“Why wouldst thou leave calm Hartwell’s green abode”? – asked Lord Byron in 1814 about Louis XVIII’s withdrawal to France.
Indeed why?! Nestled in the historically rich county of Buckinghamshire inaugurated with an illustrious genesis as an eminent family abode around the 1600s, the treasured British habitat of Hartwell House has perpetually embodied its noble depiction as a stately symbol of grandiosity, to soon become the pedigreed residence for King Louis XVIII of France in 1809, where the French royal family then lived in exile.
As we sashay into our more current era, this exquisite, Grade I listed country abode has proudly been resting under the sanctuary of the coveted Historic House Hotels alongside its equally imperial hospitality siblings of the Bodysgallen Hall in North Wales, and York’s Middlethorpe Hall with all three properties in the shelter of the National Trust conversation charity, since September 2008 to ensure their eternal safeguarding.
With the UK’s discerning natives and visitants captivated under the spell of the world of Austen and Bridgerton, the invitation to welcome this immersive staycation crusade into my world and heart, could not have emerged at any a more idyllic occasion to bask in a 48-hour literacy nirvana, dripping in esteemed royal chronicles, gloried lodgings and candlelight epicurean encounters, right on the edge of a quintessential quarter exhibiting true, vibrant botanical beauty.
The Hartwell History
A magnificent near 1,000-year chronology abundant with yesteryear wealth, the bygone memoirs of Hartwell House can be traced back during the reign of Edward the Confesso, built by country gentleman and politician Sir Alexander Hampden, between the periods of 1570 and 1617.
Throughout its high-brow timeline, the gloried dwelling of Hartwell House has sheltered a legion of distinguished residents within their grandeur settings, from Sir Alexander Hampden himself (d.1627) who was knighted by James I in his home, the Rt Hon Sir William Lee (1688-1754) earning the title of Lord Chief Justice also serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer; to one of the most notable residents King Louis XVIII whom had held court at Hartwell House from 1809 to 1814.
The house and its estate were then in 1938 purchased by Ernest Cook, a millionaire lone wolf and grandson of celebrated Victorian travel tycoon, Thomas Cook, before it’s lavish hotel renaissance under the wing of Historic House Hotels Ltd.
Reviving the vibrant gardens and sacred Georgian interior adornments which were tragically tarnished due to a fire in 1963, Hartwell House had finally re-emerged in a magnolious new chapter as grandiose hotel in July 1989, and continues to spend its golden decades playing master of ceremonies to an assemblage of the most powerful grandees, and distinguished personalities across the sphere.
Grade I- Listed Resplendence
Hartwell House rests on the edge of the scenic Chilterns in an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’, a mere two miles from Buckinghamshire’s Tudor town of Aylesbury. Cocooned in a blooming countryside oasis stretching out to 90 vibrant emerald acres of landscaped gardens and parkland, the hotel revels in the pride of its rural-like ambience, all the while pinpointed a trivial 20 minutes from Oxford and a leisurely hour’s train commute from the scurry of London.
Strolling past the charming gothic ruins of the chocolate-box church edged by the hotel’s circular driveway, I found myself in the striking presence of a Herculean equestrian statue of Frederick Prince of Wales before turning my eyes to an exquisite exterior armour sheathed in sandy-hued stone bricks, and a treasured sculpted Jacobean facade as the debonair cadre besuited in their formal finery greeted me with spirited gusto to then chaperon me through the elaborate arched entranced adorned with wood carved doors, and into the historical magic of Hartwell’s regency magnificence.
Devoted to having their refined gentry guests living like a lady or lord of the manor, every corner of Hartwell House seeks to tell a tale from their many a precious pages, restored for their 21st Century clientele whilst honouring the estate’s bygone Georgian aesthetics.
Showcasing raw timeless opulence throughout, the settings of the Great Hall placed at the entrance had stood loyal to their seventeenth-century proportions, enlivened by James Gibbs around the mid-1700s with smooth pale cream walls enriched with lustrous oil paintings of Prince Rupert of the Rhine and Studio of Sir Peter Lely, and a Rococo confectionary of decorative Baroque ceilings, priceless antiques and a scrupulously engraved fireplace yearning for a soothing nightcap encounter.
