English countryside hotels
Jun 15, 2017, 11:06 pm
#151
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: England
Posts: 1,361
Jun 16, 2017, 1:20 am
#152
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 1,644
I think younger people regard classic English country house hotels as staid and boring. Especially if they lack facilities like a decent spa - Gravetye, Lympstone, Le Manoir and many others spring to mind. But hotels such as Lucknam Park, Luton Hoo, Chewton Glen, Lime Wood and (when it re-opens) Cliveden have the full spa/pool/tennis thing to amuse the bright young things.
Older people like me don't worry too much as we just get in our cars and drive around the area, visiting big houses and gardens, walking around the Lakes or the Highlands. I'm a big fan of Gravetye and regard it as a base for exploring some lovely places in Sussex and also as a convenient airport hotel when flying from Gatwick.
Older people like me don't worry too much as we just get in our cars and drive around the area, visiting big houses and gardens, walking around the Lakes or the Highlands. I'm a big fan of Gravetye and regard it as a base for exploring some lovely places in Sussex and also as a convenient airport hotel when flying from Gatwick.
Jun 16, 2017, 2:12 am
#153
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,225
I agree and also disagree. At an Aman hotel, for example, requests like this are met without a problem and do in one sense define luxury. And Aman hotels have no culinary axes to grind or Michelin starred reputations to protect.
However, at a place like Michael Caines, or Raymond Blanc or Michel Roux, asking for chips is asking for trouble. Some people here might recall Nico Ladenis who famously expelled guests who asked for salt at his three star place. I was once expelled from a two-star place in Scotland for saying the lamb was tasteless. And at L'Enclume I was subjected to a third degree because I didn't eat every one of those tedious 17 courses.!
However, at a place like Michael Caines, or Raymond Blanc or Michel Roux, asking for chips is asking for trouble. Some people here might recall Nico Ladenis who famously expelled guests who asked for salt at his three star place. I was once expelled from a two-star place in Scotland for saying the lamb was tasteless. And at L'Enclume I was subjected to a third degree because I didn't eat every one of those tedious 17 courses.!
Last edited by jp-mco; Jun 16, 2017 at 2:18 am
Jun 16, 2017, 7:30 am
#154
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: New York, NY USA
Posts: 631
I think younger people regard classic English country house hotels as staid and boring. Especially if they lack facilities like a decent spa - Gravetye, Lympstone, Le Manoir and many others spring to mind. But hotels such as Lucknam Park, Luton Hoo, Chewton Glen, Lime Wood and (when it re-opens) Cliveden have the full spa/pool/tennis thing to amuse the bright young things.
Older people like me don't worry too much as we just get in our cars and drive around the area, visiting big houses and gardens, walking around the Lakes or the Highlands. I'm a big fan of Gravetye and regard it as a base for exploring some lovely places in Sussex and also as a convenient airport hotel when flying from Gatwick.
Older people like me don't worry too much as we just get in our cars and drive around the area, visiting big houses and gardens, walking around the Lakes or the Highlands. I'm a big fan of Gravetye and regard it as a base for exploring some lovely places in Sussex and also as a convenient airport hotel when flying from Gatwick.
Jun 16, 2017, 9:52 am
#155
Join Date: Jun 2017
Programs: LHW membership
Posts: 24
The Pig
I absolutely loved the Pig at Combe. Such a lovely countryside property just 15min car drive from Honiton train station in Dorset county. Do not come here if you expect a five star luxury, although there are so many things they do that are truly luxurious:
- I loved the quirky hotel design, every details is so well thought through
- Smeg mini fridges in every room with some locally produced treats (wine, beer, biscuits, fudge, chips, you name it...)
- fluffy towels with organic, non artificial amenities in the bathroom
- the food : we tried the breakfast, lunch at the Folly, dinner at the main restaurant and even snacks at the bar. Every dish was a delight. Home made bread, granola, honey, butter.....we loved it.
- the garden at the back is full of herbs and salads that are grown for customers. The entire area smells amazing!
- like MacMyDay said, my massage I had with 'Arda' ( my apologies if I got the name wrong), was truly unique; recent treatments at Amanzoe and Bulgari Spa were nowhere near as good.
There is no gym, no spa ( apart from the two sheds where they do treatments). However you can get specially designed maps that take you through some adventurous walks in the area.
I would recommend this property to everyone who wants to have a nice, relaxed weekend in the countryside with some great food, relaxed atmosphere and smiling faces all around you.
- I loved the quirky hotel design, every details is so well thought through
- Smeg mini fridges in every room with some locally produced treats (wine, beer, biscuits, fudge, chips, you name it...)
- fluffy towels with organic, non artificial amenities in the bathroom
- the food : we tried the breakfast, lunch at the Folly, dinner at the main restaurant and even snacks at the bar. Every dish was a delight. Home made bread, granola, honey, butter.....we loved it.
- the garden at the back is full of herbs and salads that are grown for customers. The entire area smells amazing!
- like MacMyDay said, my massage I had with 'Arda' ( my apologies if I got the name wrong), was truly unique; recent treatments at Amanzoe and Bulgari Spa were nowhere near as good.
There is no gym, no spa ( apart from the two sheds where they do treatments). However you can get specially designed maps that take you through some adventurous walks in the area.
I would recommend this property to everyone who wants to have a nice, relaxed weekend in the countryside with some great food, relaxed atmosphere and smiling faces all around you.
Jun 16, 2017, 10:15 am
#158
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
Jun 16, 2017, 9:54 pm
#159
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posts: 3,223
I think younger people regard classic English country house hotels as staid and boring. Especially if they lack facilities like a decent spa - Gravetye, Lympstone, Le Manoir and many others spring to mind. But hotels such as Lucknam Park, Luton Hoo, Chewton Glen, Lime Wood and (when it re-opens) Cliveden have the full spa/pool/tennis thing to amuse the bright young things.
