Woolley Grange, Wiltshire: A Family-Friendly Review
A UK country house hotel that makes a stay with (very tiny) children relaxing? Doesn’t really exist does it? Well, actually it most definitely does. Woolley Grange in Wiltshire is the kind of rare place that manages to take care of little ones and their (often frazzled) parents equally well. Maybe it’s the outstanding crèche and kids’ club that welcomes babies from just three months (hello afternoon nap for tried mums and dads) or the mega family-friendly rooms and restaurants. Or maybe it’s the spa with its lush treatments and sunken hot tubs from which to enjoy a cocktail. You know what – it’s all of this and that extra little bit of holiday magic that appears when great staff, excellent facilities and a beautiful (and accessible) location all serendipitously combine
Here, mum-of-two Becky Lucas shares the lowdown on her visit and why Woolley Grange is the staycation spot to have on your radar
Words by Becky Lucas
Published: 30th April 2026
Your most asked questions, answered
What is Woolley Grange, and what is all the hype about?
As with the whole Luxury Family Hotel group (the much-loved hotel clan is up to five now, with locations from Fowey Hall in Cornwall to New Park Manor in the New Forest), Jacobean manor Woolley Grange is family-first in every way, driven by the needs and wants of children, parents and multi-gen groups. From small touches such as the kids’ names appearing on place cards on your breakfast table and above their coat hooks in the Ofsted-registered Bear’s Den club (oh – and two hours of childcare per night booked), to special baby and toddler packages and extra activities during the school holidays, it’s like a caring relative, coming up with increasingly thoughtful ways to make you and your crew, however rambunctious, feel as at home as possible. And it’s only getting better at it: in late 2025 it reopened after a ‘new but nostalgic’ refresh of all rooms and shared spaces
Who is it for?
Every generation will enjoy it here – we saw a lovely big birthday being celebrated by one grandparent in a private dining room, and stayed with our mother-in-law/grandma too (she had her own Cosy Room to retire to)
It’s one of the ultimate UK stays around for those with newborns and young babes, even offering a very tailored ‘Babies First Break’ package with the likes of a monitor, Bbhugme nursing pillow and Bugaboo cot, as well as ‘memory-making activities’ such as creating footprint keep-safes, free food for those under two – and that daily two-hour childcare in the Den (for three months+)
Toddlers and kids will love the daily screenings in the cinema room plus homemade cookies and popcorn, and tweens and teens will get into it in the Hen House games room and enjoy the indoor and (new, heated) outdoor pools and even junior facials
What's included for families?
The Kids’ Club is available from age three months to eight years-old: on a first-come, first-served two-hour session per child is included per day, either from 9.30am-11:30am or 2.30pm-4:30pm and must be booked in advance
Alternatively, babysitting sessions (£25 per hour for a minimum of two hours) can be booked via the Den between 5pm and midnight, or video monitors borrowed from reception should you wish to leave your child sleeping in your room while you eat downstairs
The hotel have thought of everything parents could need. You’ll find:
Cots
Changing mats
Nappy bins, potties & toilet seats
Night lights
Prams & buggies
Bottle warmers & baby bathtubs
Baby monitors
Yoto player and nightlight
Toys, books, and a cupboard full of board games
What's the dining set up?
There are three spaces to dine:
The Orangery which is laidback and great for all ages. There’s a great kids menu, plenty of highchairs and lovely child-friendly afternoon tea served in here too
The Dining Room which is for grown-ups. The ideal spot when you’ve booked one of the hotel’s babysitters
The Lounge which is both kid and dog-friendly
Where is Woolley Grange?
A 20-minute or so drive from Bath and just five minutes’ from the sweet market town Bradford-on-Avon (or a half hour walk), Woolley’s location in the scenic Wiltshire countryside is one of its major lures
The 14-acre grounds include plenty of space for exploring and burning off energy, such as a playground with zipwire and (adult-safe!) trampoline and tree swing, fairy and woolley sheep trails, walled garden, vegetable patch – even chickens, ducks and rabbits. Easiest to visit with a car, it is possible to arrange transfers from airports including Bristol (nearest) and Heathrow, and the hotel will help to book a taxi from Bradford-on-Avon train station, 10 minutes’ away
When is best to visit?
