I went on the Grove's Arsenal getaway and experienced football like never before
Watching your team score a last-minute winner would be a pretty satisfying outcome wherever your vantage point to witness it.
But being able to drink in the euphoria of Arsenal’s last-gasp win over Leicester City recently while a guest of the Grove Hotel at the Emirates takes some beating and the late drama was the icing on the cake of an afternoon where myself and all the other guests in attendance were afforded the VIP treatment.
And that treatment started from the minute my wife and I were greeted at the Grove’s plush Hertfordshire surroundings one autumnal Saturday morning, as we parked up and were led into the hotel to be greeted by a helpful receptionist and concierge, who dealt with all the formalities of our booking before informing us of the details behind our trip to the Emirates.
As an expectant Arsenal fan ahead of a key game, I was itching to get to the ground and soak up the pre-match atmosphere but found myself completely absorbed by just how impressive a setting we would be calling home for the weekend. It’s not every day that you’re greeted into a building by someone playing the harp after all, certainly not in my experience anyway…
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No sooner had we familiarised ourselves with our surroundings than we were being whisked away by a pristine Mercedes-Benz as our transfer to the stadium. It certainly made a difference from being rammed in like a tin of sardines on a train or other form of public transport en route to a game as I have come to expect.
Our driver could not have parked much closer had he tried, managing to get to the edge of Benwell Road (a stone’s throw from the ground) and our pick-up after the match was equally helpful in terms of location and made for a pleasant journey to and from the match as a result.
As we walked through the South Entrance at the Emirates and made our way up flights of stairs after fights of stairs, we were already sensing the envy of those fans assembled on the lower tiers and soon understood why as we entered Box 141, belonging to The Grove.
We were greeted on arrival and immediately made to feel at home as we were introduced to the other guests on the day, some of whom had travelled from Boston in the US to fulfil a lifelong dream of watching the Gunners not just in person but also in style. Others were there for birthdays or anniversaries and the way the game panned out was fitting for such occasions.
Beers, wine and soft drinks are complimentary as part of the package and given the early game between Newcastle and Manchester City ended perfectly from an Arsenal perspective, there was reason to celebrate before the main event had even got underway.
The City result heightened the sense of anticipation ahead of the match but as the final guests made their way into the box around 45 minutes before the 3pm kick-off, we then tucked into a mixture of different food options that catered for all tastes, including paella, sliders and empanadas. It helped calm down any pre-match nerves and, in a flash, the game was underway.
The view from the box was perfect and four of the six goals on the afternoon came at our end of the ground. Sadly, two of those were for Leicester during their brief fightback at the start of the second half that stunned us all into silence after the half-time conversation centred on how many goals we would score after establishing a comfortable 2-0 lead at half-time over our exquisite chocolate pie dessert.
But after some nail-biting, raised blood pressure and stress levels no one would have expected in a fixture like this, the late drama made it all worth it and was a perfect excuse to head back to the box after enjoying the post-match celebrations to toast a hard-earned three points.
It’s worth noting that the box opens two and a half hours before kick-off and closes an hour and a half after the full-time whistle and we were determined to make the most of our time there so we stayed as long as we could for more drinks and to relive a memorable afternoon.
Other guests warned us not to go too hard on the lunch given what was waiting for us back at the hotel and it turned out to be some of the best advice of the weekend.
I wasn’t quite prepared for how impressive and comprehensive the Glasshouse restaurant’s buffet would be but felt compelled to try and sample as many of the various cuisines on offer. Italian? Check. Indian? Check. Sushi? Check. You name it, they had it. I didn’t know where to begin or where to finish but knew that I had to try as much as possible.
After multiple platefuls and some delightful cocktails, we decided to call it a night and catch the highlights of the game on Match of the Day, as is tradition after a win, and take advantage of our luxurious room having barely had a chance to kick back and enjoy the more relaxing side of our getaway.
That theme continued into Sunday morning as we sloped down to breakfast for another exemplary buffet and if I can offer one tip and one tip only, it’s to feast on as much French toast as you can. It comes a close second to Arsenal’s three points on the list of highlights from the weekend. You can order breakfast to your room too should that be your preference.
The football is the obvious selling point of the package but we left the resort feeling as if we’d only really scratched the surface of what is on offer to guests having briefly visited the Sequoia Spa and used just a handful of its extensive list of facilities. Access to the spa is complimentary to guests and you can also enhance your experience by adding a treatment. It was the perfect pit stop to allow us to unwind between our first course of the day and the final course before checking out and making our journey home.
Our meal at the Stables restaurant was as memorable as Saturday night’s buffet bonanza, with my roast lamb dinner up there with some of the best food I have ever eaten. I don’t offer praise like that when it comes to food lightly, either. We regrettably were unable to dine at ‘Asian Restaurant of the Year’ Madhu’s before we left but have hopefully given ourselves good reason to visit again sooner rather than later.
For keen golfers or even just semi-respectable golfers, sadly unlike myself, the Grove is home to one of the most prestigious courses in the country. Given Tiger Woods won the World Championship here in 2006, it would have felt disrespectful in the extreme to put my limited golfing skills to the test. Other activities include archery and axe-throwing to mention just two and there are several walks around the vast grounds of the resort to take in the stunning scenery too.
The package features an option of a one or two-night stay and I would recommend giving yourself as much time to take in everything the Grove has to offer. We can’t promise you’ll always get the euphoria of a last-minute winner when you visit but you will get a similar sensation out of everything else on offer during your getaway.
For further details on how to book your Arsenal getaway, you can find more information via the Grove here.
Topics: Arsenal
Tom Marshall-Bailey