Among the great glories of the United Kingdom are its private gardens, and British country house hotel gardens (and some city ones too) are no less blessed. Oddly enough, they are often hardly trumpeted on hotel websites, their owners preferring to dwell on luxurious bedrooms, splendid food and spoiling spas. But what greater pleasure is there than strolling in glorious landscaped grounds, full of specimen trees and shrubs or taking tea in a flowery arbour, with nothing but the sound of birdsong, or perhaps the clunk of croquet mallet on ball, to disturb the peace?
As well as enjoying the flowers, shrubs, lawns and views, guests of the excellent hotels described here can learn much about the history of horticulture and art of garden design. Many enthusiastic amateur gardeners return from their breaks in such hotels re-enthused, notebooks bursting with inspiring ideas to try at home.
But if hotel gardens have been undersold in the past, change is afoot and savvy hoteliers are making efforts to promote them with guided walks, gardening and cookery lessons using their produce and, where possible, walls of glass so that house and garden feel more united and the glories of the grounds are on view even when guests are tucked up by the fire in colder weather. New luxury hotels are making certain their gardens are something to be proud of before they open.
The advent of Hadspen House in Somerset later this year is sure to set the bar very high, for it is the sister hotel of Babylonstoren in the wine lands of Cape Town, which has one of the most astonishing hotel gardens in the world, and the word is that its British sibling will not disappoint.
One great change in the last decade, not seen since Victorian and Edwardian times, is the rise of the kitchen garden. No self-respecting hotel would dare to be without one these days and many really are integral to the kitchen. The collaboration between gardener and chef is crucial – together, they plan what’s on the menu depending on what is available in the kitchen garden, the orchard and more often or not, the hen houses and beehives as well. It is wonderful to see how many hotels have recently restored their fine walled kitchen gardens that had, during the 20th century, become dilapidated and disused. All the hotels described here have excellent examples and, as well as their kitchen gardens, they are worth visiting for their grounds alone.
England
Barnsley House
Cirencester, Cotswolds, England
From
£
369
Askham Hall
Penrith, Cumbria, England
From
£
150
Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
Oxfordshire, England
From
£
673
Gravetye Manor
East Grinstead, West Sussex, England
From
£
221
The Goring
Belgravia, London, England
From
£
412
Cliveden
Taplow, Berkshire, England
From
£
500
Lindeth Fell Country House
Windermere, Lake District, England
From
£
144
Hotel Endsleigh
Tavistock, Devon, England
From
£
190
Congham Hall
Norfolk, England
From
£
195
Hambleton Hall
Rutland, England
From
£
265
Wales
Tyddyn Llan
Denbighshire, Wales
From
£
195
Bodysgallen Hall and Spa
Llandudno, Wales
From
£
275
Gliffaes Country House Hotel
Brecon Beacons, Wales
From
£
149
Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms
Powys, Wales
From
£
190
Scotland
Inverlochy Castle Hotel
Fort William, Highlands, Scotland
From
£
375
Greywalls Hotel & Chez Roux
Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland
From
£
293
Killiecrankie Hotel
Perthshire, Perth and Kinross, Scotland
From
£
220
Boath House
Nairn, Highlands, Scotland
From
£
180
Glenapp Castle
Ballantrae, Ayrshire, Scotland
From
£
234
Douneside House
Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
From
£
174