Rowhill Grange Hotel & Utopia Spa



About
See why so many travellers make Rowhill Grange Hotel & Utopia Spa their hotel of choice when visiting Dartford. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers a trendy setting with an array of amenities designed for travellers like you.
Rooms at Rowhill Grange Hotel Utopia offer a flat screen TV providing exceptional comfort and convenience, and guests can go online with free wifi.
A concierge and room service are some of the conveniences offered at this hotel. A pool and breakfast will also help to make your stay even more special. If you are driving to Rowhill Grange Hotel & Utopia, free parking is available.
For those interested in checking out FO Nathaniel John Barry Memorial (2.5 mi) while visiting Dartford, Rowhill Grange Hotel & Utopia is a short distance away.
During your visit, be sure to check out one of Dartford's popular fish and chips restaurants such as Bird in Hand, The Restaurant at the Orchard Theatre, and Time and Plaice, all a short distance from Rowhill Grange Hotel & Utopia.
If you’re looking for something to do, The Manor Gatehouse is a nice way to spend some time.
We’re sure you’ll enjoy your stay at Rowhill Grange Hotel & Utopia Spa as you experience all of the things Dartford has to offer.
Location
Reviews
- 1,316
- 550
- 391
- 255
- 202
- Filter
- English
The main positive was the staff - everyone was very kind and helpful.
The pools and spa area are fine. Had a good swim upstairs and enjoyed the steam room. It's looking a bit tired now as others have said but everything seemed clean. If they want to upgrade the experience, proper loungers around the pool would be a welcome addition and provide more of an environment you can actually just relax in.
The afternoon tea was alright. The scones with clotted cream and jam were nice enough, as were the mini desserts, but the sandwiches weren't great. The beef one had a lot of gristle in it and the others were strangely bland. Judging from other people's plates the 2 course lunch is a better option.
I had booked the signature treatment, the 'oskia luxury body and face ritual' which was very pampering and a nice experience but I'm not entirely sure that what I received matches the description of what was advertised. The facial part seemed to be a good traditional facial with various products but the massage was described as a deep pressure massage (unfortunately it was light to medium and I was not asked what pressure I liked) and utilising a rose massage candle (massage oil from a pump was used). I guess they are cutting corners on days busy with people who booked on a sale offer?
I also had a luxury pedicure. The therapist did a lovely treatment and my feet feel so soft but again it's not quite the luxury experience. Straight after polish application I was given some very strange slippy foam 'flip flops' to wear to leave and the polish was ruined before I even got out of the room as a result. Why not invite the client to stay in the chair for a while to let the polish dry a little or use toe separators and leave these on to prevent this happening as in other spas? To be fair I probably could have gone back in and asked for the polish to be redone but I didn't bother as I just redid it at home.
All in all it was a decent day but nothing special, even bearing in mind the sale price.
The grounds are beautiful and you really feel like you are escaping to a retreat, when you drive up the long driveway.
Reception staff are friendly and food was nice but this is where the positives end unfortunately.
Upon arrival, we found there are no complimentary slippers provided with your robes like in previous visits and you could not purchase any either. To me, this has always been standard for spa, especially when paying over £200 for the day.
It was also not communicated upon booking, to bring your own poolside footwear either. Having to walk around barefoot is just not acceptable and a tad bit gross! Also wearing trainers with a robe to lunch in the restaurant, was a fashion first 😂
The spa area really needs refurbishment too, very rundown now and not much has changed in the past twenty years!
They let far too many people in at once as well. There are no sun loungers to relax on, just really uncomfortable garden wicker chairs, which we had to endure for 3 hours until our treatment time. We were lucky to get chairs, as almost all were reserved with towels, whilst other guests are presumably having treatments, food or in the gym.
I think the spa would benefit from less people being in there at the same time and replace the chairs / footstools with actual loungers so your spa day can be relaxing and each spa day visitor would then have a lounger allocated.
In the spa area there is only water provided in tiny paper cups. I think the spa does need to start offering complimentary herbal teas, as almost every spa I've been to does this. A nice lounge area would be great, where you can sit and have a drink too. The only option was in hotel bar, which just doesn't feel very spa like when you are mixing with others not in robes (and trainers!).
I understand the hotel isn't very large but they do have two dining areas plus the bar area, so could make one exclusively for spa day visitors.
Treatment rooms are nice but the room lighting was a bit harsh, especially when you are trying to relax and unwind.
