Listening out for a yellowhammer bird in the middle of a wildflower meadow at 6am is, I can assure you, not my average Monday morning ritual. I love a Calm app morning meditation as much as the next millennial, but I hadn’t bet on standing right in the middle of the real thing, here in the rewilded grounds of Calcot & Spa. 

Just over an hour’s train ride from the stress of London’s Paddington Station, Calcot offers a blissful mix of untouched countryside and luxury mod cons. But the impressive rewilding efforts are what makes this hotel so special.

Over the last 25 years, a handful of the hotel’s passionate staff have worked to restore the 240 acres of countryside from farmland back to a wild mosaic of flower and grass meadows. And the hard work is paying off. Several rare species of birds, animals and flowers have returned to the estate, including the yellowhammer but also skylarks, roe deer, marbled white butterflies and spotted orchids. A cracked bird’s egg on our walk confirms a nesting barn owl nearby.

Then there are the hotel’s resident honeybees. Suiting up and getting this close to a hive has been a bucket-list item of mine and, as beekeeper Martin gently prizes off the top of the hive to reveal 50,000 happy working bees, it’s a real pinch-me moment. He lifts out each frame to show glittering wells of honey and newly laid eggs, before we spot the queen surrounded by her protective servants.

Experiences like this are good for the soul. And it feels like the whole hotel is designed to help you slow down and connect with nature. My generous suite has a huge king bed and not one but two patios overlooking open countryside. The bathroom is even more sumptuous with a claw-foot bath and shelves lined with Aromatherapy Associates products. The hotel has two main dining spots – The Hive bar and café and The Brasserie restaurant.

The Hive quickly becomes my favourite, not least because the cocktails are stiff (order the Beehive Martini – you won’t regret it) and the low lighting oh-soflattering. The plush sofas and cosy nooks are pulled together with a palette of sage greens and inky blues, and the atmosphere rivals some of the most-hyped members’ clubs – minus the snootiness. It’s great for hanging out and enjoying a pre-dinner aperitif.

At The Brasserie, executive chef Richard Davies (of Great British Menu fame) leans into classic British dishes, with a hefty dose of French influence. Highlights for me include guinea fowl breast – delicate with a crispy confit fritter and pillowy truffle gnocchi – and a nectarine and Champagne pavlova. On my last day, I take a hotel bike for a spin around the 3km nature trail, passing contented joggers along the way.

Sportier types might fancy the hotel’s disc golf course (a sort of frisbee-golf hybrid) or a game of tennis. But for me, I’m inspired to take it slow and book one of the spa’s Forest Therapy massages. I sink into a delicious half-sleep, just conscious enough to breathe in the soothing cypress oil blend and turn over for a worry-melting head massage. I leave feeling re-energised and keen to continue the slow living at home – even if it’s getting up a little earlier to walk the dogs and listen to the birds. Let’s see how long my new aura of calm lasts…