DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort

DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort – AD invited to review

disclosure:  we received a complimentary stay including a meal allowance in exchange for an honest review

Earlier this year we had a lovely weekend away planned, we were aiming to catch up with some relatives and explore a part of the country we didn’t know too well.  Then Coronavirus hit and all plans of trips away were cancelled.  We rescheduled the date twice and finally got to hit the M1 last weekend as we drove up to Lincolnshire to enjoy an overnight stay ay the DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort. We were definitely overdue for some family time together relaxing away from home.

DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort

The DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort is situated just of the M180 and is about 40 minutes north of Lincoln making it a perfect base for our weekend away.  The hotel offers a large, free car park and check-in is available from 3 pm.  There is an app that you can use to check-in online, which provides you with a digital key, but I couldn’t get the app to work properly so we opted for talking to reception instead.

As we are all living with the reality of Coronavirus at the moment it’s worth pointing out that hand sanitizer stations are available as you enter the hotel and around the dining area. There are screens up at the reception desks and at no point did we not feel safe during our stay.  You will, of course, need to wear a mask as you enter the hotel until you reach your room, and in all communal areas.  Masks should also be worn in the bar and restaurant areas until you are seated.

My son was rather happy that even in these strange times, complimentary hot cookies are still provided at check-in and we were also offered bottles of still or sparkling water to take to our room.

Hilton is now operating a CleanStay system, offering guests reassurance that every aspect of housekeeping around the hotel and individual rooms have been catered for.  Rooms are sealed once cleaning has taken place between guests, and a certain ten-year-old enjoyed breaking the seal as we entered our room.  It’s the little things these days that keep him happy!

CleanStay room seal

We were staying in a first floor Two Queen family Deluxe room and having his own ‘proper’ bed was a big hit for my son and it wasn’t long before he took ownership of his preferred bed.

DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort

The room was spacious and perfect for our overnight needs.  Our bathroom had a large double shower with a separate flexible shower head, perfect for younger children.

We found plenty of hanging and storage space, as well as sockets and charging points.  Everything was well catered for.  My only gripe and one I find pretty much every time we book a family room anywhere as a family of three is that only two of us are catered for with regards to refreshments. Two cups, two glasses (actually plastic cups due to COVID) and only tea and coffee on offer.  It would make so much difference if the third guest in the room was also catered for automatically without having to ask.

DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort

But that aside, we couldn’t fault our stay at DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort, especially in the rather strange times we find ourselves in right now.

I’d emailed ahead to book an early dinner slot for 6 pm in the restaurant as I knew after a long journey we would all be in need of a good meal and an early night.

DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort

Our package gave us a meal allowance which was adequate for the adults to have two courses and my son had the 3 course deal for £10, drinks are chargeable.  In the current climate, we were given a two-hour time slot for our dinner, but that was more than adequate for us anyway.

My son had fish bites as a starter, with pizza for main (no surprise there), garlic bread as a side dish, and ice cream for pudding.

He amazed us all by actually eating the rocket, he’s always refused any form of lettuce before, so that was quite a big breakthrough.  None of us were fussed with the garlic bread, it was dry and very garlicky, but other than that, he was a happy boy, which meant we could also relax and enjoy your meal choices.

My husband opted for the Chicken Milanese and I had the Roasted Duck Breast, served with a faro and kale salad, walnuts, cranberries, pistachios and almonds.  It was divine, and there were no complaints from the other half either.

For dessert, my husband had Apple Pie and as soon as I saw Sticky Toffee Pudding on the menu, there was only one choice for me.  Both were thoroughly enjoyable.

The hotel restaurant and bar areas were quite busy by the time we’d finished our meal, it’s definitely a popular choice for golfers.  But tables were well spaced out and it was easy to keep distanced from others as we made our way back to our room for the night.

We all slept soundly and headed down to breakfast at 8 am, and were shown to a table where our orders were taken. The menfolk had fruit juices and we also had tea.  My son likes his pastries so he had a croissant which arrived at the table wrapped.  Various cereals are available as well as fruit and yoghurts and we all opted for a cooked breakfast.  It certainly set us up well for our day out.

We thoroughly enjoyed our night away at the DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort.  We didn’t get to visit the swimming pool on this trip although it was open, and maybe next time I might just treat myself to a spa treatment too.  We thought that the hotel was ideally situated close to the main road network and was a great base for us to explore Lincoln and beyond.

DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort

2 thoughts on “DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort – AD invited to review

  1. Ohh! This is not far from where I live, just the other side of Scunthorpe.
    It sounds like you had a great stay and that they took fantastic precautions to protect against Coronavirus.
    The food sounds and looks so good. Well done your boy for trying the rocket. x

I'd love to hear from you and try to reply to all comments