The Newt, Somerset
The Newt’s South African owners, the husband-and-wife team of Karen Roos and Koos Bekker, have some serious hospitality heritage, having launched one of the finest wine estates in the Cape – Babylonstoren. Karen was also the former editor-in-chief of South African Elle Decoration, so building refined estates has always been in their wheelhouse. They originally bought Hadspen House and the Emily Estate in Somerset as a private residence, but it became quickly apparent that its potential was too great not to develop. At the heart of it all is a sandstone Georgian mansion, which comprises 13 stunningly appointed suites, as well as stable rooms, a spa with two pools, and the much-celebrated gardens and orchards (with some 3,500 trees, which are harvested to make cider). With such extensive grounds (around 300 acres of land in total), it only stands to reason that it supplies the vast majority of food for the restaurants, which adopt a strictly seasonal approach to their menus. What’s brilliant about The Newt, besides the modern opulence and attention to every single design detail, is the fact that it is a working estate with working people on it. There are all sorts of incredibly interesting people whose brains you can pick, from the head of compost to the chief of cheesemaking, making your stay feel like you’re hunkering down with extended family. Read more here
The Pig, Cotswolds
Hoteliers Robin and Judy Hutson struck hospitality gold when they launched The Pig, formerly known as Barnsley House, in the Cotswolds. Just about equidistant from the towns of Burford, Bourton-on-the-Water and Bibury, the 17th-century listed building that houses The Pig is decorated with one eye on the splendid ornamental gardens outside, replete with beautiful floral motifs and fauna tones throughout, punctuated with lots of antique furniture and rugs, and monsoon showers. The rooms boast that type of cosiness one finds hard to leave, but leave you must because the food at The Pig is exceptional. The restaurant gets all of its produce from the amazing kitchen gardens, and what it can’t get there, it sources within a 25-mile radius from named and traceable suppliers. As R&R goes, there is both a spa and a pub, depending on how you like to wind down.
Cowley Manor, Cheltenham
Set within a sprawling 55-acre estate, complete with serene lakes, formal gardens and woodlands, the recently refurbished Cowley Manor is a jewel in the crown of the Experimental Group, who have deftly taken a 19th-century Italianate house and turned it into a magnificent hotel. While the makeover is decidedly modern, it has been done with a soft touch, as well as respecting the heritage. The interplay between historic elements and contemporary furnishings is the sublime work of French designer Dorothée Meilichzon, who was inspired by the legend that says it was in Cowley’s gardens that one Lewis Carroll saw a white rabbit disappear beneath a hedge and began to dream up Alice in Wonderland. One could certainly lose oneself in the splendid cocktail bar, the centrepiece of which is the bright blue lava-stone bar top. The celebrated chef Jackson Boxer is the culinary clout behind the seasonal restaurant menu, with dishes such as fallow venison, smoked beetroot and blackberry, served up in an opulent wood-panelled dining room even the Queen of Hearts would be happy with.
Estelle Manor, Oxfordshire
Sharan Pasricha, the hotelier and entrepreneur behind the Hoxton hotels, Gleneagles and the uber-chic exclusive members’ club Maison Estelle in Mayfair, wanted to create a country hideaway not so hidden away, somewhere for his private members and their like to rest easy, have a good gossip and recharge their weary London batteries. He has managed to tick all boxes with Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire. Set on an 85-acre estate, Estelle Manor (formerly Eynsham Hall) is a Grade II-listed landmark house, surrounded by over 3,000 acres of beautiful parkland and lush gardens. The rooms are elegantly appointed affairs with lots of refined rural touches (the large walled garden room is our favourite, with views over the bucolic landscape). There are four restaurants to choose from, with the Brasserie being the sort of boisterous dining hall that’s perfect for a (very) long and boozy lunch; the Billiards Room, which serves up delightful dim sum; the Glasshouse, which is exactly that and great for family dinners; and The Armoury, where chef Sergej Leonenko has created a divine menu of sashimi, tempura, maki and robata classics. Another of the highlights is Estelle Manor’s incredible Roman-inspired spa, Eynsham Baths, which you’ll find down a winding path through a centuries-old forest. We can thoroughly recommend the “Thermal Journey” – makes hangovers disappear!
Kinross House Estate, Kinross-shire
One for the absolute ballers, or those HR/marketing execs out there looking for a corporate hospitality weekend, Kinross House Estate is an exclusive-use estate set among 4,000 acres of fine Scottish woodland, with its own private loch and island. The incredible gardens were originally designed by Sir William Bruce in 1685 and have since been restored to those very same plans by current owner Donald Fothergill. The house itself is Scotland’s first-ever Neoclassical Palladian mansion and has been lovingly and painstakingly restored to be what it was originally intended for – entertaining! The estate boasts 24 double bedrooms in total, all beautifully decorated in a characterful and refined aesthetic. There are two libraries: one gorgeous old book library and a vaulted whisky library hidden in the depths of the house. The Coach House includes a boutique day spa with hydrotherapy pool, sauna/heat room, three treatment rooms and post-treatment relaxation room, and a list of exquisite treatments. There is also the small matter of Loch Leven Castle, sitting on a small island in view of the house, famous for being where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in the 1560s.
Heckfield Place, Hampshire
Yet another stunning working estate, Heckfield Place in Hampshire sits among 400 acres of incredible parkland scenery. At its centre is the lovingly restored 18th-century Georgian family home. The elegant interiors manage to balance the 250-year-old history of the place with a very discerning eye for modern British interiors, resulting in a country house that feels so warm and inviting. Creaky English-oak floors serenade your every step around this gem of a place, with nooks sporting handcrafted furniture that just makes you want to sit everywhere! The food scene is equally well thought out, headed up by the brilliant Skye Gyngell, one of the earliest and most vocal advocates for seasonal eating. There’s a sort of bucolic serenity both inside and outside the main house, which is conducive to a wonderfully relaxing time, especially when you discover the wellness “bothy”, a 17,000-sq ft space in the wilderness where you can genuinely reconnect with the pace of nature.
Ryan Thompson is a UK-based menswear and lifestyle writer, whose work has appeared in, among other publications, the Financial Times, Mr Porter, The Rake and Ape to Gentleman