Older people like me don't worry too much as we just get in our cars and drive around the area, visiting big houses and gardens, walking around the Lakes or the Highlands. I'm a big fan of Gravetye and regard it as a base for exploring some lovely places in Sussex and also as a convenient airport hotel when flying from Gatwick.
Older people like me don't worry too much as we just get in our cars and drive around the area, visiting big houses and gardens, walking around the Lakes or the Highlands. I'm a big fan of Gravetye and regard it as a base for exploring some lovely places in Sussex and also as a convenient airport hotel when flying from Gatwick.
Not to mention summer opera at Glydebourne. http://www.glyndebourne.com
Jun 17, 2017, 5:14 am
#160
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: England
Posts: 1,361
I think younger people regard classic English country house hotels as staid and boring. Especially if they lack facilities like a decent spa - Gravetye, Lympstone, Le Manoir and many others spring to mind. But hotels such as Lucknam Park, Luton Hoo, Chewton Glen, Lime Wood and (when it re-opens) Cliveden have the full spa/pool/tennis thing to amuse the bright young things.
Older people like me don't worry too much as we just get in our cars and drive around the area, visiting big houses and gardens, walking around the Lakes or the Highlands. I'm a big fan of Gravetye and regard it as a base for exploring some lovely places in Sussex and also as a convenient airport hotel when flying from Gatwick.
Older people like me don't worry too much as we just get in our cars and drive around the area, visiting big houses and gardens, walking around the Lakes or the Highlands. I'm a big fan of Gravetye and regard it as a base for exploring some lovely places in Sussex and also as a convenient airport hotel when flying from Gatwick.
Jun 17, 2017, 9:57 am
#161
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,753
You've posted a couple pictures on Instagram of the property that I really enjoyed. The lounge looks like a place I'd love to sit and read and the pig statues outside are very whimsical. At which location were you?
Jul 25, 2017, 1:32 am
#162
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: England
Posts: 1,361
Here are some pictures from Cliveden House, including photos of the new spa.
Overall, I would not return, for the simple reason that Coworth Park is better in every area, excluding food and the grounds. However, at least at Coworth the food is readily available and often contains portion sizes worthy of being called food. In our 2 day stay, they have ran out of: oysters, carrots, lamb, breadsticks and even bread. The prices are identical to Mayfair, yet somehow the portions are even smaller. The sound of passing airplanes and the hordes of crowds visiting the beautiful grounds is not exactly what I would consider luxury either.
The service is just way too inconsistent, with giggling teenagers apparently in charge during lunch times whom learnt the art of decorum from watching Big Brother. Or they learnt it from the guests, as last night a large double decker party bus turned up for a group to descend upon the property and get pissed for some stag/hen do. It reminds me far too much of my recent Amanzoe experience, in that no matter what you asked for, you would not actually get it and would await to see what would go wrong in the process of it.
Even the brand new spa managed to be a let down. I am not bothered by the requirement of chemical free like many other members on FlyerTalk, yet even I could appreciate the awful smell and large quantities of chlorine used in the spa. Even after 2 showers the smell lingered on. On the second day they had to shut the indoor and outdoor jacuzzi as the PH was too high. The decision to put only 8 loungers by the indoor pool, yet an endless supply by the outdoor one didn't make much sense to me either, especially as it's currently July and 14C. There must be only 30 days a year where the outdoor pool is actually going to be used, so why take up so much space with it? My partner will add into the new dedicated spa thread on her less-than-perfect spa experience as well.
As some positives, I really did enjoy the food. Overpriced, sure, but definitely of very high quality. I've already mentioned the grounds, but they really are impressive; if only the weather stayed nice for more than an hour. That really is about it.
It's not awful, it's just what I now consider to be average. I came, I saw, I leave knowing it's not for me. Give me Chewton Glen (same owners) or Coworth any day. If you like Ashford Castle then you'll likely enjoy Cliveden.
Jul 25, 2017, 4:30 am
#164
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 1,644
Thanks Macmyday for checking out Cliveden on all our behalfs. Your review confirms my idea of what it is like these days and I'm glad we nixed it for our upcoming trip to Heathrow. I've been looking at your pictures on Flickr and while I thought the indoor pool looked spectacular (of course I lacked your olfactory advantage) the shots of the legendary outdoor pool looked rather scruffy. The pool is I believe a Listed building which perhaps limits the hotel's ability to do anything to it.
Jul 25, 2017, 9:48 am
#165
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
Thanks Macmyday for checking out Cliveden on all our behalfs. Your review confirms my idea of what it is like these days and I'm glad we nixed it for our upcoming trip to Heathrow. I've been looking at your pictures on Flickr and while I thought the indoor pool looked spectacular (of course I lacked your olfactory advantage) the shots of the legendary outdoor pool looked rather scruffy. The pool is I believe a Listed building which perhaps limits the hotel's ability to do anything to it.
Thanks for the review! I was going to cancel any thoughts of staying there from my mind, but then you finished with the idea that those who like Ashford Castle would like Cliveden, and I really liked Ashford Castle, so please could you expand on this and explain why?
I was back in Southport (the Open was at Royal Birkdale) this past weekend, and so am sunburnt. Maybe you need to head further north to experience the good weather!!
I was back in Southport (the Open was at Royal Birkdale) this past weekend, and so am sunburnt. Maybe you need to head further north to experience the good weather!!
Will can plan for LHR stopover too .
But I did enjoy Ashford Castle , but my goodness , it is now 10 years ago .
Perhaps quite different now , along with the " new " crowd ( s )
Yes , will also like to know why with Ashford Castle link & what aspects ..