I don’t aspire to be a duchess or a marquess; all I want is to be the lady of the manor. And a weekend stay at Burley Manor has reinforced that ambition: I’d adapt to life amongst the landed gentry quite well!
Arriving at Burley Manor
Burley Manor is within the New Forest National Park, just an hour and a half from London by train. Burley village looks like a picture postcard, and you then leave the main road, pass through the estate gates, and continue along a tree lined drive. Deer graze on the patch of open grassland immediately in front of the house, confirming that this truly is the rural idyll.
There’s been a manor house on this site for centuries, but the latest incarnation is an impressive — but not ostentatious — red brick Victorian affair. The architecture seems to be a fusion of Arts and Crafts and Gothic styles, the latter particularly evident once you step inside the entrance hall and notice the solid stone fireplaces, sweeping oak staircase, and stained glass.
I arrive at dusk, so inevitably went straight to the bar. You’ll be relieved to hear that there’s a good line up of gins, plus a corresponding selection of tonics. I opted for one of the English garden inspired cocktails, however, and sat soaking up the ambience in a room crowded with artworks, books, and curiosities.
A Restaurant With Rooms
Burley Manor markets itself not as a hotel but as a restaurant with rooms. This is unnecessarily modest, but the Executive Chef and his team do prepare a menu that justifies being centre of attention.
At a country house hotel such as this, I would have expected to be served traditional English fare; French would have been my second guess. But in fact, the kitchen is Mediterranean, and there isn’t even a pizza in sight! I feasted — and given the portion size that is definitely the right word — on crab and lobster linguine, followed by the rarest Chateaubriand with tender stem broccoli and sweet potatoes. The sommelier recommend a bottle of Valpolicella, and the waitress was adamant I try dessert. I had no space by this point, but no matter: the panna cotta with New Forest strawberries was so light.
Burley Manor’s Beautiful Rooms
Guest rooms at Burley Manor are predominantly located in a contemporary wing and look back at the main house and across the gardens. My vast room would easily have accommodated an entire family plus pets, and indeed well behaved dogs are as welcome as their owners. Alongside high quality tea and coffee was a jar of homemade biscuits, the perfect bedtime treat.
I sleep deeply and dreamlessly in the king size bed, and when I did finally pull myself up and to the window in the morning, I looked out at the mist rising from the deer park. For breakfast I chose poached eggs with chalk stream trout royale, though the cinnamon French toast made with brioche looked just as good.
In good weather, the New Forest boasts some of the best walking and horse riding in England, and there’s a popular circular trail straight from the hotel. On a grey, autumnal Sunday, however, I felt rather too lazy for such exertions, and instead opted for a massage in the Temple Spa. For an hour I drifted blissfully in and out of consciousness, the aromatic oils relaxing my mind as much as my muscles.
Sophie was a guest at Burley Manor. Guest rooms start from £125 per night; the Drift Away massage costs £65.
Related Content
LUXURY TWO DAY GUIDE TO BATH
REGENCY SPLENDOUR AT THE BRADLEY, CHELTENHAM
ENJOY A TRAY OF TREATS AT ONE ALDWYCH LONDON
CITY CENTRE TRANQUILLITY AT BATH’S THE ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL
LA SULTANA MARRAKECH REVIEW
THE WELCOMBE, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
COTSWOLD HOUSE HOTEL & SPA
FIRST TIMER’S LUXURY WEEKEND GETAWAY TO PARIS GUIDE
4 NEW LUXURY HOTELS IN LONDON YOU NEED TO VISIT
REFRESHED ART DECO ELEGANCE AT HOTEL MARTINEZ CANNES
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY AT CHRISTMAS
HIGH FASHION AND LUXURY AT HOTEL METROPOLE MONTE CARLO
A STAY AT THE MAGNIFICENT SHANGRI-LA HOTEL PARIS
Sophie Ibbotson is an entrepreneur, writer, and lover of wild places. She’s the author of five Bradt Guides, including the first guidebook to South Sudan, and provides tourism development consultancy through her company, Maximum Exposure.
