Every Mum deserves a treat now and again and I recently visited the New Park Manor Hotel in Brockenhurst with a friend for a well deserved relax in the spa and to indulge in the new 'Winter Wonderland' Afternoon Tea which is inspired by the release of Disney's Frozen 2.

We were warmly welcomed in the Spa and given our dressing gown, towel and flip flops before sitting down in the spa café for a quick drink.  I had planned to do lots of swimming in the pool and maybe try out the sauna but we were so busy nattering in the hydrotherapy spa pool and outdoor hot tub that any form of exercise went out the window.  The views of the forest are simply stunning and whilst sitting in the hot tub we enjoyed watching the horses and deer in the fields with moody skies ahead.

Within the pool area you’ll find loungers, a sauna, steam room and a sanarium which combines humidity with a slightly less intense heat of a sauna.  The changing facilities are excellent with hot showers, lockers, hairdryers and even a whizzy machine which magically near dries your swimwear in seconds.  With the Spa there is also a relaxation room with bean bags, low lighting, soft music and magazines if you would like to have a read.  There’s also a couple of treatment rooms and on a previous visit I had the pleasure of experiencing a deep tissue back massage with aromatherapy oils but they also offer a whole range of body massages, hot scrubs and Elemis facial treatments.

Once we'd managed to drag ourselves out of the Spa we went to the beautifully decorated lounge where we spent 2 hours slowly enjoying cup after cup of tea, finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and divine cakes. 

Not only were they all visually beautiful but they tasted amazing, especially the chocolate bomb which has a sharp raspberry mousse inside.  The lemon and blueberry cupcakes and chocolate snowflakes had to come home with us because we both admitted we'd go pop if we ate just one more bite.  Mine were well hidden from the kiddies though and devoured in a dark room on my own haha.

When you walk around the hotel it’s clear to see that they are incredibly child friendly.  In the entrance porch you’ll find children’s welly boots you can borrow, games, area maps and activity packs and the family restaurant provides a good selection of children’s meals and is well equipped with highchairs and colouring in for the table.  For those children who enjoy watching a film there’s a cinema room with plenty of seating, a big screen and toys in the corner.  The most impressive room we came across was the crèche which is packed full of toys and games so you can enjoy a bit of grown up time while they have their own fun with a fully trained member of staff. 

The new Afternoon Tea is thoroughly recommended and available at the New Park Manor Hotel and also the Moonfleet Manor Hotel in Weymouth throughout November and December 2019 so you'd better book quick if you deserve a treat too. 

Full details of hotel facilities and Afternoon Teas can be found on the New Park Manor Hotel and Moonfleet Manor Hotel Websites.

Dorsetmums was invited to the New Park Manor Hotel for the purpose of a review however all words are my own.

One of my all time favourite films as a teenager was Fame so I was delighted to see Fame - The Musical was on tour and coming to the Bournemouth Pavilion!

The Musical is based on the 1980 pop culture film and follows a group of students at New York’s High School for the Performing Arts as they navigate their way through the highs and lows, the romances and the heartbreaks and the ultimate elation of life.  The show explores the issues that confront many young people today including prejudice, literacy, sexuality and perseverance.

The energetic and very talented cast are simply amazing on stage with each character having their own story and dream for the future.  If you enjoy different styles of dancing then you’ll be in for a treat as the cast perform perfectly choreographed scenes which include Latin, Modern and Hip-Hop routines.

Hollyoaks’ Jorgie Porter gave a delightful performance as ballet dancer Iris and soul star Mica Paris wowed the audience with her solo ‘These are my children’.  Carmen explodes onto her scenes with sass and energy but decides to go to LA when she’s promised her own fame (I won’t say how that ends for her).  The rest of the cast cover a whole scenario of modern day problems including rejection, the pressure to be thin and dyslexia with some of the students taking their work very seriously and others being quite light hearted and amusing.

I had a really great night out with my friend but the highlight for me was when the gang performed the familiar Fame tune which I can pretty much guarantee you’ll be singing all the way home!

Fame – The Musical is on at the Bournemouth Pavilion until Saturday 31 August 2019.  For more details and tickets on this show and more, please visit BH Live.

Dorsetmums was invited to the performance of Fame for the purpose of a review however all words are my own.