Dolly Alderton wrote a piece last September for The Sunday Times on her 58 rules for life; knowledge she’d amassed from four years as Style’s agony aunt – and being the best friend every girl wishes she had.
Among advice on flossing, savouring the good times and solo pub trips was one tidbit that really stuck with me.
“You always need less rest than you think you do to completely recover. When you’re burnt out, it feels like the only thing that will fix it is retiring, moving to New Zealand and turning off your phone for a year. Really, you need nine hours’ sleep and a weekend with no plans.”
Not only do I staunchly agree, but having experienced Wildhive’s 24-hour reset package I’d argue that even less time is required to feel like yourself again. And I would also add rule 59 to the list of wisdom that the best meals can be relative – but more on that later.
Their website claims that if you leave London around midday, you can be sipping on a glass of fizz in the midst of the Derbyshire Dales by 3pm. My shoddy understanding of geography, UK or otherwise, was immediately brought to light as I imagined the journey from the Big Smoke to the East Midlands would take a fair bit longer. Nope, you can get a train from King’s Cross in a swift 90 minutes; the same time it can take to shlep from one end of London to the other.
Once I’d arrived at Callow Hall, I immediately popped on a luxurious white robe and ran a bath in the freestanding tub located at the end of a ludicrously comfy bed. Looking out onto the green, foggy landscape with wintry wind and rain beating on the window felt so utterly idyllic I felt as though I’d fallen into a Jane Austen novel, except I had a glass of Pol Roger in hand and had angled the flat screen TV just right to be visible while submerged.
If that hadn’t been relaxing enough it was time for me to hop in a buggy to the Coach House for a spa treatment. You can pick from massages, facials and treatments as a part of the reset package and I opted for a pedi – immaculately done and it ended up lasting a solid six weeks.
In addition to all the pampering, the stay includes dinner, breakfast and lunch before departure – all from their beautiful Garden Room. A huge, greenhouse-like space complete with lush living roof. It felt almost sinfully cosy to have Storm Darragh hammer on the floor-to-ceiling windows while sat at a candlelit table sipping on an expertly made margarita.
And the food, well it’s really nice – for the most part. A Welsh wagyu burger is tasty and well seasoned, just a little unwieldy with slabs of tomato and rings of red onion. I fear I’ve become a little spoilt with London’s many smashburger offerings; this one still hits the spot, while the truffle and parmesan fries to accompany it are quite frankly sublime. My guest’s pan-fried hake with oyster beignets sounds promising but the flavours were a bit off – but the Scottish king scallops with sausage and carrot puree were beautifully cooked and fabulous.
Breakfast and lunch were more consistent with a warming, hearty fish hotpot and a pot-roasted chicken with liquorice braised garden leeks and a glossy sherry butter sauce – wafer thin, crisp skin encases a juicy breast, reminding me why there’s nothing quite like a perfectly done roast chicken.
In another setting, I might have been a tiny bit more underwhelmed by the food, but this isn’t just another setting. It’s a beautiful place with the sole purpose of relaxing and restoring you from the stresses of everyday life – everything tastes better when you feel good.
Speaking to one of Wildhive’s founders, Ed Burrows, it’s not just about resetting from burnout, but about connecting, too, whether that’s a family coming to spend some time together, a couple having a romantic escape or working on that all-important relationship with yourself.
As well as 15 stylish rooms in the hall itself, there are two treehouses for families and 11 hives for couples that offer secluded woodland escapes. Think cabins, copper baths and wine on private balconies.
And their package? Well, it definitely works. We left Callow Hall feeling zen, happy and content – ready to take on the intensity of city life with a refreshed outlook and new perspective. It lasted all of 24 hours thanks to the worst hangover ever courtesy of my 28th birthday – but for that, I have no one to blame but myself.
Wildhive Callow Hall, Mappleton Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2AA | 01335 300900 | callowhall@wildhive.uk | wildhive.uk
