The perfect holiday getaway
This beautiful Townhouse hotel is one of our favourite Roseate hotels and for good reason. It has superb attention to detail and ensures a bespoke, luxurious experience for their guests. At Christmas this is only heightened and taken to the next level with vibrate Christmas trees, tasteful decorations and a delicious festive afternoon tea.
The hotel can be found in a bustling and lively hub of retail shops, restaurants, bars and coffee shops, only a short walk from Reading town centre and nestled in the gorgeous Forbury Gardens. The building is steeped in history and fronted by two majestic pillars either side of the red carpet welcome which leads you through to the reception area.
I don’t know about you, but I love going to a luxury hotel during the festive period. Once inside Roseate Reading you are transported to a winter wonderland where you’ll find towering Christmas trees tastefully decorated and fronted by plenty of wrapped presents (sadly only decorations and not for guests). A gorgeous fireplace covered in garlands and a mass of baubles in every direction. It certainly sets the scene for things to come…
What you need to know about Reading Roseate
Originally the Shire Hall for the Berkshire County Council, it’s now the perfect base for those who want to explore the town, experience a luxury getaway or even get married. Located directly in front of the hotel is the handsome Forbury Garden Lion which is well worth a visit. Inside you’ll find that the hotel is combined with beautiful decor, friendly staff, a private cinema, delicious food in The Reading Room restaurant, spa treatments at Aheli, and stunning vaulted ceilings.
This was our second stay at Roseate Reading but our first time as a family with our 7 month old daughter which I feel added to the magic feel of the Christmas setting within its walls. The staff, as always, were superb and very accommodating with our new family addition and made sure that we had everything we could possibly need. If you are thinking of visiting and staying in Reading, Berkshire, then I would highly recommend booking a few nights staycation at The Roseate Reading Hotel.
The House Premium Suite
On our first stay we experienced the lovely Roseate Executive Suite which is perfect for couples, but this time we needed something that was more practical for a family of three. The House Premium Suite was the best solution as it’s extremely spacious, and comes with a large bedroom equipped with a king size bed, a marble bath, walk-in shower, French balcony, fully equipped kitchen and living/dining area.
The bespoke design & aesthetic of The House Premium Suite was conceived at Studio Organon, an inter disciplinary architectural design studio in India which featured in the Architectural Digest top 100. When you walk into the suite it really has that wow factor that makes you want to stay even longer. Roseate had kindly provided a baby cot for us and we quickly settled in to our room for the weekend.
One of my favourite parts was the luxurious bath & shower which feature classic fittings & accessories by Lefroy Brooks, which showcase elements of the Edwardian era through to the modern day. Provided are fluffy towels, free Penhaligon’s toiletries, robes, slippers, hair dryer, ironing board and iron. Further into the suite you’ll find very stylish and contemporary furniture which is handcrafted in Sussex by Conran and John Tannous.
This is the perfect place to sit and relax after a long day of exploring Reading town centre or just taking in the views from the French balcony. A really nice touch is the oak wood flooring which makes your stay an absolute delight.
Also included is a flatscreen TV, free Wi-Fi, microwave, tea and coffee making facilities, large fridge and freezer, sofas, dining table and chairs, cutlery, electric hob, electric fireplace, bottled water, comfy bedding, safe, and telephone.
When you stay in this suite, the Roseate Reading really takes you to a whole new level of luxury and it’s perfect for families. To view all their other rooms click here.
What’s There to do at the Hotel?
Enjoy a Festive Afternoon Tea (seasonal)
In the absolute hidden gem that is The Reading Room you’ll find the most delicious Festive afternoon Tea where you can enjoy a delectable range of sandwiches prepared with bread from their own bakery, fresh scones served with traditional clotted cream and homemade jams or a selection of festive sweet treats and savouries served with the finest blends of first-flush teas from around the world, topped off with a glass of Moet & Chandon Champagne.
Some of my personal favourites were turkey and cranberry on onion bread sandwiches, Christmas plum and rum fruitcake, strawberry mousse Santa hat and the cranberry scones.
You can find the Festive Afternoon Tea menu here. Prices vary, starting at £35 per person.
Check out their festive lounge area
Located at the front of the hotel next to the reception you’ll find a cosy and comfortable living room type area where you can rest your feet, relax and enjoy the vibrant Christmas atmosphere next to their elegant fireplace. With stunningly decorated trees and decor you will be sure to feel in the festive mood after soaking up this experience.
