Discover Historic Hartwell House Hotel in Buckinghamshire in 2023

In 1809, Hartwell House was leased to the exiled King Louis XVIII of France and his court. King Louis remained at Hartwell until 1814 when the constitutional document, confirming his accession to the throne, was signed in the library by the King. The impressive house, which has both Jacobean and Georgian facades, contains beautiful rooms with rococo ceilings, antique furniture and paintings, yet with every contemporary comfort. 

Hartwell House has 32 superbly appointed bedrooms and suites, some named after the members of the Court of Louis XVIII. Hartwell Court, originally the eighteenth-century coach house and situated approximately 100 yards from the house, has been restored to provide 16 bedrooms and suites. Here are 23 experiences in 2023 to enjoy in and around the hotel. 

1. Explore the Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with miles of footpaths rambling through beech-wood forests and alongside momentous waterways such as the Thames and Grand Union Canal. 

2. The Vale of Aylesbury is one of the most beautiful parts of Buckinghamshire, endowed with several grand properties. Spend time exploring and walking close to the hotel. 

3. Visit Waddesdon Manor just 15 minutes from Hartwell House. Waddesdon Manor, a French Renaissance-style château, was built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in the 1870s to entertain his guests and display his collection of art treasures. It houses one of the finest collections of French 18th century decorative arts and British portraiture and has been owned by the National Trust since 1957. 

4. Blenheim Palace is 50 minutes from Hartwell House. Blenheim Palace is over 300 years old and visitors can spend hours here exploring the castle and grounds.

5. For longer stays, the City of Oxford is located 45 minutes by road from Hartwell House. 

6. Hughenden located 30 minutes from Hartwell House offers a vivid insight into the charismatic personality and colourful private life of the most unlikely Victorian Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, who lived there from 1848 to 1881. 

7. Just a stone’s throw from Oxford and within easy reach of London, nestles Waterperry Gardens. Made famous by Beatrix Havergal who established her school of Horticulture for Ladies. 

8. Woburn Abbey first opened to the public in 1955 and has welcomed visitors from all over the globe. There are 22 rooms that you can experience, which house one of the most significant private art collections in the world. 

9. Stowe House & Gardens are located 45 minutes from Hartwell House. This National Trust Garden is gardening on the grandest scale and the beauty of Stowe has attracted visitors for over 300 years. Picture-perfect views, winding paths, lakeside walks and temples create a timeless landscape, reflecting the changing seasons. 

10. Ascott House is thought to date from 1606 when it was an old farmhouse. However, it has undergone many changes since being acquired by the Rothschild family in 1873. The house contains an exceptional collection of paintings, fine furniture and superb oriental porcelain. 

11. National Trust owned Claydon House has been the seat of the Verney family since 1620. The present house went through major redevelopment in the 18th century to rival the nearby Manor House at Stowe. 

12. Dorneywood has a beautiful 1930’s-style garden, with herbaceous borders, cottage garden and lily pond. 

13. Shopping fans can enjoy Bicester Village 30 minutes from Hartwell House.

Back at Hartwell House, set in over 90 acres of tranquil countryside, guests can enjoy…

14. Walk the Tree Guide and explore many trees across 94 acres Hartwell House’s gardens were landscaped by a contemporary of Capability Brown. Guests can follow a trail around the grounds with a copy of their Tree Map, to identify 10 prize specimens, from a Horse Chestnut and a London Plane tree to a Giant Sequoia (an 87- ft domed conifer which bears cones all year round).

15. Explore Garden Buildings and take a seat in the gardens The Gothic Tower is a romantic battlemented turret and a good place to start on any walk. A statue of Hercules can’t be missed whilst the Rusticated Arch now re-erected to provide a grand entrance to the SE corner of the grounds is a wonderful surprise when walking around the grounds.

16. Cross the famous Bridge within the Hartwell House grounds The Bridge comprises the central arch of James Paine’s Kew Bridge 1783-9. Walk across what was a road crossing over the Thames at Kew until increasing traffic required a wider bridge. The bridge looks as though it has always been at Hartwell. 

17. Time for Tennis or croquet in a tranquil setting There are two all-weather tennis courts in the grounds for guests to use throughout the year. These are perfectly secluded. Guests can enjoy a game of croquet on a lawn area in front of the library, which is set up throughout the year.

18. Walk along ‘Lime Avenue’ Aside from using the tree guide to explore, visible from a good distance, guests will admire ‘Lime Avenue’; a mile-long double avenue of limes which runs north from the house with 234 lime trees, planted in 1830.

19. Enjoy afternoon tea Sit back in The Great Hall which has little changed since it was transformed in 1739 by James Gibbs. The hall is home to open fireplaces, ideal to curl up by with a book or magazine and of course enjoy afternoon tea. 

20. The Library and The Morning Room Unwind before and after dinner in The Library which still has Rococo frieze and Chimneypiece and original bookcases. It is the perfect backdrop for a cocktail in a setting that has welcomed presidents and royalty. Admire the beautiful design and artwork in The Morning Room with a Rococo plasterwork ceiling and a matching chimneypiece. This room is perfect throughout the day and offers wonderful views of the gardens. 

21. Award-winning Cuisine Enjoy dinner in The Dining Room designed in the style of Sir John Soane and open daily to non-residents also. The classic British and European menu showcases local produce including from the hotel’s very own kitchen garden. 

22. Relax with a spa treatment Hartwell Spa in the grounds has a mosaic-lined indoor pool, sauna and steam room and gym. Spa treatments are offered in several treatment rooms.

23. Climb this way (hotel guests only) Take time to admire The Stairs showcasing original Jacobean woodwork and some familiar carved historic figures. Two of the balusters are carved to represent Winston Churchill and G K Chesterton. 

Hartwell House welcomes families with children over six years of age and selected rooms also welcome dogs by prior consent.

www.hartwell-house.com Hartwell House, Buckinghamshire, HP17 8NR 
B&B is priced from £260 per room per night and includes use of the spa facilities