After opening up to her followers about her ongoing struggles to conceive, Georgia Toffolo and her husband James Watt have embarked on a last-minute bank holiday weekend retreat. The former Made In Chelsea star, 31, took to Instagram to share glimpses of their stay at Heckfield Place, a luxurious five-star hotel nestled in the Hampshire countryside.
A Relaxing Countryside Escape
Posing for a makeup-free selfie, Toffolo was seen soaking up the sun outdoors while indulging in a slice of Victoria sponge cake. The restored Georgian mansion, which typically offers rooms starting at £750 per night, has hiked its prices to £7,500 per night for the bank holiday weekend. Located just an hour from London, the hotel's website describes it as 'a lovingly restored Georgian family home at the heart of our working estate, a beautiful piece of English countryside that redefines the idea of a hotel.'
Accompanying the snapshots, Toffolo captioned: 'snuck off for the long weekend xx.' She revealed that the trip was a spontaneous booking made on Friday after a challenging few months, admitting that they 'need it' following the stress surrounding BrewDog's collapse, which she believes contributed to her five-month struggle to get pregnant.
Opening Up About Fertility Struggles
In a candid Instagram Story clip, she said: 'We've booked a little last-minute trip away. The sun is shining and my God do we need it. I'm so excited.' Later, she uploaded a video of the sunset at the mystery location. Toffolo had previously shared the 'lonely and crazy' journey of trying to conceive with James, expressing frustration that it hadn't happened yet.
Thanking fans for their support, she theorised whether the downfall of BrewDog had impacted her fertility. Millionaire James faced scrutiny this year after his beer brand accumulated debts exceeding £500 million before collapsing into administration. Questions arose over the company's history of controversy, failed ventures, and allegations of a toxic culture.
Addressing the BrewDog Fallout
Addressing the fallout, Toffolo said: 'I'm sitting here thinking about the year. We've had so much stress. I'm sure you guys have seen it all, public stuff like the BrewDog stuff has been really difficult to navigate... And every single family across the world there's always stuff going on. I just think that coinciding with starting to try for a baby it's been a lot for us... On top of my naivety I really did just think that if you're super fit and healthy like us you get pregnant really quickly, but it isn't always the case.'
The couple's difficult start to the year follows BrewDog's collapse. Irwin Simon, chief executive of Tilray Brands, which acquired BrewDog in a £33 million rescue deal, publicly criticised James's tenure, calling his reputation a 'stigma' for the brand. Simon confirmed that James would not return to the company, adding he had 'not spoken' to him. The collapse led to the closure of 38 UK bars and the dismissal of 484 staff. At its peak, BrewDog operated over 120 bars across 57 countries, but from 2021, James faced allegations of a toxic workplace culture, and the company abandoned the Real Living Wage in 2024.
James had sought to invest £10 million of his own money in a failed rescue deal. Some 733 staff were retained in the sale, including those at 11 franchised pubs. He expressed being 'heartbroken' after the acquisition, as his company was once valued at £2 billion but was sold for a fraction of that price.
Continuing the Conversation
On Thursday, Toffolo discussed her pregnancy struggle on Instagram, saying: 'My gut has been telling me to share this, but my head has been saying no. Something that I've been really hiding. My husband and I have been trying for a baby. It hasn't happened on month one, two, three, four, five. According to all the amazing doctors, that is completely normal. Who knew? You only ever hear the story of get pregnant on the first try... We are in that really weird space. I just wish someone like me had come on and spoken about it.'
She described the 'two-week wait' before knowing if symptoms indicate pregnancy or an impending period, calling it 'quite lonely.' Georgia and James married in Scotland in March 2024 aboard a fishing boat off the coast of Gardenstown in Aberdeenshire.
