Self Catering Offers

Posted by Dee Hinch, Business & Marketing Director on May 17, 2013

Late deals at Rutland Lodges and Mill Cottage

Last minute July deals – book before 16th June to enjoy 30% discount on a self catering break in Rutland!

Summer is on its’ way and to celebrate we are offering a superb July self catering deal! Why not relax on a long weekend in Rutland, escape for a midweek break or chill out for a week or more… a Rutland Lodge at Greetham Valley is a luxurious home from home in which to spend some quality downtime on a self catering holiday break. Our lovely log cabins comfortably sleep 6 in three bedrooms.

Prefer a cosy cottage retreat? Mill Cottage at Greetham Valley is a converted barn tucked away Mill Cottagein a hidden valley and comfortably sleeps 5 in three bedrooms.

Book before 16th June for a self catering break in July and enjoy a huge 30% discount off our normal tariffs. Offer applicable for both Rutland Lodges and Mill Cottage, subject to availability.  We regret offers are not applicable to existing bookings. Up to two pets are very welcome in Mill Cottage and in two of our Lodges, with great walkies from right outside the door - please add an extra £25 if bringing any four legged friends!

Long Weekend Offer – book before 16th June:
3 night weekend break, arrive Friday 5th or 12th July, depart the following Monday - 30% discount off normal tariff, now just £325 (was £475). Terms and conditions apply

Week Break Offer – book before 16th June:
7 night break, arrive Monday 1st or 8th July, depart the following Monday – 30% discount off normal tariff, now just £500 (was £725). OR arrive Friday 5th or 12th July, depart the following Friday – 30% discount off normal tariff, now just £500 (was £725). Terms and conditions apply

Midweek Break - book before 16th June :
4 night midweek break, arrive Monday 1st or 8th July, depart the following Friday - 30% discount off normal tariff, now just £325 (was £475).  Terms and conditions apply

STOP PRESS!! Fabulous accommodation offer during the Rutland Walking & Cycling Festival 18th May – 1st June. 3 nights self catering in Lodge or Cottage just £300; 5 nights just £450. Tel 01780 460444 to book, quoting ‘ Rutland Walking Festival’

Book your last minute self catering holiday break now with Reservations on (01780) 460444 or email us.

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Rutland Walking & Cycling Festival + accommodation offers!

Posted by Dee Hinch, Business & Marketing Director on May 8, 2013

Come to Rutland and enjoy the Active Rutland Walking and Cycling Festival from 18th May – 1st June 2013!

 The Festival is a celebration of Rutland’s beautiful landscape and the many walks and cycle routes in and around Rutland. The walks and cycle rides are all led by qualified volunteer walk and bike leaders, making this festival free!

The first week of walking (18th-25th May) offers a variety of different length walks at different times and locations around Rutland. The second week (26th May – 1st June) will offer the 7 sections of the Rutland Round over those 7 days.

With two of the walks starting and finishing at Greetham Valley, it is the perfect excuse to pop in for some well-earned refreshments in our lounge bar!

Over the two weeks there will also be cycle rides to suit everyone, ranging from family to nature rides and even a led cycle ride around the whole of Rutland Water, including the Hambleton Peninsula. There really is something for everyone!

Rutland is the perfect place for walking, and has long attracted ramblers, who enjoy finding their way around the tiny villages, little known tracks and country lanes. As well as the popular Rutland Water there are many other footpaths covering varied terrain with several famous walking routes as well:

The Macmillan Way was originally developed to raise money for Cancer Research, and was opened as a fully signed and waymarked route in 1996. This route passes the south banks of Rutland Water.

The Viking Way winds its way southwards from the Humber Bridge, through the Lincolnshire Wolds and finishes in Oakham.

The Hereward Way follows a path through Rutland, passing through villages including Empingham, Whitwell and Barnsdale, before reaching Oakham.

The Jurassic Way follows the band of Jurassic Limestone that runs along the northern boundary of Northamptonshire, along the Oxford Canal, via Middleton Cheney and Woodford Halse to Braunston on the Grand Union Canal. Here it passes between Market Harborough and Corby, following the Welland Valley to Rockingham with its castle.

Full details of the free events can be found in the Active Rutland Walking and Cycling Brochure, click here for details. Why not make a ‘Staycation’ of it and enjoy accommodation at Greetham Valley? We are offering some great late deals on self-catering and B&B breaks during the festival, starting at just £15 per person per night!

