Cliveden, Chewton Glen, and 11 Cadogan.
You may have heard of the Cliveden House for a couple reasons. Meghan Markle stayed there the night before her Royal Wedding, although mum's the word on which suite she was actually in. Cliveden is also famous (or infamous) for the now-best seller Mistresses of Cliveden by Natalie Livingstone, that chronicles the rich, scandalous lives of the families that lived and stayed there. I highly recommend this book if you're into British history and the likes of Downton Abbey!
Only about a 25 minute ride from Heathrow by car, Cliveden is a great 5-star stop to combine with other parts of England. It's a popular stay for Wimbledon and visits to Windsor Castle (only about 9 miles away). The scandalous history of the house is the best part, most infamous for the Profumo Affair that all but destroyed the government. They will give tours of the grounds that include a lot of these stories. The hotel is part of the National Trust, which maintains and preserves the property. Original art work, tapestries, etc are still on display and untouchable by the hotel. One of the most impressive things to me was that these masterpieces are just scattered throughout the house, out in the open. We saw multiple children running around and I was very impressed by the lack of stuffiness and “rules.”
Despite all of the historical importance, it was still extremely inviting and comfortable. The grounds are expansive, and I was only able to cover a very small portion. There are miles and miles of trails to explore. In the summer months, they offer boat rides along the Thames, among many other activities. Some nice touches that I really enjoyed: all guests are welcomed with a split of Veuve Clicquot, each suite has a different name and they add the guest's names to the door for a nice personal touch.
Chewton Glen was my favorite of the 3 properties. To get there, you come through the New Forest which offers tons of activities alone. An easy two hour train from London Waterloo, also accessible to Gatwick if you switch at Southampton Central. The coastline is just a 20 minute walk down the Chewton Bunny Trail, opening guests up to miles of beach and trails. When you arrive at this gorgeous countryside house, you are immediately struck by the expanse (130 acres). Right away I loved the quintessential English glamour combined with the traditional and modern. Chewton Glen has an award winning spa with hydrotherapy pools, a gym, a spa café, a main dining room (with over 1966 bottles of wine), a library bar, and many other quiet areas to relax.
On their grounds they harvest everything from flowers to plants to vegetables and more. They have green houses, a cookery school where guests can choose from hundreds of cooking classes, and are breeding queen bees in 70 beehives. They offer unique activities like falconry, duck herding, clay pigeon and black powder shooting, and archery. Many of them require advanced booking as they bring in someone to run them. It is the only place in the area with clay pigeon shooting offered 6 days a week. We did falconry and it was a really cool experience. We got to see these amazing birds of prey up close and watch them work in their natural habitat.
11 Cadogan is spread across four Victorian town houses in the Chelsea neighborhood of London, right near Sloane Square, making it easily accessible to most of the tourist attractions, yet tucked away from the craziness. It’s about a 10 minute walk to Harrods, Hyde Park, and many shopping areas. The Han’s Bar & Grill has access to the public via Pavilion Road and was bustling when we were there for lunch. They also have a cozy bar, and lounge areas throughout the hotel. Room #007 is the only one accessible from its own separate entrance (they have to go outside). There is no spa here, but they use one across the street. And FYI, the bed was the most comfortable ever! I absolutely loved this hotel, and the location, ambiance, and service make it the perfect place to stay in London.
