Found on the cusp of the wilds of the Peak District, Callow Hall is no ordinary traditional country-house hotel. This, the first property of the Wildhive brand, may be housed in a Grade II-listed building, complete with feature staircase, imposing fireplaces and stone-framed windows, but yet it manages to feel thoroughly modern.
Launched by hands-on hoteliers Ed Burrows and Charles Randall, the aim is to offer guests a total ‘switch-off’ with a purposely laid-back approach, stylish aesthetic and by immersing guests in nature.
Overseeing its three-year renovation was interior designer Isabella Worsley, who was charged with creating a warm and welcoming ‘home-from-home’. She doesn’t disappoint. Step through the grand portico, passing the giant 800-year-old Cedar tree, and it’s like you’ve arrived at someone’s beautifully appointed home for the weekend.
Originally dating back to the 1850s, £7 million has been spent on overhauling the original Victorian manor house and surrounding grounds – it had previously been part of the Von Essen Group (the luxury hotel brand which famously fell into bankruptcy). Out went the fussy drapes, the overblown chintz and overstuffed chairs – often de rigueur in English country mansions – and in came Worsley’s signature ‘breath of fresh air’ design style.
Calling on the great outdoors, shades of green are used everywhere – from the moss shaded walls of the reception area to the peacock hues of the drawing room; from the vintage emerald crystal decanters to the misshapen sea-green glass lamps. One of the downstairs rooms – used as a private dining space – has a spectacular mural wallpaper by artist Melissa White, depicting rural scenes from the hotel grounds and the surrounding Peak District. Whimsical touches referencing nature are also delightful – such as the charming artwork of dancing figures made from dried flowers; the close-up floral photography and vintage botanical prints, not to mention the posies of fresh flowers and bowls of plants dotted on many of the surfaces.
Drawing and living rooms are characterful with a mix-match of furniture and antique finds: think rose-pink striped chairs backed in Ikat fabric, paisley cushions and soft seagrass carpets underfoot. The same style is found across the 15 bedrooms in the main house. Each have their own design – including stand-alone tubs, deep (and utterly) cocooning beds laid with cheerful bed-linens and patterned textiles.
Set in 35 acres of quintessential English countryside, it would be hard for the hotel not to champion the surroundings. Views from all the windows look out over a patchwork of undulating fields and meadows. Go for an early morning walk and the only soundtrack is of song-birds and woodpeckers. Glorious. When you return for breakfast, taken in the light-drenched The Garden Room – the modern glass restaurant with living roof – it feels like you are sipping your coffee amid the trees.
For those wanting to be further immersed in nature, the hotel also has 11 one-bedroom woodland hives dotted in the woods to retreat to. The cosy, wood-clad huts have en-suite bathrooms, chef’s cupboards and outdoor seating – perfect for a romantic stay à deux. Furthermore, soon to launch are two larger treehouses, which will place families. or groups of friends, high up in the woodland canopy. With wraparound decks, outdoor tubs and communal fire-pits, these will reinvent the idea of the typical hotel stay, with guests having the freedom to dip in and out of the hotel’s facilities, and children allowed to safely roam free within the idyllic surrounds.
By day, the hotel is wonderfully placed to explore this quiet corner of Derbyshire. On the doorstep, for instance, is the Tissington Trail, a 13-mile route which you can walk or cycle (the hotel can arrange e-bikes) and which takes you directly into the Peak District. You can plan your route, and borrow any kit you need, in the Map Room. Meanwhile, the nearest town is Ashbourne, a genteel 20-minute stroll away, and which is filled with gift shops and tea rooms and certainly worth an afternoon’s amble around.
For those wanting more of a restorative experience, then head to the hotel’s converted Coach House, found at the front of the house, and which has been turned into a wellness space, with beauty therapies and yoga on offer. For something ‘of the land’ ask for the signature Wildhive Facial which uses honey made on site from the Callow Hall bees and leaves you practically buzzing with a new-found glow.
Dining at Callow Hall captures the same laid-back approach married with tons of local charm, and does away with any of the usual fussiness you sometimes find at country hotels. Kick your meal off with one of the signature cocktails – such as the gin-based Orange & Star Anise Bees Knees – crafted for the winter season by head bartender Munro. Perch at the glamorous bar, or take your time in the nearby library (where the shelves are lined with vintage children’s books).
Needless to say, chef David Bukowicki’s menu champions seasonality and the best local produce he can source from artisan suppliers, as well as that grown in Callow Hall’s own kitchen garden. Highlights include the Baked Guernsleigh Smoked Brie, which comes oozing with black garlic and thyme – and drizzled with Wildhive honey. Be warned: it’s addictively good, and you won’t be able to stop scooping it up with the home-made focaccia. For mains, don’t miss the Calke Abbey Venison Loin, which is buttery soft and deeply flavoursome with its coffee crust. It is served with Jerusalem artichoke and Shetland black potatoes. Rather than mere ‘after-thoughts’, there are also innovative vegetarian dishes on offer, including a Beetroot & Walnut Wellington and a delicious Cauliflower Steak, with white bean puree, harissa and Padron peppers.
Wildhive’s ambition is to create a collection of similar hotel-houses found in the lesser-known parts of the UK. Callow’s general manager Jeremey Whitworth thinks the team may have found something near Norfolk to work on next. “But it has to be right,” he says. Indeed. For Callow Hall is a hard act to follow.
