HAMPSHIRE, England - Okay, so Heckfield Place is a really, really nice hotel. Yes, that's a pretty basic way to start a hotel review, but when the hotel in question has been hyped to the extent Heckfield Place has, it's just best to cut to the chase. A lovingly restored — and I don't write that lightly, as the hotel ran six years past its original opening date — Georgian home in Hampshire, it is just an hour's car journey from London (45 minutes from Heathrow), yet surrounded by 400 acres of ludicrously blissful grounds, giving those based in the capital plenty of rural idyll for their minimal schlep. When it finally opened at the end of last summer, reviews glowed, influencers gloated, and naturally I wanted in. So midweek in mid-November with my husband and eight-week-old baby in tow, I checked into what I expected to be the perfect country house hotel. Did it live up to the hype? In short ... nearly.
On Site: The grounds are certainly deserving of all the hype. The lake, complete with its magnificently tall fountain, is a sight to behold, especially as the sun begins to set. The fountain actually sparkles. There is currently a small spa, Little Bothy, with three treatment rooms, an infinity pool, and plans for expansion. A beautiful Old Hollywood-esque cinema room with plush leather chairs and old-school brass lamps shows mid-week screenings of recent openings as well as hosts various talks from the likes of designer Giles Deacon and former British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman. The hotel also offers various walks and workshops with onsite experts — the farmer, gardener, florist, arborist, and sommelier.
Food and Drink: So here is the bit where I was, surprisingly, underwhelmed. Especially as Michelin-starred, big-deal chef Skye Gyngell is culinary director at the hotel. Everything at Heckfield Place is about working with the land and using as much homegrown produce from their onsite biodynamic farm as possible, so menus constantly change. There are two restaurants: the beautiful, light-filled Marle with a terrace looking out over the lake, which is bound to be the most perfect place to guzzle, er I mean, sip rosé in the summer months; and Hearth, which is only open to guests and only on weekends (so I didn't get a chance to try it) housed in the estate's former stables. While the food in Marle was good (shout out to the wonderful crispy potatoes topped with black garlic vinaigrette, sour cream, and herbs, which we ordered twice), I wasn't blown away. The menu didn't change between lunch and dinner over the two nights we stayed there, so it began to feel a little much, especially when a spot of lunch costs £60 (a side salad of leaves literally grown a stone's throw away for £9 felt a little ridiculous). We craved something lighter and less fancy, and the hotel did rustle up some toasties one evening for us, but they were the size of my head, so not quite the lighter option I was after. I did, however, enjoy the green juice with my rye and buckwheat pancakes at breakfast, also served in Marle. I've been told Marle is now offering a set lunch menu which may well deliver the variety we missed.
Rates change seasonally and start at $450 per night. Click here for reservations, or contact the Fathom Concierge and we can plan your trip for you.
Delightful staff — whose uniforms were apparently inspired by the original Far From the Madding Crowd and look as though Vivienne Westwood designed a Little House on the Prairie collection — sent us for a little stroll around the nearby town of Hartley Wintney. With its antique stores, old-fashioned sweet shop, and lovely pub, The Phoenix Inn, the outing was a perfect way to spend a cold, rainy afternoon. For the more adventurous, the hotel can arrange activities at a cost, from a round of golf to an Aston Martin driving experience.
Abigail is the features editor of Guardian Weekend. You can follow her @abigailradnor on Twitter and Instagram. She travels for the mental reset. And for the people watching at cocktail hour.