The chance to sleep with history on a grand scale at Hartwell House
Now owned by the National Trust and filled with antique treasures, Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire is no ordinary hotel. It’s part of living history. Once the ancestral seat of some of England’s most illustrious families, it has been home to an exiled French king, and a Chancellor of the Exchequer.
As you wander the grounds of the Grade I-listed historic house, with its avenues of trees, croquet lawn and church, it’s easy to imagine constitutional documents being signed here, witnessing key moments in history. Presidents have stayed here as well as under-the-radar stars.
But Hartwell also offers every contemporary comfort to guests. Restored by Historic House Hotels, it features 48 superbly appointed bedrooms and suites, award-winning dining, a spa with state-of-the art treatments, and 94 acres of gardens and parkland. No wonder it has been awarded 4 Red Stars: The AA’s supreme accolade for hotels.
The present building dates to the 17th century, but its history stretches back nearly a 1,000 years to Edward the Confessor. Hartwell House was first mentioned in the Doomsday Book as belonging to William Peverel, a natural son of William the Conqueror. And today every inch of this stately home has a story to tell.
Behind the Jacobean facade, it has fine Georgian interiors, with rococo marble chimney pieces, decorative ceilings and a great hall in baroque style. The grand stairway features a brilliantly eccentric mix of carved figures including Sir Winston Churchill and G K Chesterton.
You can take afternoon tea in The Great Hall (the oldest part of the house) with its open fireplaces; or unwind before dinner in The Library, and admire the rococo frieze and chimneypiece and original bookcases with gilt-brass wirework.
The principal dining room is designed in the style of eminent early-19th century architect, Sir John Soane, and based on a room in 11 Downing Street, home of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with elegant arches and delicate detailing.
Awarded two AA rosettes, Executive Head Chef Daniel Richardson has been at Hartwell House for 30 years and works closely with local suppliers and the hotel’s gardening team to ensure the menu’s ingredients are fresh and seasonal. The impressive Hartwell cellar won the AA’ s Notable Wine List award for 2023.
Restoration work has stayed true to the integrity of the house. But modern luxury is the byword. Hartwell’s spa, with its mosaic-lined indoor pool, offers cutting-edge facials by 111SKIN Harley Street London Treatments, the luxury anti-ageing skincare range created by aesthetic surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides. Hartwell has just been nominated for the new AA Spa Awards – as a Recommended Spa Hotel. There’s a sauna, steam room and gym, plus all-weather tennis courts in the old walled garden. Clay pigeon shooting and archery can be arranged in the grounds.
Hartwell’s magnificent gardens were landscaped by a contemporary of Capability Brown. There’s a private lake and bridge (created from the central arch of James Paine’s Kew Bridge, built in the 18th century), a romantic Gothic Tower, a classical Italianate Ionic Temple, an obelisk and a mile-long double avenue of lime trees.
Situated within the Vale of Aylesbury and on the edge of the Chilterns, in an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’, the hotel is just 40 miles northwest from London. Yet it’s so peaceful and secluded, the stresses of city life quickly fall away.
And this is a chance to sleep with history on a grand scale. Hartwell was built as a family home in the 1600s (for the Hampden and Lee families, from whom the Confederate General Robert E. Lee was descended). But then it became a regal residence in 1809 when it was leased to the exiled King Louis XVIII of France and his Queen, Marie Josephine de Savoie.
King Louis remained at Hartwell until 1814 when the constitutional document, confirming his accession to the French throne, was signed in the Library by the King. ‘Why wouldst thou leave calm Hartwell’s green abode?’ marvelled Lord Byron of Louis’s departure. Why indeed?
It still feels like a royal retreat today, thanks to painstaking restoration work on the Royal Suites and Rooms. You can stay in the Duchess d’Angouleme room, once occupied by the daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, which features a sumptuous four-poster bed and window seats overlooking the parkland.
The house remained in the possession of the original families until 1938, when it was purchased by the grandson of Thomas Cook, founder of Cook’s Travel Agency.
Part of the fascination of a visit to Hartwell, of course, is the way the building has evolved over the centuries, thanks to its eminent residents. When the French court arrived, the roof was converted into a miniature farm, where birds and rabbits were reared in cages, and vegetables and herbs cultivated in densely planted tubs. Shops were opened in the outbuildings by the French émigrés short of money.
Since then, it’s been a temperance hall, a museum and an astronomical observatory. During the Second World War, Hartwell served as an Army billet for British and American troops. It even functioned as a girls’ finishing school at one point.
But then in July 1989 Hartwell House opened as an hotel. One of England’s finest stately homes had been saved for the nation to enjoy.
In September 2008, the hotel was donated to the National Trust to ensure its long-term protection. It continues to be managed by Historic House Hotels, who believe passionately in investing in staff and the UK hospitality business.
In 2023 the hotel celebrated the achievements of several younger members of the team. Ben Mabley started working at Hartwell House in 2017 as an apprentice and now holds the position of Senior Chef de Partie under Executive Head Chef Daniel Richardson. He recently competed in the National Young Chef of the Year and was awarded third prize at the World Young Chef Young Waiter in Monaco (representing England). While Ellie Smith, who began her Hartwell journey as an apprentice at hotel reception in 2019, has just graduated from her MIT programme and now holds a full-time position as an Assistant Manager at Hartwell House, supervised by Kevin Hughes, Director, and General Manager.
After playing host to royals and dignitaries for centuries, Hartwell continues to extend a warm welcome to guests, combining the very best of ancient and modern hospitality. Book in now, and become a part of living history.
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 £295 per room per night and includes use of the spa facilities
