More like a private house than a hotel, Elizabethan Langshott Manor is often taken over for exclusive use – whether for weddings or multi-generational family get-togethers. In between, it’s bookable by the room for the overnight ‘Lovely Langshott’ experience, which begins with a pre-stay phone call from the concierge, followed by a glass of locally-produced sparkling wine and a tour on arrival. The 22 rooms are individually decorated in a range of styles from grand and traditional to intimate and cosy, and include suites named after Henry VIII and his wives. Guests can tuck into afternoon tea served on vintage crockery in the lounge, play boardgames or sip pre-dinner cocktails by the fire; dinner (braised lamb shank say, or fish pie) is served in The Mulberry restaurant’s elegant dining room.
Set on the edge of the Chilterns just two miles from the market town of Aylesbury, this former stately home is one of three Historic House Hotels owned by the National Trust. A sweeping drive runs alongside the ruins of a gothic church before opening up to reveal an impressive avenue of trees. The Grade I-listed Jacobean and Georgian house itself has been sensitively restored and now has a gorgeous drawing room for afternoon tea; the Soane Room, a fine dining restaurant for Sunday lunches and candlelit suppers; and individually designed, classic rooms. The rest of the rooms are in Hartwell Court, a former riding school and stables, and The Old Rectory, a four-room hideaway that’s ideal for self-catering and groups of friends holidaying together. The 90 acres of gardens and parkland feature a lake and orchard, and green-fingered guests can book a tour with the head gardener.
