Birmingham 101 HOME
What's On
Music & Gig Guide
Restaurants
Nightlife

Articles - Previous Features & Articles
Motors - Motors reports & articles
Music - Gig Guide Reviews Archives
Photos - Photos of Events & the Midlands
Local News - News (Going back to 2000)

Latest road tests and News
Motors reports & articles -ARCHIVES

Where to stay
Travel & Timetables
Web Design

Photo of the day + "photo galleries"
Video - Various clips from past events

Address & Phone
Advertising
Features
Web Design
Newsletter - subscribe
General

Hartwell House is one of three hotels restored and owned by Historic House Hotels whose policy is to acquire and rescue run down country houses which they have then restored and converted to high quality hotels. Hartwell House was restored between 1987 and 1992 to historically accurate standards reinstating many original features. It has been decorated in a traditional country house style with many antiques so that the restored building looks like a well kept, well furnished stately home. It is over 300 years old and has a remarkable history with its most famous resident being Louis XVIII the exiled King of France who lived there for 5 years until 1814 when he was restored to the French throne.

Set in the middle of rural Buckinghamshire, close to Aylesbury, Hartwell House is ideally placed. It is only an easy 80 mile drive from Birmingham, far enough to be getting away from it all, yet near enough to be convenient for just a one night break if that is what you want. It is close enough to London (50 miles) to make it a good stopping off point either before flying out of, or after flying into London Airport which is a popular option with a lot of long haul tourists.

Whatever your reasons for staying at Hartwell House it is well worth justifying it to yourself. Everyone is entitled to and enjoys the good things in life occasionally and a stay at Hartwell House is most definitely one of the good things in life. From the moment that you arrive and are met by a member of the 

courteous and friendly staff you are given the impression that whatever you require, the staff will do their utmost to ensure that you get it and that your stay is made as pleasant as is humanly possible. The staff at Hartwell House really do warrant a special mention. They are a real asset to the hotel that adds to the enjoyment of your stay.

At a hotel of this quality you would rightly expect “the best”. That I am sure is the image and style that Historic House Hotels would like, but Hartwell House in many ways goes just that bit beyond what you would probably expect. It somehow manages to make you individually feel special and aware of the wonderful surroundings and history attached to the building while at the same time being very welcoming and friendly. It is slightly formal in that you aren’t encouraged to “dress down” too much for dinner for instance, but the whole atmosphere is still one of being relaxed, and lets face it, isn’t it nice these days to be somewhere that just expects you to be reasonably smart for dinner. 

The rooms themselves are all of the highest quality and furnished very tastefully with antique and period pieces. We stayed in a galleried suite of rooms where the bedroom was up a flight of stairs but then overlooked the downstairs sitting room from the “gallery”. CLICK HERE TO SEE A SHORT VIDEO CLIP OF THE ROOMS This made what was an already large suite of rooms seem even more spacious and airy and extremely comfortable. It seemed almost a shame to go out from such comfy and cosy rooms, there certainly wasn’t that feeling of being in a closed in hotel room and feeling the need to get out to get some space and relax. Quite the opposite in fact, but on the other hand there was the magnificent Spa facilities not to be missed!

Hartwell Spa is located in the grounds of Hartwell House about 100 yards from the hotel itself and shares a courtyard with Hartwell Court. Hartwell Court is where our suite of rooms were located and was originally the 18th century coach house which has been restored to now provide 16 bedrooms and suites all to a standard in keeping with that of the main house. Guests staying here have very easy access to all the Spa facilities just across the courtyard.

The Spa has been designed as an orangery, and reflects the character and style associated with Hartwell House itself. They say that “pictures speak a thousand words” but as with all of Hartwell House, however good the photos, they do not do justice to this lovely facility. It was such a relaxing and refreshing experience after the journey down to take advantage of the Spa and enjoy a quiet swim in the warm clear water of the spacious swimming pool before dinner. Very luxurious. The pool also has a large whirlpool bath and there are comfortable reclining chairs along one side of the pool to relax on with a drink perhaps between swims. 

In addition to the pool, the Spa also has saunas, a fully equipped gym with fully trained staff, while four salons offer a wide range of health and beauty treatments. Experienced staff are on hand to advise guests on what they think would be the best treatments for them. They run various programmes of Hartwell Spa Health and Beauty Days and Half Days for both men and women. As they say at Hartwell “A day or two of sheer luxury in the glorious surroundings of Hartwell House. Champagne in your room, unlimited use of the Hartwell Spa, and a selection of relaxing treatments” Sounds tempting doesn’t it?

Before dinner that evening we relaxed by having champagne in the library, a magnificent yet very comfortable room with a remarkable history. It was here that Louis XVIII had his unofficial throne room and in 1814 signed the constitutional document confirming his accession to the throne. More recently President Clinton broadcast to the American people from in the library. The Emperor and Empress of Japan have also been recent guests to Hartwell House.

Three new dining rooms have been created by Eric Throssell MBE, FRIBA, an architect who is also an historian, conservator and committed Classicist. The main Soane Dining Room is based on a room in 11 Downing Street, designed by the 19th century architect Sir John Soane. All 3 dining rooms provide perfect elegant settings for the imaginative food prepared by the head chef, Daniel Richardson and his staff, which has received many prestigious accolades. The meal itself was of the highest quality, as always impeccably served by the immaculate staff who anticipated our every wish. We finished off a relaxed and very memorable evening by taking coffee in one of the historic sitting rooms with some other guests who we had been introduced to and shared the evening with. Great company, wonderful food and magnificent surroundings, what more could you want?

How would I sum up Hartwell House? Well here is a problem as I am afraid that I have run out of superlatives by which to describe it! It is all that the brochures and literature describe and a great deal more. What is hard to convey is the lovely atmosphere of the place. It is obviously a quite magnificent and hugely impressive building of the highest quality steeped in history where you are surrounded by antiques. Given all of this you might expect something of an over formal, slightly intimidating air to the place. The reality is quite the opposite. Yes you are aware that you are somewhere special, somewhere to treat with respect, a part of Britain’s architectural heritage, but I can honestly say that I have never stayed at a more welcoming, friendly and relaxing hotel with such a homely atmosphere in all my life. All I can think to say is try it, you probably deserve it, and you will certainly love it! 

For more information and photos of Hartwell House please see: 
http://www.hartwell-house.com/