Ever the immaculately courteous reception crew concluding the check-in ongoings as swiftly as a blink of an eye, the concierge team armed with gallant chivalry wasted not a moment to patiently shepherd me up the wondrous spectacle of the staircase bearing eccentric figures of the likes of Sir Winston Churchill and G K Chesterton.
This moment also allowed me to lose myself in the rich vibrant ambience of the emerald green carpets, Turkish rose-hued walls and a majestic antique chandelier illuminating its candlelight glow over the flight of steps, before finally disembarking into the blissful solace of my divine weekend dwellings.
Bonny Boudoir Dwellings
48 delightful enchanting rooms and suites reside within the sublime habitat of Hartwell House, spread across the Main House, Hartwell Court and The Old Rectory all uniquely tailored in a palatial country house attire, to befit even the most honoured Duke or Duchess.
The soothing comforts of Hartwell Court’s classic courtrooms play to a humble yet elegant home-grown charm, parading soft pastel colour palettes and minimalistic furnishings to reign the spotlight on the courtyard and earthy fresh botanic vistas, for residents to drink in from the warmth of their sleeping quarters.
Zeroing in on a luxurious secluded essence set in an exclusive two-acre garden territory, the Georgian habitat of The Old Rectory adopts a traditional verve of silk curtain drapes and floral bedding, while bedecked with the modern day mod cons, private gated access and outdoor swimming pool perfect for intimate soirées and family gatherings.
A quintessential grandiose encounter showing off the epitome of royal winsome hotel rhapsody, it was two of the main house’s endearing shelters of the Royal Four Poster Rooms carefully selected to call home for 48 hours, having played host to King Louis XVIII and his Queen titled as the Duchess of Angoulême, and King Louis XVIII rooms with their names chiselled onto a bronze golden crest of their respective doors.
Day 1: The Duchess of Angoulême Room
Christened after Marie Thérèse of France, the eldest child and daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the backdrop of this enchanting chamber could only be summarised as an ethereal vision of untainted decorous beauty, basking in a golden cocoon of natural sun-rays beaming with fervour through the bedroom’s space with minimalist furnishings to embrace the room’s vast breadth .
Courtesy of Jane Compton, it was this beloved chatelaine of Newby Hall and her interior panache weaving its design artistry inside the confinements of Marie Thérèse’s palatial quarters, sheathed in a purified buttermilk shade brought to life by the elaborate patterned carpet, enveloping the floor in its deep ruby red hues.
Adding to the enlivening burst of deep-coloured vibrancy in sync with Hartwell’s British manor core, floral printed curtains cloaked the ceiling-to-floor windows in tones of cream, mint green and pearl matching the picturesque trappings of the four-poster bed, while the bathroom played to a poised light flaxen simplicity of a marble-topped sink, stone features and a miniature array of Quercus Penhaligon’s bath accessories lined up next to the spotless bathtub.
Contemplating a steaming cuppa, a knock on the door saw me in the company of one of the many debonair hosts, bearing a delightful tea tray of freshly brewed English Breakfast, neighbouring a selection of light cakes and ripe fruits to have yours truly luxuriating on top of adorable window seats to admire the boundless parks reaching out ahead and beyond, before succumbing to an invigorating hot soak to rekindle the mind for an evening of sturdy, epicurean decadence.
Day 2: The King Louis XVIII Room
Where the boudoir for The Duchess of Angoulême has revelled in an agile ladylike grace, the princely quarters of King Louis XVIII embodied a form of distinguished valiant presence, envisioned for a King’s noble residence altogether which also appeared to echo the settings of a lionised continental palace.
Measuring epic proportions varnished in a motif midnight blue wall covering, the glossy golden window drapery also sealed its presence on the furnishings of yet another remarkable four-poster bed literally for fit for a king and his queen, with the spotless silver carpet dotted with wooden furnishings, snug seating and soft patterned rugs.
A mark of modernistic upgrades with the fixture of a heating installation, the bedroom had tended to be occupied solely during the balmy Summer interval predominantly due to the unbearable icy spell in the course of the Winter months, when central heating was at that time, a non-existent concept.
