Book It: Four British manor house hotels for a grand escape to the countryside
Every Lord and Lady needs a country house to retreat to at the weekend...
Burley Manor, New Forest
Best for... animal lovers
The low-down: Deep in the New Forest lies Burley Manor, a cosy yet contemporary country house hotel. Each bedroom is a photogenic blend of mellow antiques and zingingly coloured and patterned textiles, while more than a good number are dog friendly too. Book in for a restorative massage or simply settle down in front of the vast fireplace in the bar for a post-winter-dog-walk doze. In the hotel restaurant, a Mediterranean-influenced menu of rustic dishes is in keeping with Burley’s relaxed, fresh and modern take on luxury.
Out and about: The New Forest's spectacular semi-wild ponies are the major draw. They can be found wandering the village of Burley itself, or clustered on nearby moorland. If you're more into brake-horsepower than four legged-horsepower, head over to the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu.
Stella loves: The view across the deer park from the bedrooms at the front of the manor house.
Rates from £129 B&B; burleymanor.com
Read the full Burley Manor hotel review
• The best hotels in the New Forest
Gravetye Manor, Sussex
Best for… tradition with a twist
The low-down:Bursting with old-world charm – think wood-panelled rooms, cosy nooks, discreet service and a heavenly English country garden – Gravetye Manor is super-luxurious but never stuffy. This year it celebrates 60 years as a hotel with a fresh piece de resistance: a new dining room that is glassy, modern and bright but sits happily alongside the original 16th-century building. Dinner is courtesy of Michelin-starred chef George Blogg, who makes the most of the hotel’s magnificent walled kitchen garden – his multicoloured heritage tomato salad tasted as fabulous as it looked. Once cocooned in Gravetye’s genteel world, you won’t want to leave.
Out and about: Gravetye’s setting in 35 acres of gorgeous gardens’ – from breathtaking floral displays to meadows, a croquet lawn, orchard and lake – make it the perfect place to stroll or just stay put with a good book. But if you have a taste for more historic houses and gardens, Penshurst Place, Hever Castle and Borde Hill are all within striking distance.
Stella loves: A pre-dinner glass of English fizz by the roaring fire in the bar.
Rates from £275 per room; gravetyemanor.co.uk
Read the full Gravetye Manor hotel review
• The best country house hotels in Britain
Brownber Hall, Yorkshire Dales
Best for… outdoorsy types
The low-down:Brownber Hall makes you feel as if you're staying at your ultra-chic, super capable friends’ country pile. Located in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (and just 30 minutes from the Lake District), it’s an imposing manor house dating back to the 1860s and sits in acres of land where sheep and red squirrels roam. Owners Peter and Amanda – two thirtysomethings who moved here from London two years ago – have gone to great lengths to make Brownber more than a ‘guest house’. There’s an honesty bar, an awesome playlist, rooms are stylish and sumptuous, food is glorious (they do mean wood-fired sourdough pizzas at the weekend and serve rollicking breakfasts to set you up for the day) and the views out across the rolling Howgill Fells are breathtaking.
Out and about: Walk out of Brownber and straight onto the Howgill Fells for awesome views of both the Dales and the Lake District. Hill Top – the Lake District home Beatrix Potter bequeathed to the National Trust is a pretty hour’s drive from the guest house by car. The incredible Hardraw Force is the highest waterfall in the Dales and conveniently close to the Wensleydale Creamery, where you can stock up on some great Yorkshire cheese before heading home.
Stella loves: The homemade cakes and bottomless tea which greets you in the drawing room every time you return to the hotel.
Rates from £90 per room; brownberhall.co.uk
Balbirnie House, Fife
Best for… getting off grid
The low-down: In the heart of Fife, Balbirnie House is a glorious 18th-century Georgian pile set in the 400 acres of gorgeous parkland within the Regional Park of Lomond Hills. The two restaurants on site offer well sourced, deliciously cooked menus – don’t go home without trying the classic Moules Mariniere (Isle Of Lewes mussels in a white wine sauce) from the Bistro. Then fall in to a large, cosy bed in one of the 31 bedrooms, all decorated beautifully.
Out and about: If golf is your thing, Balbirnie House has an 18-hole course at golf club, clubhouse and dining room overlooking 18th green. If not, there are plenty of long country walks to explore starting from the hotel.
Stella loves: The gorgeous interiors; think dusty rose or rich green themed rooms.
Rates from £99 B&B; balbirnie.co.uk
Read the full Balbirnie House review
