Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire is your new favourite rural bolthole
When a man is tired of London, to update the Samuel Johnson quote, he should hot-foot it to Estelle Manor. This hotel and members’ club set in 60 acres of Oxfordshire estate is the perfect place for a retreat when life in the city – or indeed the City – gets too much.
What sets it apart is the fine balance between luxury and informality, from the opulent decor with a boho accent to the four distinct dining options and array of ways to unwind. It’s enough to tempt even ardent metrophiles on a pastoral excursion.
THE BACKGROUND: Estelle Manor is the countryside sister site of Estelle Maison, the oh-so-classy Mayfair members club for Londoners in the know. Its 108 hotel rooms are open to all, although there is a private area with additional lounge and bar for a private tipple or serving of sushi. It is owned by Sharan Pasricha, the man who founded the Ennismore hospitality empire that includes Gleneagles and the Hoxton Hotel group. He bought the Grade II listed Eynsham Hall in 2018 and opened it this year, a shot across the bows to nearby Soho Farmhouse.
THE ROOMS: The manor house, with its exquisite suites with four-poster beds, vast marble bathrooms and captivating views of the surrounding 3,000 acres of parkland, is the star. But guests can also choose rooms in the converted stables building or the walled garden, where sensitively rendered new-build cottages overlook a vibrant allotment blooming with fresh produce. And for those seeking seclusion or family stays, there are private cottages of three to six bedrooms. The common denominator is immaculate attention to detail, from La Commune toiletries to herbal sleeping potions and minibars heaving with fine wines.
DINING: Eating is reason enough to visit Estelle Manor, which has something for most tastes. The Glasshouse is an airy space warmed by the open wood fire, where the menu draws heavily on the root vegetables and greenery from the surrounding garden. The Brasserie and Orangerie offer classic dishes with an English flavour from Dorset snails to beef Wellington to crab and native lobster fettuccine, with a south-facing view of the pastoral scenery.
Casual dining is available in the Living Room bar, which comes alive after dark, but the show-stopper is the Billiards Room. This low-lit, velvet-furnished eatery staffed by alumni of some of London’s finest Chinese restaurants serves up delicate dim sum (have the Iberico xiao long bao) and divine duck and pancakes served, curiously, with pineapple. Oenophiles take note: wherever you dine at Estelle Manor, the wines are impeccable and the sommeliers expert.
ACTIVITIES: Tempting though it is to do very little in such surroundings, those of a more active bent have plenty to choose from. A dip in the Riviera-styled outdoor pool was an invigorating delight, while there is a gym and fitness studio for yoga bunnies, air rifle shooting and archery for those after a quintessentially rural pursuit, and padel courts. If you absolutely have to check in with the office there is a workspace as well as children’s activities, including mini SUVs, and a boutique. Still under renovation but sure to add to the allure when it opens is a vast, 3,000 sq m bath house and spa boasting several pools, treatment rooms, thermal cabins and a bar. London can, after all, wait.
NEED TO KNOW: Rooms at Estelle Manor start from £550 per night for bed and breakfast. estellemanor.com