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Greetham Valley’s black labrador Jazz in the snow!

Posted by Dee Hinch, Business & Marketing Director on January 29, 2013

The recent snowy weather may well have frustrated an awful lot of golfers – but Greetham Valley’s black labrador Jazz had a whale of time!  Mill Cottage, our self catering holiday cottage next door to Jazz’s home, had a little white Pomeranian like this one staying as a guest last week. It’s just as well it thought it was too cold to venture into the 8 inches of snow too often as it really resembled a noisy, walking snowball much to Jazz’s bewilderment…. She simply did not know what to make of it!

General, Self Catering Blog

Ann & Tony win tickets for the Blues Brothers Tribute Night!

Posted by Dee Hinch, Business & Marketing Director on July 4, 2012

All the guests at the fabulous Bee Gees Night at Greetham Valley last Friday were invited to fill in a competition form to win two tickets to the next Greetham Valley Great Night Out – and we received over 200 entries! The lucky winners, drawn today, were Ann and Tony Jones from Melton Mowbray who win two tickets to attend the Blues Brothers Tribute Night on Saturday 8th September!

This promises to be another excellent night of fine food and great entertainment at Greetham Valley - reserve your tickets NOW to avoid disappointment! Phone Hotel Reception on 01780 460444 – tickets are £20pp for a two course meal and live entertainment.

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Fishermen’s tales and wedding hats at Greetham Valley

Posted by Helen Peaple, Greetham Valley Reception Manager on June 18, 2012


How big???
I always thought fishermen were telling tall tales about the one that got away, but judging by the whoppers I have been asked by our Hotel and Lodge guests to put in the Hotel fridge over night I’m now not so sure.

It has been really great to see our trout fishermen returning for another year of pleasure and competition fishing on Rutland Water,  many of whom have booked accommodation for the rest of 2012 season, as we are only a few minutes’ drive away from this fabulous fishing venue. It would also appear that Palm Springs Salmon Fishing are landing some giants this year.  Our resident salmon fishermen are also helping with the Receptionists’ weight lifting program as we are asked to store their catch in the fridge. 

 

Spring has finally sprung and the wedding season is now upon us.  Oh the dresses, the hats!!! (slightly different to those of our fishing friends!!). Even on a grey day the smiling faces of the wedding party are enough to cheer us all up.

I was asked the other day by a bride’s father how we all keep up the enthusiasm on a 2, 3 or 4 wedding weekend, well – how can you not? A hotel full of happy smiling wedding party faces, it really is contagious.  As the Reception shift goes on, if the enthusiasm starts to wane we just open the door at the back of Reception and enjoy the entertainment that is the bride’s dad dancing the funky chicken after too much champagne….

And then there’s the bright and breezy breakfast parade……enough said!  The morning after can be just as entertaining as the night before….

 Well, that’s a small slice of the variety of customer that brightens up our day on Reception – when are you coming to visit? We look forward to welcoming you!

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A sad weekend for Jazz and Greetham Valley

Posted by Dee Hinch, Business & Marketing Director on December 11, 2011

Beau and Meg the Greetham Valley WeimarenersGreetham Valley’s black labrador Jazz has had a very sad weekend – she and her owners have had to say a final farewell to Beau the Weimaraner who on Saturday went to the big kennel in the sky. In his heart Beau was still young and little Jazz had given him a new lease of life since the summer. But at 14, his body just gave out and we had to say a very sad goodbye.

We are consoled by the fact that he had 10 years longer with us than we ever expected him to – at 4 years old he fell off a 60 foot cliff in a nearby quarry,  breaking 3 legs and popping all his tendons. Miraculously, his spine and insides were fine and, thanks to excellent vet skills  (and accompanying bills), after 2 months he was just about put back together again, complete with pins and plates..

Jazz and we will miss him very much, he was such a part of the family, but we know he’ll now be happily frolicking with Meg, our previous much loved Weimaraner, who passed on 2 years ago.  Life must go on and we have very happy memories of the old boy….. No doubt Jazz will be spoilt rotten for the next few weeks as we try to take her mind off looking for him!

