Summer is here and nothing beats a relaxing day with family or friends.  I recently ditched the kids for a Knoll House Hotel Day Retreat with a friend and we had such a wonderful time, part of me wished I could stay there forever haha.

The Day Retreat allows you to use the hotel facilities and enjoy lunch at a very reasonable price.  Being located in Studland, the location is beautiful and as we arrived we were greeted by deer at the side of the road.

After check in we got changed and sat by the outdoor pool with a nice coffee.  The weather in the morning was a little grey so we had our coffee and went to the indoor pool and jacuzzi which was sooo lovely and warm.

We swam and chatted until it was lunchtime and then went to the bar area to order our food and drinks.  We had the choice of 3 ciabattas – The Knoll House Club, Veggie Club or Prawn Club, plus a dish of the day which was whole butter roasted plaice, crushed new potatoes and vegetables.

I went for the Club which had crispy chicken, smoked bacon and egg and my friend had the Veggie Club with buffalo mozzarella, black olives and tomato.  Both ciabattas were delicious and served with scrummy sea salted chips.

We had such a lovely lunch sat on the terrace with views of the garden and sea beyond. Lucky for us the clouds broke and the sun came out so we raced back to the pool sun loungers.

The atmosphere was really lovely and before long the outdoor pool was being enjoyed by both adults and children, it truly felt like we were on holiday for the day and we remained there for hours.  My favourite part of the day was sitting in the hot tub and I had to go back there before we needed to get dressed and go home.

The Day Retreat is a great place for a family day out, celebration or just a much needed break with friends.

If you have children with you then they can enjoy the outdoor pirate play area and indoor play room which has table tennis, pool table, ice hockey table and games.  If you’re feeling energetic then there’s also a 9 hole pitch-and-putt golf course or you can play a game of tennis.  And if you forget to bring your equipment then you can borrow rackets and balls from reception.

The perfect end to a perfect day is to walk over the road, take the path which leads to the beach and enjoy the stunning bay views.

Knoll House Day Retreat Prices:

• £38 per adult
• £19 per child
• £75 per couple
• £95 per family (2 adults and 2 children up to 12 years, choosing from kids menu)

The Day Retreat allows use of all facilities from 10am to 4pm.

For more information, please visit The Knoll House Hotel or call 01929 450450 to book.

Image credit: 2 images have been provided by the Knoll House Hotel so we didn't share photos of children playing in the pool and games room. 

Do you enjoy visiting National Trust properties, or maybe you have never been to one before?  From now until Sunday 31st August 2025 you can visit a participating National Trust site with the family for FREE!

You can use the pass at over 200 locations which include gardens, castles and historic houses.  In Dorset we have Kingston Lacy where you can explore the stunning house, beautiful gardens, acres of parkland and 2 fun play areas, or visit Corfe Castle which was established by William the Conqueror and partially destroyed in the English Civil War.  Also included in the offer is Brownsea Island which is rich in history, wildlife and adventure, however you will need to pay for your ferry crossing.

There are more properties to visit in Dorset including Hardy’s Cottage, Hardy Monument, Max Gate and Cloud’s Hill, or travel to nearby Devon, Hampshire, Somerset or Wiltshire for even more choices.

This single-use pass allows free entry for two adults and up to three children or one adult and up to four children from the date of issue up until Sunday 31st August 2025*.

Some locations may be busier at certain times and on certain days, weekdays are usually quieter than weekends.  Some properties may require booking in advance and it is advisable to check the webpage of the property you would like to visit to see if pre-booking is required.  To check which locations are included in the offer, please visit The National Trust.

*Offer excludes visits from Saturday 23rd – Monday 25th August 2025.

Passes are limited and terms and conditions may apply.  Full info can be found on Reach Forms National Trust.

On the day of your visit you will need to show either your online voucher or paper copy to gain entry.

This pass does not include free parking at locations which charge a fee.

• UPDATE •

Digital passes for the National Trust are now sold out, but you can still get a free pass by purchasing a physical copy of The Daily Mirror or The Daily Express newspaper from Saturday 5th - Sunday 13th July 2025.

Dorsetmums has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this site and does not accept liability for any errors or omission.