Spring and summer are delightful with all those green grounds to rampage through, though winter and autumn visits are snug too, huddled around the woodburners, or listening to the owls hoot from bed. Honestly, it’s always a good time to visit this amazing place
Rooms & Suites
Awesome accommodation – for everyone
We stayed in the 85-square-metre Hayloft Suite in the old Coach House, which is like a first-floor apartment all to yourselves, conveniently positioned immediately next to the Den and near the spa, with just a five-second walk/toddle to the main building for breakfast, dinner, drinks and movie screenings. The main bed is big enough for all of you to pile in, and the twin is far enough away for you to feel some reprieve (roaming toddlers should watch out for steep stairs in-between, though a stairgate is available if required)
There’s also a rolltop bath and standalone shower (with lush Elemis products), large lounge space to play and relax in with a bounce-friendly L-shaped soft sofa, low wooden table and higher, round one for boardgames and dining (plus fridge stocked with drinks, kettle, biscuits and desk) – and (obviously!) a giant lamp, “carrot” cushion/seat and your own cute Woolley sheep toy
The hotel has a range of other interconnecting rooms available and pretty much everything you can think of when it comes to baby and child needs, from cots and sterilisers to potties, Bugaboo pushchairs, Yoto storyboxes and plastic cups, bibs and cutlery
Decor, following the recent refurb by StudioJill, is calmingly rustic, but also modern and luxurious, with tactile fabrics, a wholesome, natural colour palette and just the right amount of charismatic additions throughout (we loved the Woolley Grange Bathtime painting and ‘notes’ in the Hayloft)
Childcare & Kid's Entertainment
Kids’ Club done right
The Ofsted-registered Bear’s Den is one of the few kids’ clubs our two have happily run into. It’s just so welcoming and such a pleasant space to be in, particularly since the recent revamp. The airy, spacious, high-ceilinged indoor space has room for a nap area, a table for craft, home or reading zones and occasional baking, and toys are eco-friendly wooden
Babies aged three months up to eight years are welcomed into the daily two-hour sessions included per night’s stay on a first-sign-up basis (so ideally do it before you arrive), and run from either 9.30am-11:30am or 2.30pm-4:30pm. The staff seem caring and encouraging, adding little touches such as the aforementioned peg name tags to make everyone feel welcome
Alternatively, babysitting sessions (£25 per hour for a minimum of two hours) can be booked via the Den between 5pm and midnight, or video monitors borrowed from reception should you wish to leave your child sleeping in your room while you eat downstairs
There are plenty of activities around the resort where parents can get involved with their kids too. These change regularly and include things like mocktail-making, gardening and cooking, while the mud kitchen and playhouses by the rabbit and chicken houses are always open. There’s croquet, football and table tennis to be played on the lawns, plus toys and books handily available throughout the social spaces
The Hen House games room, with its pool table, Playstation was clearly a hit with older kids who could hang out there, while the Baby and Toddler Sensory Room was the perfect place for tinies. Both are accessible with a key from the reception, with no booking required
Both pools are open to children anytime besides 10am-11.30am each day (note, no shoes or buggies are allowed into the indoor changing rooms or by the indoor pool), with the new al-fresco pool (averaging 28°C) open from 1 May 2026
Wining & Dining
Great food and totally flexible dining
There are three spaces to dine – the laidback Orangery, dining room for grown-ups and another dog- (and kid-)friendly lounge. All share the same locally (often home-sourced) seasonal options, from a Shakshuka or grilled kippers for breakfast (alongside a very appetising spread of smoothies, fruit, homemade granola, muffins and pastries), to Somerset Brie and red onion quiche for lunch and excellent ribeye steak for dinner – try the current house cocktail too – plus plenty of veggie and a couple of vegan dishes, with the latter meal served from 5pm til 9pm. There’s also a top-notch afternoon tea for in-between and kids are most welcome to join in
What’s more, the children’s menu is, wonderfully, healthier than most, with sandwiches served with Pom-Bears or crudites (not chips!) and poached salmon fillet, peas and rice or chicken schnitzel on offer alongside vegetable katsu curry, all sorts of vegan purées and a range of desserts from fruit salads and sorbets to chocolate sundaes
The Bugaboo Giraffe highchairs, table games and colouring are also much appreciated, though what we loved most from a parents’ point of view was the flexibility of the team. As well as dodging hyper small ones between their legs while balancing feasts on their arms, they were perfectly happy to serve our meal by the fireside in the lounge so we could keep an eye on our two watching a film in the neighbouring cinema – and have our cooked breakfast tabletop in 10 the next morning so we could make our spa treatment. We also took our desserts and coffees to our room with no hassle on the first night after our journey there: all menus can be delivered to your door
Finally, stays include breakfast or you can opt for a half-board option with dinner too, and to stock up your mini fridge you can drive to the little Co-Op in nearby Bradford-on-Avon if you want to
What is there for adults?
Something for everyone
As well as adult-only swim times, we Zen’d out in the sauna and steam room, had a soothing Elemis facial in the spa which is peaceful and well designed
Our number one highlight though – which we repeatedly sunk into – was the new-for-2025 in-ground hot tub. With the steamy water and garden setting feeling particularly cosy and magical in early January. Plus there’s those extremely helpful and accommodating staff, and the rewarding house cocktail we had with our meal following our Friday afternoon drive over there
There’s plenty to do off site too. During our weekend we popped over to historic Bradford-on-Avon one morning and wandered the cobbled streets. We particularly enjoyed sizeable gallery and arts shop Handmade Bradford-on-Avon, set beneath the Vaults and proudly selling works by a local collective, and the cafés and charity shops along the Shambles (away from the steadily busy road that runs through the town – we recommend ducking into The Bolthole for a babyccino)
Then beautiful Bath is always a must for a walk around the iconic Royal Crescent or dip in the eponymous ancient waters
Our verdict
Just as its name suggests, Woolley Grange is a blend of snug, family-focussed comforts and service and age-old, authentic historic roots. It’s also extremely current in its outlook, offering all the latest toys, tools and tech. It’s one of those rare places where every member of your group, no matter their age, is catered for and made to feel relaxed enough to truly enjoy themselves. Then there’s the location, in one of the most idyllic parts of the UK – and the excellent food and drink – lets definitely not forget those. Top that off with the sunken hot tub and frankly what more could you ask for? We loved it!
Themes: The Best Family-Friendly Hotels in the UK with Kids’ Clubs; The UK Family-Friendly Edit
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