Also gracing their existence in this suite-style lodging were a basic, yet sleek chocolate wood French bureau plat often favoured by the King for his practical affairs, and polished portrait prints of the Monarch himself not to forget the addition of a standalone TV and of course, the assemblage of Quercus Penhaligon grooming drills in the bathroom.
Peering out of my colossal gleaming windows to the leafy picture-postcard backdrop, one of the many attentive butlers thought it proper to relish the scenery with a flute of Buckinghamshire’s finest English sparkling comprising the crisp apple creation of Dinton Folly, along with a flowery tin of Grandma Wild’s buttery melt in the mouth shortbread, to whet the evening appetite.
High Tea Affairs And Candlelight Dining
To even ponder on exiting the gates of this splendid estate bereft of a traditional Afternoon tea engagement within the theatrical mise en scène of the Morning Room, should be judged unjust.
Embodying a colourful salute to the European palaces of the 18th Century, garnishings of fine golden tapestry had bejewelled the ceiling to create a dome like outline, drawing the eye to a radiant crystal chandelier with it’s twinkling sparkles over an array of sofa seating, antique paintings and an extravagant carpet showcasing rich shades of lemon yellow, pastel blue and blush pink.
Unveiling the aromatic baked delights of our cherished cuppa and cake dining presented on dainty bone china plates, the banquet began with a flute of Gusbourne rosé brut, abundant with a jolted sweet red fruit bouquet of soft raspberries and currants, before the sweet and savoury supper starting with delicate slices of Oxford’s finest beef tucked into fluffy white bread, hard boiled eggs in a tangy smooth mayonnaise uplifted with a twist of course ground black pepper, and crumbly golden quiche revealing moist melted cheddar cheese.
Perfectly poured by one of the many endearing hosts, the warily hand-picked tea of the steaming chocolate brownie brew still remains etched into my mind; purely of course for glowing reasons. Perfuming the air with its deep cocoa aromas, this light beverage brought out delicate notes of vanilla with an ever so small dab of caramel, giving focus to the hero of real cocoa nibs with its nutty malt profile marrying faultlessly with the sweet treat selection of gently warmed scones with velvet clotted cream, next to an airy vanilla opera cake layered with velvet layers of yoghurt, and plum tinted cherry compote.
The quaint habitat of the hotel’s cocktail bar rings true to its imperial rural locale, refusing to bow down to the mechanical glitz of the backlit bar notion glaring it neon brightness in many a cocktail dens around the country and across the seas, dressed in an earthy muted palette of checked bar stools and lashings of wooden features on the wall, also garnished around the bar space presenting a splendacious library of vintage and classic tipples, carefully chosen to quench one’s thirst.
Shaken up by one of the bar’s many mixologist mavens besuited in their spruced up burgundy suit jackets, a baby pink concoction of my ritual cosmopolitan had made its fragrant appearance, sweet, light, and ever so slightly tart from a minuscule squeeze of lime, and topped with a heady fresh orange peel soon followed by moreish evening canapés of fluffy blinis topped with oceanic smoked salmon, and rich diced beef on crisp toasted bread.
To wine and dine in the opulent evening aura of this grandeur estate, sincerely feels like a fairytale brought to life. Basking in coy yet lustrous candlelights elevated by the glow from the elegant period chandeliers sealed onto the dome ceiling, the chief dining milieu of the Soane Room draws its influence on the esteemed style of early 19th-century architect Sir John Soane.
Designed in 1988 playing to the residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 11 Downing Street, the subtle muted amber shades married harmoniously against the decorative aesthetics of graceful arches, and smooth wooden tables enveloped in crisp starched tablecloths, quaint wax candles and fine silver dinner cutlery.
Showcasing the upmost in homegrown gastronomical delicacies, it is Executive Head Chef Daniel Richardson to whom we owe the privilege of savouring on a toothsome two AA rosette regale.
Brimming with prime local produce and seasonal fragrant herbs and ingredients from the estate’s own gardens and orchards, the dishes have also brought together many an award winning farmers from the surrounding counties to create a wholesome hearty Bill of Fare, swirled with an elegant finesse and coupled with a sweeping catalogue of meticulously matched vinos, plucked out from their wine cellar.
