Luxurious Magazine’s Sabi Phagura heads to The Roseate Reading Hotel to experience their new ‘Work From Roseate’ package.

Working remotely isn’t a new concept at Roseate Hotels & Resorts. They’ve just upgraded their existing Up Stage Club by Roseate for a more personal experience to adapt to the global pandemic period we’re all going through.

The former is a co-working concept which launched in 2019 at Roseate House New Delhi, offering compact meeting halls, a boardroom and a host of smaller meeting spaces and capsules to suit members.

There’s also an auditorium at Upstage Club, an avant-garde cinema hall offering the ultimate theatre experience.

The Work from Roseate package, on the other hand, has been created very much with the individual in mind, giving professionals a much-needed solo luxury office space.

Guests can create their own office at either The Roseate Reading or Roseate House London utilising the hotels’ beautiful rooms as a workstation.

Arriving at their Reading residence, motivated to get some work done in peace, as opposed to the hustle and bustle I’m used to working from a coffee shop, I found much-needed sanctuary before I even walked in.

The elegant boutique hotel is just a short pleasant stroll through Forbury Gardens from the train station, and no detail is overlooked here to create the same serenity inside the building.

From the impressive 86,000 Italian-glass beads in the chandelier that hangs from the top of the building to the plush fabrics and swanky wallpapers, the building simply oozes luxury.

In its former life, the Roseate Reading was originally the Shire Hall for the Berkshire County Council. Today, the building erected in 1911, along with its wide hallways, vaulted ceilings, cornice mouldings and the original lift shaft, have all been precisely restored to their original glory.

To revive the old-world charm of the Shire Hall, its council chamber, Eden, along with its imposing fireplace and elaborate wood carvings on the doors and mantlepiece, have all been restored to their former beauty.

Following a swift COVID-safe check-in, I was in my room ready to have a productive day. But one look at my new workspace and I had serious doubts I would get much done. The suite was simply stunning.

An incredibly large open-plan room with a dedicated bureau, lounge, dining and sleep space, it was no different to a mini flat. And the pièce de resistance was the stand-alone deep copper bath in the room just outside a separate bathroom with a double rain shower and Penhaligon amenities.

Resisting the urge to make use of the bath, I promised myself I would treat myself once I had ticked off my to-do list for the day. The espresso coffee gave me the pick-me-up I needed to crack on with it.

I’m sure my creativity flowed with the variety of art dotted around in my room, and the complete silence was a bonus. The Wi-Fi was incredibly fast, which proved very useful for video calls, and I was able to stay connected throughout the hotel. The package also includes a working lunch from the hotel’s eatery, The Reading Room Restaurant. Food can be delivered directly to the door or be enjoyed at the table.

It can also be ordered through the hotel’s new hospitality app, which allows guests to view menus, order food and drink and request the bill through it. There’s plenty of Aheli water, tea and coffee to keep you refreshed throughout the day.

This property understands the importance of rewarding yourself after a hard day’s work, so it’s thrown in a complimentary cocktail to mark the end of it. This can be indulgently sipped from the hotel’s bar, and if you’re peckish, you can extend your stay here with a bite to eat at the Reading Room.

The Roseate Reading’s restaurant launched in July and has a frequently changing menu revolving around seasonal ingredients, and caters for vegetarians and vegans. Sampling the cuisine, I was nourished by good simple, wholesome food with plenty of flavours.

It was just what I needed to complete the day, but not before an important thing to tick off my list – a luxurious bath in that copper tub!

And work isn’t the only reason to head to this rather glamorous hotel. You can spend a whole weekend here exploring the aforementioned Forbury Gardens, heading out for a shopping spree at the Oracle, before indulging in the Aheli Spa back at the hotel which comprises of three treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room and a gym.

There are private rooms (Cellar, Library and Eden) to hire for special occasions and events, and even a small private cinema on-site to watch your favourite movie.

And if you have a pooch, bring it along too. The staff offer doggy amenities (such as dog walking services or a dog-friendly lunch) on request. After all, it can’t be all work and no play.

The Roseate Reading Hotel – Where and How?

The Roseate Reading Hotel can be found at 26 The Forbury, Reading, Berkshire RG1 3EJ, United Kingdom. Prices for the Work from Home package start from £75 per day for The Roseate Reading and £85 for Roseate House London. For more information, call 0118 952 7770 or visit www.roseatehotels.com/reading/theroseate/offers.

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