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Jazz goes to puppy playgroup

Posted by Dee Hinch, Business & Marketing Director on December 4, 2011

Sitting at attention on a loose lead - perfect puppyA month ago, we decided that young Jazz, our black labrador puppy, was spending far too much time smooching with Golf Club members and Hotel visitors and had actually started to forget that she is in fact of the canine variety. So we enrolled her at puppy playgroup, run by the lovely Julia at Stamford Dog Training, to meet other four footed buddies and get some extra tips on training too.

She nearly went cross-eyed with astonishment at her first meeting of the 7 other pups -  they came in all shapes, colours and sizes and she was clearly delighted that she was one of the tallest, with the exception of Lola, a luscious leggy English Pointer. Jazz now has a date with the other 7 puppies every Saturday and after her third session some of the training is starting to sink in – a Labrador will do anything for food, after all………

At the playgroup, she has also met two VERY large but friendly adult dogs – Muttley the labradoodle and Benton the German Shepherd – who very benignly allowed all 8 pups to investigate them thoroughly with varying degrees of excitement!

Who hasn’t yet seen the YouTube clip of Fenton the black labrador and his encounter with the deer in Richmond Park? Bet Fenton didn’t go to Stamford Dog Training…….

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Update on Jazz

Posted by Dee Hinch, Business & Marketing Director on November 9, 2011

Jazz at 21 weeksGreetham Valley’s black labrador Jazz is now 21 weeks old and learning all about life on a busy hotel and golf complex. So many people to meet and greet with a big smile and waggy tail! It can all get very exhausting for a young lady, even if that ever-wagging tail does help propel one along.

Jazz lives with Beau, an oldtimer Weimaraner (try saying that quickly) who, if truth be known, is in reality a grumpy old goat. At first, he was able to stop Jazz from trying to be an ear ornament by lifting his head as high as possible out of reach but as her legs have grown he’s given up and graciously allows her to attach herself lovingly. Which of course becomes very boring when you’re ALLOWED to do something – so she leaves him alone. Canny old dog…..

She had a lovely friend staying in pet friendly Mill Cottage last week, a very amiable Golden Retriever called Charlie who thoroughly enjoyed his walks around Rutland during his stay. She has heard a rumour that another black labrador will be in residence in Mill Cottage on a three week holiday break soon, so is rubbing her paws with glee at the potential fun to be had!

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Solar power rules OK?

Posted by Dee Hinch, Business & Marketing Director on October 20, 2011

At Greetham Valley we are very proud of our ‘green’ credentials (please see our Green Policy page for more details).

The latest project that we are researching is the provision of electricity by solar panels to be fitted onto our rather large expanse of south facing roofs. The electricity bill of any hotel or leisure complex would always cause a sharp intake of breath and we run around turning off all excess lights etc (WHY are they being left on anyway?)

Now we are being approached by several companies looking at supplying solar panels and dangling the government’s feed-in tariff carrot in front of us – but how long these tariffs can be sustained is another matter – they are reducing anyway in April 2012, as the subject becomes more contentious. Read more..

However, the appeal of Greetham Valley producing up to 50% of our daytime electricity (yes, even in the depths of a very overcast winter apparantly) is still mighty tempting. The cost of the panels has greatly reduced in recent months and this is therefore now a much more viable proposition and as ever we are very keen to make Greetham Valley as eco-friendly as possible. Watch this space…or roof!

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Improving the guest experience at Greetham Valley

Posted by Dee Hinch, Business & Marketing Director on October 20, 2011

Rutland Lodges and Mill Cottage at Greetham Valley are all assessed annually by VisitBritain’s Quality in Tourism inspectors and we are delighted to rate 4* across the board for our holiday break lodges and cottage.

This summer our inspector Jill had some really good suggestions to help us improve even further – just little things that actually have a big impact.

For example, in Mill Cottage, the bedrooms were all freshly decorated in cream and white emulsion with cream and white linen. ‘Rustic’ pictures adorned the walls and Jill agreed all looked very clean and welcoming. She then suggested one feature wall in each of two of the bedrooms – using modern, striking wallpaper – and change the ‘old fashioned’ pics. As we were still cleaning the cream paint off our hands, we were a bit reluctant to dig out the DIY gear again but eventually followed her advice – and what a difference!

Jill sees so many properties in her quality assessment role – she certainly knows what works. We are now going to incorporate this ‘feature wall’ theme throughout our Hotel in our winter maintenance programme


We also welcome suggestions from our guests regarding how to improve on their experience at Greetham Valley – please do get in touch with us with your ideas!

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