My treatment, compared to previous treatments was just ok. I possibly had a trainee or newly qualified therapist, who was really nice but my massage wasn't to the standard I've had before at Rowhill. No questions were asked prior to my treatment other than preferred massage pressure which I thought was unusual.
The therapist even forgot to do my shoulders / neck in the full body massage or maybe she just ran out of time.
With my facial, I didn't get a head massage like previous visits and my friend who had the same treatment, did. Also my face wasn't washed properly after exfoliating so I was left with gritty bits when she moisturised my face and neck. I had to washed my face afterwards in the changing rooms, which kind of made the treatment seem pointless.
Overall not great experience and sadly, I would not visit again unless improvements and changes are made.



We did have a few issues checking in but the reception staff handled it really well. The room was a great size, the beds and pillows were incredibly comfortable. It was clean but some of the furniture was worn out/marked and it was slightly dusty. There was bottled water and a coffee machine in the room which worked well.
The bathroom was lovely with a large bath and shower, however the sinks in one of the rooms the water didn't drain properly which wasn't great and the taps weren't cleaned well. Overall it was very clean, with lots of towels and products provided.
The spa was beautiful, it could also do with a bit of paint/maintenance but overall it was lovely. Plenty of room even when busy, the pool is a good size, there are quite a few beds whilst the changing facilities were very clean and well maintained with nice showers. Locker system worked well. There is also a lovely relaxing room with plenty of beds and refreshments.
We had one 40 treatment each and they were very relaxing. I had a facial and the scalp and shoulder massages were amazing. Unfortunately our appointments got moved 15 minutes later and we were not notified. It wasn't an issue but was frustrating and a classic example of bad communication.
The food was gorgeous. We had lunch in the bar, then breakfast and dinner in the main restaurant. Our dinner was stunning, very impressed with everything we ordered particularly the side dishes, pork and lamb. Everything had beautiful flavours, good portion sizes and is good value in my opinion. Breakfast had a good variety of pastries, fruits, yoghurt, toast, bagels and cereal. The hot food menu was also very nice.
The customer service was really good. There were a few hiccups throughout our stay but the staff were all really helpful and every issue was fixed straight away.
Whilst it is very expensive overall and there are many improvements needed we really enjoyed our stay and I think it's a really lovely hotel and spa.
I think the hotel needs to ensure it ensures cleanliness is high, decor and furniture is maintained, and attention to detail and overall customer experience is prioritised otherwise it won't be worth the value for much longer unfortunately.
However we will definitely visit again and hope this feedback is helpful. ☺️
The dinner was delicious - I recommend the burger, or steaks (with delicious peppercorn sauce) or the fish and chips. The chorizo starter is also delicious, as are all the desserts! Nothing is too much trouble for the staff here - they are always so attentive and will bend over backwards to ensure everyone has a comfortable stay. Our room (Chrysanthemum) was large and well appointed with dual aspect views. This room is in the older part of the building with high ceilings and beautiful coving and chandeliers, well worth the upgrade cost for the original features. The shower was a little temperamental but we figured out how to get it to optimum temperature eventually. Unfortunately the towel rail in the bathroom didn’t work but it wasn’t a big problem as we just dried our swimming costumes and warmed our bathrobes on the radiator in the room instead. We opted for breakfast in our room and staff brought it piping hot and at the specified time. The portions are generous enough that you can come back and pick at the pastries/fruit salad for most of the morning if you’re anything like us! Thoroughly recommend booking a facial or massage treatment. We’ve left feeling rejuvenated (and probably a few pounds heavier in weight) but well worth it.
Recommend:
* checking for special offers with treatments included
* hot oil massage
* double check your bill upon checkout - sometimes the dinner isn’t always automatically deducted.

For my friend, the massage experience was unconventional and not relaxing, focusing excessively on minor details like toe movements. The dining experience was similarly underwhelming, with cold, tasteless sides, overcooked or poorly prepared dishes.
A negative encounter at the bar added to the frustration, as the staff’s unprofessional demeanor made the guests feel unwelcome. Even attempts to relax with a movie were marred by technical issues and unhelpful staff responses, although one staff member, Hector, tried to assist.
While some of the charges were adjusted, we ended up paying an additional £3, bringing that portion to £83, which left us questioning the calculation. By then, however, we had given up and just wanted to leave, feeling disappointed that we had spent a total of £500 on an experience that fell far short of our expectations. We would not recommend this spa to anyone, especially given the high cost and overall frustrating experience.
