Is there anything more chic than a September getaway?
For those unshackled by school term dates, or families looking for a last, local weekend away before temperatures drop, a stay in the transformed former workers’ cottages at Beaverbrook Hotel near Leatherhead in Surrey should be top of the wishlist.
Nestled in a secluded woodland on the 470-acre Beaverbrook estate, The Village is a collection of 10 staff cottages which have been transformed into 21 charming guest suites by London-based interior design studio Nicola Harding & Co. The estate is best-known for its late-Victorian, Neoclassical mansion house — now a luxury 18-room hotel — and ultra-exclusive golf course. The cost of a membership for the 18-hole course is a closely guarded secret but the local rumour mill suggests six-figure territory.
A bucolic setting, then, for the historical pile that was once home to newspaper baron and wartime minister Lord Beaverbrook for more than 50 years.
Canadian-British press baron and politician Max Aitken, also known as Lord Beaverbrook (and a one-time proprietor of the Evening Standard), snapped up the estate for £30,000 in 1910 after seeing it on a drive with his friend and author Rudyard Kipling. Other famous friends who visited Lord Beaverbrook’s home included prime ministers Sir Winston Churchill and Harold Macmillan, actress Elizabeth Taylor and authors Rebecca West and H.G Wells.
Today, the manor house is a luxury country hotel and spa that’s found popularity with honeymooners, families and foodies — the Japanese-inspired tasting menu in the Dining Room has become a star attraction in its own right.
The interiors of the main house are by designer Susie Atkinson, who has also designed properties for Soho House. No surprise then that it is packed with opulent colour, fabrics and patterns. Think plush velvet sofas, fringed curtains, bespoke art and open fireplaces. In the cosy bar area, pink walls are covered in framed botanic paintings by Victorian botanical artist Marianne North.
Set apart from the main house, in fact around five minutes away by golf buggy, the Village is a relaxed, effortlessly chic alternative to the grandeur of the main hotel — with all the luxury details you’d expect from the estate.
The project to transform the cottages into 21 suites was spearheaded by Nicola Harding and effectively doubled the hotel’s guest accommodation in one fell swoop.
The cottages “needed to be brought back to life”, says Harding of the project, “We were brought in to create the feel of a traditional English village.”
“Guests are offered the choice of balconies, terraces and private gardens, along with vaulted ceilings, four-poster beds and interconnectable rooms.
Harding adds: “Six of the cottages have cute, curtained bunk beds that feel like railway carriages in a children’s storybook.”
Rooms are named after historical literary and artistic figures, from the Brontë Sisters to William Wordsworth, and keen-eyed guests will spot subtle tributes in the form of accessories like framed poems, quotes and books on open shelves.
Colour and pattern clashes are fresh and fun — think greens and pinks, stripes against floral wallpapers — while striking, oversized lamps and statement armchairs will give you plenty of inspiration to take home with you.
Which room?
If budget allows, a stay in the main house is one for the memory books. Rooms here cost from £850 a night.
The Village offers a slightly lower rate, in peaceful surroundings and only a short buggy ride from the main house. It is closer to the Garden House restaurant too which may appeal to families or groups celebrating a special occasion. Rooms in The Village cost from £600 a night, including breakfast.
The Garden House and Coach House also have guest rooms, some of which are pet friendly. A cosy room in the Garden House costs from £610 a night, including breakfast.
Where to eat?
Make memories with a blowout meal at the Garden House — there’s a real buzz here, food is fresh with much of it from the walled vegetable garden next door and staff are keen to report back on new menu choices or flavour combinations.
Much has been written about the star choice, the Dining Room’s Japanese-inspired grill. The eight-course tasting menu costs £125 per person (or £250 with wine pairings). Head chef Wojciech Popow honed his skills at restaurants such as Noma in Copenhagen and Yashin in west London. Signature dishes include Japanese red sea bream (Madai) nigiri with Tosa soy and foraged Cornish wood ants.
Mrs Beecham’s is a relaxed, child-friendly affair. There are plenty of gastropub-type options to pick from.
An evening meal at the Garden House and breakfast (included in your room rate) in Mrs Beecham’s is an efficient way to experience both settings. Breakfasts can also be ordered to rooms for no additional charge which is certainly tempting when faced with the prospect of having to emerge from your four poster bed.
Good to know
Facilities are open to guests even after check out. So no need to hurry off the premises by 11am. Instead head to the Coach House spa for a last swim, book a treatment or Padel game to prolong that summer holiday treat feeling.
All the fun isn’t saved for the child-free of course. Parents of school-aged children who’ve managed to navigate six weeks of summer holiday camps, agonisingly slow tours of the M25 or a few fractious days on the Med, plus their day jobs, might be deserving of some rest and relaxation this term. They’ll find it here.
