Wylde World: Cliveden House, Buckinghamshire
Report by Leanne Bracey
Standing proudly at the end of its 300-metre-long drive is the Grand Dame hotel, Cliveden, one of England’s finest stately homes, situated in Buckinghamshire.
This place is a treasure box full of rich history, spanning 350 years; the meeting place of Christine Keeler and John Profumo and more recently, the hotel Meghan Markle stayed, the night before she married. What lies beyond the house is an immaculate lawn, pristine topiary and woodland stretching out to the River Thames; impressive gardens showing all the colours of Autumn during our stay. William Bertram, the architect in charge of the conversion from stately home to hotel in 1986 did a splendid job, with virtually no alteration to the structure of the house. The main aim was to bring Cliveden back to its Edwardian heyday. The National Trust have lovingly looked after the property and its gardens with the utmost respect.
As we pull up that grand drive in my fairly old Polo, we’re beckoned by the concierge. He opens the door and asks for my reason for visiting. “We’re staying the night,” I nervously say. I look about the car park with its impressive array of swish expensive models and suddenly feel embarrassed about my blue VW covered in dog hairs and mud. But quite the professional, he ignores this. “Madam, please don’t worry, I'll take care of this for you… just enjoy the experience”. And with that, I make excuses for its messy interior, hand him the keys and blame it on the dog. The staff here are exceptional; from the bellboy who is joyfully chatty, to the sommelier and receptionist; professional, unstuffy; clearly marvellous at their jobs.
We’ve arrived earlier than our 3pm check-in time so we head to the spa area (see below), Sunday newspapers in hand, for a bit of relaxing and a back-pummelling massage. Spas have moved on a lot since the days of a simple jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and pool. Cliveden has all these, of course, plus a famous outdoor heated pool (said to be the meeting place of Profumo and Keeler) and two jacuzzis. Granted, compared to the day spas of of somewhere like Rudding Park for example, you could say Cliveden’s offering is perhaps a little bit lacking, but there’s so much more to enjoy at the hotel that it really doesn’t matter. I enjoy the heat from the jacuzzi mixed with the cold from the crisp autumnal afternoon air in the surrounds of the pretty walled garden. We refuel with a relaxed lunch; salad served with ‘protein’, and power potatoes with spiced chicken, golden raisins and sumac yoghurt filling. Nice and fairly simple.
Over in the Grand Hall, its heavy crimson fabrics stir up a festive feel, the gothic style staircase sweeping up to the heavens, the fire crackling in the wonderfully 16th century carved fireplace, afternoon tea in full swing. I bet the walls of this hotel could tell a few stories! At one point the Astors reigned when William Waldorf Astor brought the house in 1893. Nancy Astor, our first female politician, held countless parties at Cliveden in the early 20th century, giving rise to ‘the Cliveden Set’. The French Dining room, its dazzling walls of gold and Rococo surroundings were once host to Churchill, Chaplin and Gandhi, is now an aspirational wedding destination. The hotel also boasts a cellar dining room, once home to Lord Astor’s extensive wine collection, an indoor tennis court – the oldest in England, a maze made from over 1,000 yew trees, a boathouse full of beautiful vessels that can quickly whizz you down the Thames, so many acres of stunning gardens and tucked away is the gorgeous 3 bedroomed Spring Cottage, lovingly restored in 2012, perfect for a special occasion.
Our room, The Orkney, is on the ground floor, and it’s huge. No bed, sideboard or lamp at Cliveden is the same; everything is individual. The rooms are named after people who’ve played big parts in the history of the hotel. One might fancy a glorious four-poster bed in the wood-panelled Canning suite. The masculine snooker-hall type colours of the Mountbatten suite could suit another or a night sleeping in the very bed Queen Victoria once slumbered in in the Sutherland suite might appeal to another. I wonder which one Megan stayed in..? Ours, said to be one of the best in the hotel, is quite simply, vast. It’s bigger than my flat. The room has a king-sized marshmallow of a bed set apart from a separate sitting room and bathroom that’s almost hidden, and just a stone's throw away from the gardens. We clean our teeth close to passers by enjoying the grounds on a day out, which I find rather amusing.
We settle in the residents’ bar for a few hours before dinner, a cosy snug space perfect for a cold autumn evening. Madeleine Peyroux plays in the background, the wood panelling feels intimate and the lighting sets the tone perfectly. The Profumo cocktail, created in memory of the scandal is a fruity number; gin mixed with strawberry liqueur, lychee and topped with pink fizz. This is quite the setting for a romantic occasion with a loved one. Eating dinner late means we end up having the run of the dining room; it’s lighter design is still atmospheric enough to make it feel charming. A rich, twice-baked cheese soufflé isn’t a pretty picture to look at, but tastes utterly wonderful. Autumn black truffle risotto is decadent and rich. The Longhorn Beef Wellington is perfectly pink, soft and tender with a delicate pastry, served with some Roscoff onions and a side of perfectly tender potato gratin. Don’t reject the wine waiter’ choice of drink – they match perfectly. Full to the brim, I decline dessert, until I see the blackberry mousse. I’m thankful the comfy chairs are large enough to accommodate my ever-growing behind! Still, I’m back in the morning, enjoying Eggs Benedict, the breakfast buffet spread and the views out over the stunning gardens. It’s as if I’ve totally forgotten about all of the rich food the night before. I suppose it’s not everyday you get to stay in a hotel like this.
I can see why people choose to come back here repeatedly, whether for afternoon tea or a weekend away. Cliveden has a special spark about it, an atmosphere that encourages decadence yet utter relaxation, made all the better by such splendid staff. With the constant opening of newer bigger and better hotels, this one sort of has to up it’s game to remain in the game. But i don’t think it needs to. It’s stood the test of time for so many years and will for many more to come.
Rooms from £445