphire Distillery in Laverstoke Mill. Set astride the crystal-clear waters of the River Test, the Mill has a rich history dating back to the Domesday Book, has been owned by famous faces including William the Conqueror and Henry VIII and enjoyed four royal visits over the years. For over 225 years, the mill manufactured bank notes for the British empire. It’s gin-making journey began in 2010 when it was purchased by Bombay Sapphire and today, it’s a sustainable distillery producing every drop of the brand’s delicious gin.
There’s a variety of tours and experiences for groups, from day delegate packages and bespoke experiences to Gin Cocktail masterclasses. It’s also a unique venue for events, weddings, Christmas and private parties..
Being 4pm, it was most definitely gin-o’clock, so we headed to the Turbine Bar where we were invited to make our own gin & tonic using the self-serve gin machines. Drink in hand, we ventured on to the cinema room to be immersed in all things Bombay Sapphire in preparation for our fully guided Discovery tour. We explored the intertwining Glasshouses, a real highlight for me, learning more about the ten exotic botanicals infused in every drop of Bombay Sapphire gin. These iconic glass structures, which rise up out of the River Test, make an excellent space for cocktail receptions and atmospheric private dining experiences.
Converted in 2020, The Glasshouse Restaurant offers a wonderfully laid-back fine dining experience. A seated terrace provides beautiful views of the hotel grounds and gardens, whilst its field to fork philosophy and innovative menus have earned it two AA Rosettes.
After exploring what the Oakley Hall Hotel has to offer, we headed a 10-minute drive away to the world-famous Bombay Sapphire Distillery in Laverstoke Mill. Set astride the crystal-clear waters of the River Test, the Mill has a rich history dating back to the Domesday Book, has been owned by famous faces including William the Conqueror and Henry VIII and enjoyed four royal visits over the years. For over 225 years, the mill manufactured bank notes for the British empire. It’s gin-making journey began in 2010 when it was purchased by Bombay Sapphire and today, it’s a sustainable distillery producing every drop of the brand’s delicious gin.
There’s a variety of tours and experiences for groups, from day delegate packages and bespoke experiences to Gin Cocktail masterclasses. It’s also a unique venue for events, weddings, Christmas and private parties..
Being 4pm, it was most definitely gin-o’clock, so we headed to the Turbine Bar where we were invited to make our own gin & tonic using the self-serve gin machines. Drink in hand, we ventured on to the cinema room to be immersed in all things Bombay Sapphire in preparation for our fully guided Discovery tour. We explored the intertwining Glasshouses, a real highlight for me, learning more about the ten exotic botanicals infused in every drop of Bombay Sapphire gin. These iconic glass structures, which rise up out of the River Test, make an excellent space for cocktail receptions and atmospheric private dining experiences.
"After the tour, we had a fun-packed one-hour interactive cocktail mixology session to learn the tricks of the trade”
We were also shown the Botanical Dry Room, a real sensory experience to uncover our flavour preferences and find out what makes Bombay Sapphire gin so exquisite. After the tour, we had a fun-packed one-hour interactive cocktail mixology session to learn the tricks of the trade and we were given the chance to create two cocktails with the experts.
Fuelled with new knowledge (and gin) we headed back to Oakley Hall for dinner, a delicious three-course affair with trout to start, venison for main and a scrummy Tarte Tatin to finish. There was a quiz to test our general knowledge and although our table didn’t win, it was certainly a great icebreaker. After enjoying a nightcap, we headed to bed for a well-deserved rest.
The following morning, after breakfast in the Glasshouse Restaurant, we bade our goodbyes to the group and headed for home. Being back with our industry peers was just the best feeling after such a long time. Our thanks to Hotel Republic, Oakley Hall Hotel and Bombay Sapphire for their outstanding hospitality.
We’d love to tell you more about these fabulous venues, so please do get in touch.
Fuelled with new knowledge (and gin) we headed back to Oakley Hall for dinner, a delicious three-course affair with trout to start, venison for main and a scrummy Tarte Tatin to finish. There was a quiz to test our general knowledge and although our table didn’t win, it was certainly a great icebreaker. After enjoying a nightcap, we headed to bed for a well-deserved rest.
The following morning, after breakfast in the Glasshouse Restaurant, we bade our goodbyes to the group and headed for home. Being back with our industry peers was just the best feeling after such a long time. Our thanks to Hotel Republic, Oakley Hall Hotel and Bombay Sapphire for their outstanding hospitality.
We’d love to tell you more about these fabulous venues, so please do get in touch.