Country house with overnight stay.

[Hyperion]

I'm thinking of treating the wife to a nice overnight stay in a quintessential English country house and nice meal (+breakfast). Budget is around £600 all in for the two of us.
Within 2-3 hours drive from London.

Any ideas?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

We really enjoyed:

http://www.amberleycastle.co.uk/

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

,....and

http://www.hartwell-house.com/

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

....and
http://www.thornburycastle.co.uk/

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

...but we didn't enjoy

http://www.clivedenhouse.co.uk/

[dougc]

Try

http://www.manorhouse.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/the_h...

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

....on the edge of your three hour limit

http://www.lakecountryhouse.co.uk/

[CarlT]

dougc said:

Try

http://www.manorhouse.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/the_h...

^^^ what he said

[Hyperion]

Some interesting options - thanks.

[pikey]

http://www.thishotel.com

Don't drive though - the train service (Waterloo-Honiton) is frequent and very fast.

[Roger645]

Stretching the 3 hours a bit, but:

http://www.overwaterhall.co.uk/

[5pen]

Stayed here recently - not sure exactly what you class as a country house, but nice rooms and excellent food. http://www.weststokehouse.co.uk/

Well within time limit and budget too.

[Don]

Hyperion said:

I'm thinking of treating the wife to a nice overnight stay in a quintessential English country house and nice meal (+breakfast). Budget is around £600 all in for the two of us.
Within 2-3 hours drive from London.

Any ideas?

http://www.tylneyhall.co.uk

Great food. Nice ambience. You'll get change unless you decide to bump that up to two nights and make a weekend of it.

Do not be fooled by it being "near" Basingstoke. It's not. Which is good. Because otherwise you simply wouldn't go there.

Golf club next door if the two of you play. Lovely gardens around the hall - you can explore the grounds for a couple of hours or more very happily. Car park usually interesting!

There's nice civilised things to do in the area: National Trust properties etc.

[Gibson70]

http://www.ickworthhotel.co.uk/ - highly recommended!

Been there twice and SUPERB service....will go again in October !

[bigmanteebs]

www.dunsleyhall.com (ok, might be stretching 2-3 hours, but the food is superb)

BMT.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Gibson70 said:

http://www.ickworthhotel.co.uk/ - highly recommended!

Been there twice and SUPERB service....will go again in October !

Ooky spooky, 3 of the place I mentioned above are mentioned on this web site!

[Duesey]

Maybe a little too far but Martin Millers the antique book person in Somerset

http://www.glencothouse.co.uk/

Edited by Duesey on Thursday 6th August 13:48

[Don]

Duesey said:

Maybe a little too far but Martin Millers the antique book person in Somerset

http://www.glencothouse.co.uk/

We've stayed there three times. It's worth paying the extra for a room upgrade. The food and wine were excellent.

It WAS, errrm, "quirky", though. Like it's lady owner/maitre'd. That's not a criticism. Just how it was. Obviously now in different hands...

Edited by Don on Thursday 6th August 13:53

[bigfoot7]

I went here once with work and thoroughly enjoyed it - Stapleford Park

[Simon Brooks]

Try www.handpickedhotels.co.uk

stayed in the Edinburgh one a couple of times, great service, rooms, food etc etc

they have a quite a few scattered around the country so you could have a your pick