Set in the stunning Montpellier district of Cheltenham lays No.131 – a refurbished Georgian townhouse that has had no detail left unturned. The attention poured into paying tribute to the history of the town has bought a classic flair to a contemporary vision, while holding onto the essence of an 18th century building.
Location
For what can only be referred to as a home away from home, No.131 finds themselves at the beating heart of the Cotswolds, making this an excellent base for day trips to chocolate-box quintessentially British villages, not to mention exploring the character Cheltenham has to offer… and let me tell you, this comes in abundance. If you’re like me and have only ever associated Cheltenham with royalty and races, then you will be unaware that this decadent dream of a town is so much more.
Upon my arrival to No.131, I was in awe of how beautiful the scenery was. From a quick glance, I could’ve been on the set of a period movie – only in my Downton Abbey Dreams! First impressions are everything, and it’s safe to say I was left truly speechless at how effortless everything appeared. Not only was this a beautifully preserved Georgian House perched on a historic promenade, it was its own self-sufficient mini town, where day-to-night plans could blur into one. It is a 5-10-minute walk into the main part of town, where you will find every shop you could ever want right at the tips of your fingers.
My Room
36 bedrooms are available in three categories: Good, Very Good, and Excellent. I was lucky enough to experience the latter category. Greeted on arrival with a warm welcome and guided tour of the hotel and grounds, I was taken aback by how much thought and detail had gone into the décor and overall aesthetic. As opposed to every room and hallway blurring into one, each distinct area of the hotel had its own specific scent; for example, the lounge area smelt like cedar wood with lime and basil, whilst the staircase up to each section of rooms had a separate scent that was completely magnetising.
The room I was fortunate to reside in for the evening was staggering. Huge, Egyptian-cotton covered beds with mountains of pillows adorning the evident Queen-sized bed. Little stairs led down to a beautiful bathroom that housed two Victorian his and hers sinks, an oversized roll-top bath with an assortment of luxury bathing products that one could never use all up in one night, and a separate walk-in shower room, alongside a separate toilet room. It was safe to say; the bathing options were endless.
Dinner at YOKU
The hotel boasts the much-anticipated signature dining addition to No.131 – YOKU. This Tokyo-vogue Japanese Sushi and Asian dining experience with resplendent Bar Tokyo cocktail bar is sheer seduction to any food and cocktail connoisseur. The inspiration for YOKU was born from its translation from the Japanese desire to do well, with both kindness and care. The dining experience itself is a carefully crafted experience that ensures your mouth is left watering. The cuisine on offer was the embodiment of centuries old traditions of the Japanese Shun and Omakase principles, where presentation is everything. As a hard-core vegetarian, I was guided through the menu with such care and opted for the Vegan taster menu, which allowed me to still have a taste of the tradition without missing out on the other treasures the menu had.
First of all, a moment for the décors is needed. As I entered YOKU, I immediately felt as if I was no longer in Cheltenham, but instead, I had been transported to the decedent soothing scenes of Japan. Adorning the room itself, soft colours of earthen walls, paper screens, bamboo and lightly decorated wooden finishes filled the room with character. The lighting was gentle too – wholesome yet utterly charming. The overall effect once seated is nothing other than peaceful.
The ‘taste it all’ vegan menu experience was crafted to be shared, so with that in mind, the portion sizes were just perfect. Comprised of 9 dishes, of which you could alter portion sizes from small to main, I was glad that half the decision making had been taken out of my hands or else I would have been there all evening trying to make up my mind. A few particular highlights of the menu consisted of the Kimchi Yakimeshi, a Kimchi fried rice mixed with traditional Asian vegetables, edamame and corn. A second, the vegetable Chuka Yakisoba, a classic Chinese style wok noodles. And of course, it would be rude of me to not try my most favoured part of any Asian style cuisine, the Vegetable Gyoza.
Whether you prefer a cold beverage to warm up the palate or you’re looking for a cosy place to end the night, Bar Tokyo welcomes you into a cocktail infused world you never knew existed. The levels of sophistication to each drink excelled my expectations, with unknown scents and flavours lingering in the air, I could not help but hide my excitement – what new discoveries was I about to be exposed to?
From cocktails to the cuisine itself, there was no taste bud left unturned. If you are lucky enough to stay the evening, make this your first pit-stop of the evening, and maybe the last for a little night cap.
In a nutshell
Although my stay at No.131 was short, I was impressed by the quality of both the service, on-site facilities and overall room quality – it truly offers the best quintessentially British hospitality money can buy.
I arrived slightly burnt out, with my hectic London life very much taking its toll on me. I left feeling completely rejuvenated, having had the most luxurious night sleep, and tested the quality of the bathtub a few more times than I’d like to admit. Overall, I learnt that Cheltenham is home to some of the most beautifully British architecture and vibrant history a staycation such as this has to offer. No.131 – it was a complete pleasure.
To discover more, visit no131.com
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All imagery courtesy of No. 131 Hotel.