http://www.harpersbazaar.com/ukCliveden House BERKSHIRE
Following a multimillion-pound restoration that culminated in
the opening of a magnificent spa and the hosting of the royal bride-
to-be Meghan Markle on the eve of her wedding, Cliveden House
is at the very top of its game. After a majestic arrival via one of the
most impressive driveways in Britain, you step into the grand
entrance hall, which is adorned with mediaeval tapestries, oil
paintings and gleaming suits of armour. Upstairs, you’ll find
refined yet comfortable bedrooms with four-posters and arm-
chairs, and marble-clad bathrooms with deep roll-top baths. The
service is faultless, whether the team are
mixing you dirty martinis at the bar or
slicing a selection of the finest cheese from
the trolley in the splendid dining-room,
b u t yo u’ l l b e g l a d t o he lp yo u r s e l f f r o m t he
bacchanalian breakfast buffet and enjoy a
feast looking out over the Parterre and
across the Thames Valley. LH
Cliveden House, from £495 a room a night
(www.clivedenhouse.co.uk).
Dormy House THE COTSWOLDS
Perfectly located for guests keen to explore the quaint village of Broadway, Dormy
House is a haven of rest and relaxation, some two hours’ drive from London on the
400-acre Farncombe Estate. Most visitors come to experience the superlative spa,
which offers soothing delights including a candlelit swimming pool lined with
cloud-like loungers, and a Finnish cabin where you can recline in juniper-laced dry
heat. There are also six treatment-rooms in which to enjoy tranquil massages and
rejuvenating facials using Temple Spa products. But the hotel’s latest draw is Mo,
a chef ’s-table experience where just 12 diners at a time gather to enjoy a seven-
course seasonal tasting menu that champions the finest local ingredients, from duck
liver and crab to celeriac, fig and blackberry. SOPHIE CHAPMAN
Dormy House, from £269 a room a night (www.dormyhouse.co.uk).