The first night we had food at the bar, a mixture of plates which were all really nice! Breakfast had a good selection, solid traditional breakfast albeit my poached eggs weren’t cooked properly. The second night we ate in the restaurant and it wasn’t as good as the first night, and also very pricey! The breakfast the second morning was brilliant.
The spa facilities were good, we didn’t get any treatments but the pool, hot tub and steam room were all very relaxing and not too busy.
All in all, I wouldn't re-visit and wouldn't recommend. I can’t knock the service we received from the staff (front of house) as they were all brilliant and they dealt with the setbacks the best they could, but the actual place just wasn’t what I was hoping for it to be, especially for the price I paid.
The reception and other staff members were very friendly and welcoming. However the hotel is very over priced for what you get. The room we stayed in was a Luxury Super King Room which had no A/C and no fridge which you get as standard in other hotels at the same price. The room was clean and well kept, just very basic.
We were a bit puzzled how we could not sit under the canopy outside for lunch, despite empty tables and the hotel being quiet (we were the only ones there as it was a late lunch) especially as the weather was changeable. Apparently these are reserved for day spa visitors despite us paying over £500 for one nights stay.
The food at lunch and the deserts seem to focus to much on presentation than quality. Both were disappointing.
The restaurant staff were again very pleasant however the food was below par for the price the steak’s were bland and considerably smaller than expected and over cooked for medium rare. The restaurant itself although pleasant felt very cold and had no atmosphere.
Overall very disappointed for the cost and even more disappointed with communication after our stay regarding the massage.
Let's start with the good stuff:
- Spa facilities are amazing, really beautiful - can get a little busy but still lovely environment.
- Rooms are nice and spacious, bathrooms clean and well equipped.
- Grounds are beautiful and peaceful, lots of space.
- Breakfast really nice in a nice setting.
- Treatments are fantastic - staff in this area especially are wonderful.
Things that can be improved (story at the bottom):
- Staff whilst friendly don't seem to acknowledge when errors are made.
- Clear communication issues between staff.
- The rooms don't have air conditioning so in the summer can get very hot.
- High price point.
During our stay both our nights were interrupted, the first by work (like hard banging on pipework) at 5am. We raised the issue and this eventually stopped, we were told a manager would speak to us but we had to chase this throughout the day - to then be told by the Manager they didn't know anyone wanted to speak to them, eventually we were given 50% off one of our nights. We were initially told they do this work every night and it's important to allow them to prepare breakfast so I'd prepare for that.
The second night was interrupted by an extremely loud disagreement taking place for 2 hours between 1 and 3 am. We were so fed up from the first night sleep being disturbed and the chasing we'd had to do that we just didn't bother raising it this time onsite.



We arrived and checked in with ease, there was a small wedding function on but they were in their own contained part of the site and not noisy at all. We were given a complimentary room upgrade which was lovely and the room was excellent. Bed/pillows very comfy, aircon in the room, big TV, plenty of storage, fridge with some water included and a big rainfall shower.
Dinner was very nice, there was an issue with a person taking a phone call in the restaurant on speaker being noisy, and quite aggressive, the staff handled this very well and he was told to leave. Attentive service, great portions, only comment was that my chicken was a bit dry, my other half's lamb was lovely. Definitely try the brioche garlic bread! Breakfast was also nice. Our couples massage was a real highlight, really relaxing, I don't remember the 2 ladies names, but thank you for making us feel so comfortable! Would definitely stay again!
Got the distinct impression they were trying to get people to spend above their already pricey all-inclusive package because of the way the menu was priced. A £40 spend limit barely covered two things at dinner. I was also shocked to find that I had been charged £5 for "distilled" water (likely tap with their label whacked on it).
Grounds unkempt with loads of moss and green growth on everything. In the room, I also noticed water marks on counters and some kind of food stuck on one of the curtains. Thought this would be a real luxury getaway but it was lacking, especially for the price. Best bit was the massage, with a very skilled and experienced therapist, and the staff were very helpful, if stretched thin.
"Don’t eat here, don’t expect a decent or stocked bar. Sauna is in changing rooms just before entrance to spa. Ample chairs in pool area. "Read full review
"The staff are Soo friendly and you are greeted at reception with a smile and a nice welcome which makes the start of you're stay great. "Read full review
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing