Cliveden House History and Reviews, It’s the hotel where Meghan Markle stayed the night before her wedding. We could stop there, but Cliveden House is so rich with royal history and so very British there’s few other aristocratic country piles that compare. First built in 1666 by the Duke of Buckingham, the Grade 1 listed manor has been a hotel since 1984 and was at various times frequented by Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales, and Lord Astor. Today it’s got 47 rooms, each furnished with antiques, handmade beds, heavy drapes, and walls adorned with intricate wallpapers and original artworks. The rest of the interior feels like a palace: the Great Hall with a grandiose fireplace, the lobby with its cathedral-high ceiling and a stunning Gothic Revival mahogany staircase. There’s a modern spa with indoor and outdoor pools, and external hot tubs. The huge gardens of the 376-acre estate in the Chiltern Hills provide romantic walks and stunning views while the restaurants, the Cliveden Dining Room and the Astor Grill, serve knock-out British fine cuisine. It’s all within swinging distance of Windsor Castle, too. Perhaps the finest grand heritage hotel in England.
liveden hit the press recently after the Duchess of Sussex chose to spend the night before her wedding at the golden stately, but the house has been a source of intrigue for years – most notably in 1961. The now infamous outdoor pool marks the spot where John Profumo first spied Christine Keeler before embarking on an illicit affair with her. After a long meander through the grounds, broken up by afternoon tea at the Astor Grill, the recently refurbished spa is well worth a visit. For literature lovers and history buffs alike, the Cliveden Literary Festival takes place in September, evoking the spirit of the great writers who have been inspired by the house for centuries. This year’s line up includes Ian McEwan, Robert Harris and MP Rory Stewart – book tickets here now.
THE ROOMS AT CLIVEDEN
Where else can you sleep on a (remarkably comfortable) Grade I Listed bed? Opulently decorated rooms and suites down long corridors boast spectacular views of the famed Cliveden Gardens. In line with the rich history of the house, each room has been thoughtfully pulled into the twenty first century without losing the rather majestic feel of its past. Think grand fireplaces, high ceilings, velvet curtains and large baths. If you’re feeling decadent, the room service is top notch and as they deliver to your door, staff love imparting tidbits of the house’s glamorous past, which is peppered with scandal and intrigue.
THE FOOD AT CLIVEDEN
After a cocktail in the intimate Library bar, head to the stately Cliveden Dining Room. Service is impeccable and strikes the right balance between chummy and professional. The wine list is extensive, with an excellent selection of wines by the glass, so put yourselves in the trusty hands of the sommelier. And of course the food – while pricey – is outstanding: traditional British dishes with a twist. Choose something from the curated ‘Raw’ menu, from oysters to yuzu tuna carpaccio, then try the heritage beetroot salad, lifted by lavender honey, Cliveden House History and Reviews or succulent duck with tangy gooseberry. For the main course, the star of the show is the meltingly tender Longhorn Beef Wellington, to be shared between two. The restaurant is open to non-residents too, and it’s popular with locals, so book your table well in advance and feel smug that you don’t have far to go to reach your bed (although, given the length of the corridors, it can feel like quite a trek after a few glasses…)
