Hotel of the week: Gravetye Manor, Sussex

Dating back to the sixteenth century, this large sandstone manor house is surrounded by impressive gardens with banks of azaleas, a croquet lawn and a walled kitchen garden, from where British Chef George Blogg draws much of the produce for his elegant Michelin-starred restaurant.

Where is it

Just 12 miles away from Gatwick airport and some 30 miles from London, Gravetye Manor is set within 1000 acres of wooded parklands and gardens in bucolic Sussex countryside. Glyndebourne is just over a half hour drive away.

Style

Graceful Elizabethan exteriors with gables and mullioned windows house antique-filled interiors, plaster ceilings and wood-panelled walls. Log fires crackle in winter, in summer the south-facing rooms are filled with sunshine.

As befits a house of this age, staircases and corridors abound with rooms scattered off them. Converted into a hotel in the 1950’s, Gravetye was one of the most established country house hotels for decades before a period of decline. In 2011 new ownership began restoring it to its former glory, including as well the acclaimed surrounding garden set out by William Robinson, known as the father of the English flower garden who moved to Gravetye in 1884 and spent the next 50 years creating one of the most historically influential gardens in the country.

(Relais & Châteaux)

Credited with being the birthplace of the modern mixed border, it is managed intensively today to create the longest season of colour possible. Beyond the gardens are a wildflower meadow, an orchard and a lake.

Facilities

There is neither swimming pool here nor spa but fresh air and exercise come with the one hour garden tour held for guests from Monday to Friday at 11.00am. There is croquet on the lawn and plenty of walks to follow in the woodland. Golf, at a variety of local clubs, and riding can both be easily organised.

Food & Drink

Chef George Blogg’s menus are inspired by the gardens that provide him with bounty for his restaurant. Within a newly added, glass-fronted, dining room, furnished with botanical panels by French artist Clare Basler and views out over the gardens, Blogg delivered a feather light interpretation of garden, field and forest to fork dining. His tasting menu (£95) began with Walled Garden, serving vegetables, yolk and flowers. Next was Forest Floor, a dish of morel mushrooms and sorrel then Chalk Stream with trout, watercress and sesame.

Open Sea brought haddock, lobster and leek before Hedgerow, a plate of wood pigeon, blackberry and wild garlic. The orchard, of course, came into its own for a pudding of bramley apple, honey and caramel. Flowers decorated the plates liberally.

Breakfast, with pressed Gravetye apple juice, was a lavish buffet with porridge, eggs Benedict and variations on a traditional English breakfast on the à la carte menu.

(Relais & Châteaux)

Extra-Curricular

Once you have explored the gardens at Gravetye, you can head five minutes down the road to Wakehurst, a house and botanic gardens owned by the National Trust and managed by The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. A little further afield is Sheffield Park, whose gardens were originally laid out in the eighteenth century by Capability Brown.

Which room

The fifteen rooms are all named after one of the many trees that grow on the estate and come decorated with fresh flowers from the garden, as do the two suites, Gravetye and Robinson, which have separate sitting rooms with sofa beds. Some of the rooms, like Ash, have four poster beds and wood panelling but all are cosy with desks and lamps, coffee machines and hot water bottles when needed. Bathrooms come with showers and deep tubs to soak in. Views are onto the surrounding gardens.

(Relais & Châteaux)

Best for

Gardening buffs and foodies and for those seeking a destination for an occasion. This is a really lovely, easily accessible hotel with delicious food and warm and welcoming service. It is also, of course, perfect for an early morning start or late arrival at Gatwick airport.