Forest Pines Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort, Brigg – Review

By Karl Hornsey, May 2024

It would be easy for me to describe Forest Pines Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort as something of a hidden gem. Clearly not to many others, as even on a Wednesday afternoon and evening there were lots of people using the place, but, given that we live about half an hour away over the other side of the Humber Bridge, it’s quite curious that we were unaware of its existence. And now, I’m very pleased that we do, as a return visit will surely be in the offing in the not-too-distant future.

One of the keys to its appeal is its multi-use functionality, attracting people for the golf, the luxury spa, bars and restaurant, swimming pool and function rooms. So, while one or more of those might not be your cup of tea, it’s almost guaranteed that another one will be.

“Efficient, knowledgeable and friendly”

In our case, we stayed for one night, ate in the Grill Restaurant, dipped a toe in the swimming pool and enjoyed breakfast before we departed. The resort is located just off the M180 in North Lincolnshire, making it incredibly easy to get to, even for someone with as hopeless a sense of direction as me, and there’s ample parking among the pines right outside the entrance. However, as with any establishment, all of the facilities in the world become irrelevant if the place doesn’t have the right staff, who are efficient, knowledgeable and friendly, among other qualities.

And Forest Pines ticks every box possible in terms of its staff, from the warm and genuine welcome we received as we checked in, including being shown up to the door of our room, to the bar and restaurant staff who looked after us during the afternoon and evening.

The place was spotlessly clean throughout, which is no mean feat given there are 188 en-suite bedrooms to be maintained, not to mention the various bars, function rooms and public areas as well.

“Light and roomy”

After checking in and checking out the room, we decided to head out for a walk around the ‘jogging trail’ that navigates itself through and around part of the golf course, but the unpredictability of the British weather meant we had to duck into the bar first for a complimentary drink. Such hardships! The bar area is well-furnished, light and roomy, as the temptation to simply cram in as many tables and settees has been resisted and, once we’d had our drinks, the latest shower had blown over and we ventured outside. The trail is around two miles in length, though we may have gone off track once or twice, and is perfect for a stroll among the trees and alongside the fairways of the Championship golf course, making it appealing to anyone who wants to blow away the cobwebs of a long journey.

While we didn’t sample the beauty spa on this occasion it clearly offers a huge amount to anyone staying at the hotel, and is an obvious way for groups to spend time while staying for a couple of nights, as is the golf for those wanting to play rounds over a couple of days. Throw in the resort’s use for conferences and functions, and it’s easy to see why it attracts such a varied clientele. We headed to the restaurant for our evening meal, although the lounge bar also its own menu, so there’s plenty of choice, and we happened to be booked in on one of those evenings that I imagine all involved actually dread – the launch of a new menu. In those circumstances, all of the waiting staff handled the evening remarkably well, coping with a busy service, keeping their cool and communicating well with diners.

“Absolutely delicious”

I’d describe the food as gastro-pub standard, with a mix of the usual favourites such as fish and chips, curry, pasta dishes and steaks, alongside some of the more varied dishes – roasted sea trout, parsnip wellington and the tasty chicken breast with mushroom risotto that I opted for. The chicken tikka curry was everything you’d expect from such a dish, and the breads for the table were absolutely delicious, all at reasonable prices. A tempting dessert menu was too good to pass up, and there was nothing left of the crème caramel and salted caramel tart that came to our table, leaving us replete and looking forward to a relaxing rest of the evening in our room, which featured two king-size beds, seating area and mini bar.

Breakfast was a self-service affair, as one would expect in a hotel of this size, with a huge selection of fruit, breads, cereals, yoghurts and drinks, along, of course, with the traditional ‘Full English’ options. Nicely full once more, we checked out of our room and headed towards the Humber Bridge already thinking of visiting again or maybe treating friends and family to a night or two in North Lincolnshire, and I’d recommend Forest Pines to people of all ages and interests thanks to the staff, location and facilities on offer.

Prices start from £93 per night
Forest Pines Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort, Ermine St, Broughton, Brigg DN20 0AQ, United Kingdom
www.forestpineshotel.co.uk