Evermore harbouring a fondness for a scallop appetiser, the delicate, sweet flesh with a baked almond like zest had beautifully married into the sweet hoisin like relish of teriyaki glaze, twirled with the smoked melting richness of the pork belly.
No less inferior, the soft flaky tart tatin uncovered a finely sliced caramelised onion filling, touched with a malty splash from the beer and earthy tang from the goats cheese crumbs, both paired with Burgundy’s boldly fruit honeyed, 2021 Mersault Domaine Michelot concluding with a citrus finish to cut through the deep buttery flavours of the starters spread.
Intensely influenced and effortlessly coaxed into indulging in Oxfordshire’s own beef sirloin offering, a generous hearty cut cooked to medium excellence sliced like creamed melting butter, to reveal pale pink sublimity enveloped in meaty bubbling juices syncing in tranquility with the moreish side helping of the layered potato rosti, golden and crisp with the heady aromas of woody peppered rosemary complimented with Wiltshire’s ruby cherry hinted Whitehall one, specially selected from the Vineyard Nethercote Hill.
Refusing to permit my sleep time withdrawal sans one of Hartwell House’s many ambrosial bonne bouche conclusions, the chocolate fondant saw silken melted sauce flow into the refreshing ice burst of the floral raspberry sorbet, before surrendering to a fireside champagne tipple in THAT library, where Louis XVIII signed his accession to return to the French throne.
The breakfast banquet showcases an equally lavish feasting affair, with a continental buffet repast of freshly cut fruits, yoghurts and pastries to satiate one’s famished AM appetites, before indulging hot piquant revels of cooked-to-order eggs, full English affairs of prime local sausages and bacon, and creamy avocado on warm crunchy sourdough.
Wellness Tranquility and Extracurriculars
A serene haven of calming tranquility barely a few minutes walk away from the main house, the spa at Hartwell House personifies idyllic wellness euphoria for their bone-tired visitants, taking residence in the premise’s one time orangery to knead away the toil of the cumbersome city hustle life with a rejuvenating collection of holistic massages and treatments, using natural products by A-lister favourite, 111SKIN.
Honing in on a captivating Roman-bath vision with statuesque stone figurines while sheathed in a regal mulberry hue, a powder blue, rippling pool utopia stretching to a generous 15m flaunts its chief centre podium for swimming mavens to engage in a lingering lap or three, before succumbing to the bubbling balmy retreat of the jacuzzi and vapour hideaway of the steam room.
Fitness geared clientele also have the pleasure of the gym area, decked out with cutting-edge gadgets to release those daily wear and tear stresses.
For ardent open-air devotees, the painstakingly manicured gardens and refreshing parkland relishes in serving as an activities paradise for a spot of fishing, tennis or croquet, or for keen explorers to walk amongst a myriad of soaring sturdy towering trees, stone bridges and glistening lakes with ethereal snow white swans gliding with a ballerina like poise, as one soaks up the calming winds all the while surrounded by natures grandest luxury of these zen like landscapes.
Christmas At Hartwell House
With the UK’s cafe-society cliques set to commence a glittering festive calendar of Christmas revelry, the ever courteous Hartwell hosts take great jubilation to invite and welcome their refined guests and visitors to join them for a momentous festive season and Historic odyssey at Hartwell House, bustling with joyous jubilation, champagne affairs and sublime gourmet galas for those treasured Christmas memoirs.
From Christmas Eve through to Boxing Day, guests can find themselves mollycoddled in a festive dalliance of polished lodgings, delectable cream tea welcomes and a black tie dining rendezvous to name a minor few of the many sublime encounters, not to neglect the King’s Christmas speech with tea and cake, and the twilight enchantment Midnight Mass to make for a spirited milestone to take a trip down memory lane.
In Conclusion
Re scripting the dictionary term of above and beyond with this magical affair till the heartfelt wave of the last goodbye, Hartwell House isn’t merely just luxe grandiosity, it is a hospitality treasure trove of utter palatial decadence.
Religiously demonstrated in the breath-taking ambience, decadent delicacies and luminous royal history spilling from every priceless nook and corner, the team also forever seek to flawlessly strive and thrive in their endeavours to keep the lordly spirit of this precious property unblemished. A nightcap in the “presence” of Beechey and Reynolds? Don’t mind if I do!