Treat yourself to a massage
If you are looking for relaxation, pampering and detox then you have come to the right place.
The Aheli Spa which means ‘pure’ in Hebrew, offers wellness, and a bespoke menu of treatments. Signature services at the spa are designed to detox, cleanse, nourish, nurture, heal and rejuvenate. These include body rituals, scrubs, wraps, facials and skin.
Find out more about their treatments here.
Stay in shape at their gym
Looking to stay in shape after having enjoyed the delicious Festive Afternoon Tea? Roseate Reading have got you covered with their state of the art gym located next to the Aheli Spa. Here you will find, weights, treadmills, exercise bikes, yoga mats, a rowing machine, and plenty of free refreshing cold water.
Watch a film at the private cinema
Hidden away off their main corridor you may stumble across this impressive cinema, complete with large screen, projector, and plenty of seating. This is the perfect place for settling back and watching films or presenting a work event.
Enjoy a delicious meal at The Reading Room restaurant
We are both originally from Reading and have grown up with the various restaurants and pubs it has to offer. However, it’s safe to say that The Reading Room Restaurant & Bar is a superb hidden gem which more people need to experience. The food is extremely delicious, and the menu offers a fantastic variety of dishes.
The restaurant itself offers stylish and contemporary décor with warm mood lighting and excellent service with friendly and extremely helpful staff looking after your every need. With its sophisticated atmosphere and superb modern European cuisine prepared using the best local ingredients, sourced by The Roseate Reading’s award winning chefs, the seasonal a-la-carte menu ensures guests have a flavour-filled dining experience.
The Secret Garden experience
While not as secret as the Roseate House’s secret garden, (as you have to pass through it from the car park and it can be clearly seen from the restaurant), it’s still a unique place to visit. This is an ideal place to unwind by the waterfall feature and be looked after under the shade of a pomegranate tree whilst enjoying a delicious cup of tea, cold beer or a flavoursome cocktail.
Indulge in a great breakfast
During our two night stay we had breakfast included which is located at The Reading Room and offers a vibrant setting to begin your day in the best possible way.
Here, you can start the day with a well-balanced and nutritious breakfast. I opted for the quintessential Full English breakfast which came with sausages, eggs cooked how you like them (poached for me), smoked bacon, grilled tomato, mushroom, black pudding and beans. I also had a delicious latte, fresh fruit, dried mango and some brown toast.
Find out more about their breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea dinner menus here.
How to find the hotel
It’s in a great central location and you can easily reach the hotel by foot from Reading train station which will take roughly ten minutes or a few minutes by taxi.
Driving? They have a very limited car park at the hotel and unfortunately you cannot reserve any spaces – parking is on a first-come, first-served basis. If you do find a space in the car park, make sure you give your full registration number to reception at time of check in. The postcode for the car park is RG1 3BE.
Address: The Roseate Reading, 26 The Forbury, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 3EJ
Contact: +44 (0) 118 952 7770
More details here
How much does it cost?
The prices will vary depending on what time of year you stay – to check out the pricing click here.
We stayed in November 2023 in the House Premium Suite with breakfast.
Anything extra?
- Wi-Fi is available in all areas and is free of charge
- Plenty of space to relax in
- Luggage storage
- Secure front doors and rooms
- Close proximity to restaurants, shops and train station
Summary of our stay
This hotel is a great place to stay due to its location, and the perfect place to stay while in Reading and for a fantastic Christmas experience. I am so glad that we chose to stay here for a couple nights – it’s a unique place with everything you could need.
Experience unparalleled privacy and relaxation at the Roseate Reading, where tranquility meets impeccable guest service and luxurious facilities that include luxury dining, spa treatments and secret garden.
The suite we stayed in was fantastic. We had a super comfortable night sleep and really enjoyed watching the sun rise from our French balcony overlooking the town centre. The location was my favourite feature as it was super central and easy to get around from there. The staff are also so friendly; they can honestly not do enough for you to make your stay that little bit more comfortable than what it already is.
If you are heading to Reading and you want to have a great luxurious experience, then I would highly recommend Roseate Reading.
***Thank you to Roseate Reading for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.
