Hotel Review: Cliveden House

Last weekend, Oliver and I headed to a property that has been on my hotel hit list for a while: the iconic Cliveden House in Berkshire. This historic hotel is one of the most impressive and lavish residences in Britain, famed for being a celebrity hotspot dating as far back as the 1920s: later, in the 60s, it was also the location of a particular political scandal which rocked Parliament (look up The Profumo Affair). With so much intrigue and notoriety surrounding Cliveden, there’s certainly an air of expectation when visiting this luxurious hotel - read on for a full review of my stay.

First impressions: 5/5

Cliveden can be accessed very easily from London: it’s simply a 40 minute train ride from Paddington to Taplow, which is only a 10 minute drive from the hotel. Arriving at the property, you’ll be swept up an impressive drive, at the end of which sits the most spectacular three-storey mansion, built in the English Palladian and Roman Cinquecento styles: expect a never-ending facade of glass windows and columns. In line with Covid-19 regulations, visitors are all stopped at the entrance for a temperature check before being welcomed inside the main lounge: you’ll find dark, masculine seating areas here, including a roaring fireplace where guests can enjoy afternoon tea. Meanwhile, the resident’s bar is lined with books and cosy nooks for relaxing - additional seating areas are tucked away and dressed in more pastel colours.

Bedrooms are all unique in design and character, with the rooms situated in the main house being the most expensive and spacious. Expect sweeping views onto the 376 acre estate, and bold colour schemes combined with vintage furniture and plush furnishings. Rooms are named after famous guests or figures associated with the hotel, with dark masculine tones in the Blakeney suite, and the Lady Nancy Astor suite (the most expensive of all) featuring a stunning canopy over the bed and pastel colour scheme. Each room has distinctive features, from individual furnishings such as the intricate ceiling in the Mountbatten bedroom to jewel-coloured freestanding bathtubs in the marble-covered bathrooms. If staying in these bedrooms you can quite literally live like a royal, following in the footsteps of Meghan Markle, Michael Jackson, and Charlie Chaplin to name a few. Junior and Deluxe suites in the outer wings of the house are more newly refurbished, but maintain the same traditional and classic style found in the main house - some rooms near the spa also feature their own hot tubs! Meanwhile, the Classic and Club rooms feature the most simplistic interiors in the hotel, and are the most affordable available.

To do: 4/5

The gardens at Cliveden are incredibly impressive, with spectacular views - the grounds are actually owned by the National Trust and are a regular place of pilgrimage for visitors internationally and around the UK. From walking down to the bank of the River Thames which runs through the grounds, (you can even hire a private boat to go out onto the water) from exploring the rose garden to the onsite maze, Cliveden is definitely a destination for garden lovers, and is impeccably kept.

The spa at Cliveden is another jewel in its crown - unfortunately this was still closed when we visited, in line with the government’s advice, but we were given a tour of the building, which features impressive outdoor and indoor pools, treatment rooms, a casual spa cafe, and relaxing areas for residents.

From curling up with a book in the resident’s lounge, to enjoying afternoon tea after a day at the spa, there’s a wealth of relaxing activities on offer at Cliveden if you’re looking to spoil yourself.

Food and drink: 4/5

There are two dining options at Cliveden aside from the spa cafe: the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, Cliveden Dining Room, and the more casual Astor Grill.

We ate at the hotel restaurant on Sunday evening, where you will find a traditional and elegant British menu with Mediterranean influences served with sweeping views over the gardens. The dining room overflows into the hotel’s French Salon which features beautiful gilded gold features, and can be hired for exclusive use. Starters included a delicate mackerel tartar and three cheese soufflé; for mains I opted for the utterly delicious basil gnocchi with fresh tomatoes and burrata, whilst Oliver chose a more traditional Dover sole. Desserts were just as beautifully presented and tasty: my strawberry soufflé was perfectly cooked and served with homemade shortbread and basil ice cream, whilst Oliver went for the chocolate ‘Blackforest.’ You can expect dishes in the Dining Room to be on the pricey side, with us both agreeing that my gnocchi was more tasty than Oliver’s sole.

Breakfasts were served in the same dining room, and are traditional, including options such as scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toast, and a full English; portions are dainty and elegant, with pastry baskets and jams on offer as well.

For lunch we headed to the Astor Grill, which is the hotel’s more casual restaurant located next to the spa. Featuring American-style booths and a pleasant outdoor courtyard, we enjoyed honest and simple pub-style food here, including fish and chips and chicken paillard, finished off with a delicious sticky toffee pudding.

Comfort and service: 5/5

Staff at Cliveden House were impeccably welcoming and professional. We were blown away by the friendliness of all staff, from those at reception to those working in both restaurants - in particular, Duty Manager Andrei, who gave us a guided tour around the property, was incredibly attentive, checking in on us throughout our stay to make sure that we were comfortable.

Despite the house being at almost full occupancy during our visit, it didn’t feel too busy. Although National Trust guests wander around the gardens, they are not allowed inside the property unless they’re also visiting for a meal: this meant that the hotel didn’t feel packed at any point, although there were a healthy number of guests, and a lively atmosphere in the restaurants. If you’re booked into a suite, you have the spacious privacy of your own room to enjoy, and the resident’s lounge and spa are also reserved exclusively for hotel guests. It’s not surprising that the hotel sees guests (many of which are international) returning year after year - with its sweeping gardens and wealth of facilities, Cliveden managed to live up to all of the expectations I had for this iconic British hotel.