Cliveden Berkshire, England

I am lucky to go home a couple of times a year and try to review a new property, which has been added to the Signature Travel Network hotel directory of preferred hotels.  Our clients get extra benefits, such as a free breakfast, room upgrade if possible, and/or other things which vary from hotel to hotel.  This trip, I was picked up at London’s Heathrow Airport and driven 30 minutes to a unique property, Cliveden which is near Windsor Castle.

It is a unique gorgeous mansion built in 1666 by the Duke of Buckingham and has been home to three other Dukes over the years.  Queen Victoria a frequent guest, was not happy when it was sold to William Waldorf Astor, who in 1906 gave it to his son and daughter -in -law, Nancy Astor.

It became the hub of a social whirl where guests including Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, President Roosevelt and George Bernard Shaw spent some of their time.  There are lots of stories about the parties held here, one that made me chuckle was about Lady Astor, who said to Winston Churchill, (British Prime Minister) “you are a rude man, and if you were my husband I would put poison in your coffee”.  His reply was “Madam, if I was your husband I would drink it”.

 It has 39 suites, all decorated very differently with luxurious interiors.  The hotel has 20 foot high ceilings and windows overlooking a magnificent garden and the River Thames.   The hotel also has priceless antiques, china, paintings, a library, and the lobby has several suits of armor with wonderful hanging tapestries.   Every suite has a different name.  I particularly liked the Princes of Wales, Blakeley, and Shrewsbury suites.  Set in 345 acres, built on a hill where you can see the lights of Windsor in the distance, with the River Thames running through the grounds.  The National Trust owns the property, and the hotel is run by Relais and Chateau, under the leadership of one of the sharpest and most charming young women in the hotel industry.  Sue Williams is one of only 10 women who hold the title of Master Inn holder, and was given the title of Freeman of the City of London which is a tremendous honor.    

Before becoming a hotel, Stanford University leased it for a few years as an overseas campus.  On my first day back at the office, I said to one of my staff – I have a wonderful property to tell you about.  Where? She asked.  When I said “Cliveden” she grinned and said – I went to school there and know it well.   When I wrote and told Sue Williams, the General Manager that I have several Stanford graduates on my staff, she said they regularly get visitors who want to stay in the same suite or room they occupied while attending Stanford.

Apart from the hotel, Spring Cottage which is also on the grounds, right on the river bank is a lovely three bedroom cottage and comes with a chef if you would like one.  It is an excellent luxurious place to stay if you want privacy.  This is where the Queen used to sail up river to have afternoon tea with the Duchess of Sutherland when she owned the property.

It takes 15 gardeners and 200 volunteers to look after the grounds.  The head gardener took me on a long walk and pointed out what people can expect in the spring: 30,000 tulips in this section, 200 rose bushes and it even has a maze.   The restaurants are outstanding, with Andre Garrett, a Michelin starred Head Chef and Guillaurne Gorichon, the Head Sommelier, who was kind enough to take me on a tour of the wonderfully laid out wine cellars.

It has an indoor heated pool, spa and gym, and a large outdoor pool.  What I particularly liked was the restaurant in the old stables, a fantastic place for lunch.

This is an ideal location for a wedding.   You could rent the entire house for your guests.  There are several rooms suitable for private dining or meetings that would be of great use if a corporation wanted to hold a retreat at a special place.  With its impressive architecture, lavish interiors, breathtaking grounds, and magnificent views over the River Thames, it is not surprising that Cliveden regularly plays host to many prestigious and extremely high profile events.

While staying there, you are in a perfect location to visit Windsor Castle, attend a Sunday church service at the chapel, and perhaps see the Royal family.  You can also have lunch at one of the three Michelin star pubs in the village of Bray, namely the Waterside, the Fat Duck, or the Hinds Head.   It is close to Henley and Ascot if you wanted to attend one of those social events.  From April – October, you can take a river cruise on one of their three launches and have a champagne lunch. 

The name Cliveden is well known to the British since the early 1960’s when there was a scandal involving sex, showgirls and spies, which toppled the British Government and has inspired a new musical “Stephen Ward” by Andrew Lloyd Webber, now running in London.  The musical is about a man named John Profumo who was the Secretary of State and War and was having an affair with a young woman, who was also involved with someone from the Russian Embassy who was a spy.   Profumo was forced to resign.  Spring Cottage was the known famous location.

I would recommend staying here for a few days before going into London, or at the end of your trip.  The hotel is equipped with an international staff of well trained professionals, with superb service and a great management team.  This is one of the most comfortable hotels I have ever stayed in.

http://http//www.visitsoutheastengland.com/events/cliveden-maze-p701441 Maureen Jones is president of All Horizons Travel  at 160 Main Street. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.