An enchanting stay in a traditional style, Grade II listed manor house.
If you are a history lover or fan of period dramas then this would be the ideal stay for you. The house was built between the years 1848-1853 in the style of Tudor architecture. During World War 2 it was used as a naval training base, following this it became a medical hospital and then a prison! It was restored as a hotel in 2001 after many years of being derelict. Although the house is seeped in history, the interiors are fresh, modern and compatible with countryside style. You will be so impressed with the grandeur of the building and grounds, but it is not so posh that it is uncomfortable. I found it to be really easy-going and relaxing.
Upon arrival, we went for a walk round the gardens and then stopped in the terrace bar for a drink and some snacks. At the moment, there is only one restaurant open in the hotel, to keep in line with the Covid-19 restrictions. This means there is only one menu for the whole day, but there was a large enough variety to find food for lunch without clashing with dinner. All places to eat and drink at the hotel are lovely and you really do feel spoilt whether you pick the 1853 Restaurant or the Atrium. On the day we visited, there was also a wedding taking place, which looked absolutely stunning! But, this didn't impact the service time even with more people at the hotel.
My favourite room was the library bar! There is no better combination than gin and old books. We spent some time after dinner in this room, I found it so relaxing and fun to look at all the small details. Dinner was delicious and to suit different needs there were lots of ways to get food. You could book in the restaurant, click and collect to eat outside or use the app to order food to your room. I think the hotel have done everything they can to accommodate lots of guests during the Covid-19 pandemic. We ate in the restaurant, I had sweet chilli chicken noodles and it was so beautiful! For pudding, I had a sticky toffee pudding which was really nice too. The hotel offers an extensive wine menu too, so if you enjoy wine I would totally recommend it.
We found the hotel staff to be really helpful and were able to explain the restrictions easily to us and we don't feel like they changed our stay at all. If anything, the flexibility of being able to order in so many ways made it better.
For breakfast, a hamper was delivered to our room at 8am with some continental style food (such as yoghurt, fruit and pastries). There was already drinks facilities in the room. However, between certain times you could also head down to the restaurant and pick up a hot roll (sausage, egg or bacon). Again, considering the restrictions in place, I don't think the hotel could have organised anymore to make sure everyone got the opportunity to have their meals. I was so impressed with how easy it was and how normal it felt.
The hotel felt like the perfect, countryside escape. You are pretty much in the middle of nowhere but you are driving distance from lots of places (such as the Cotswolds), which gives you the best of both worlds. I would love to stay at this location again, but also try some of the others in the De Vere chain.
Are you tempted to go on a staycation this year? Is there anything stopping you from going? Join in the conversation on Instagram, @wanderlustlibrary_
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