Written by Menswear Style in Travel on the 18th July 2018

When you arrive at this hotel, just 14 miles from central London, you will be wowed by the sheer size of it. With over 150 rooms and proudly sitting on a 200-acre estate, the elegant Victorian mansion house has been returned to its former glory with a top-to-toe renovation. The recent £5 million refurbishment to De Vere Selsdon Estate included the transformation of 54 bedrooms to showcase a distinctly British aesthetic with a subtle pallet of heritage colours combined with soft Tweeds and tan leather to create a home-from-home environment.

This investment includes the whole reception area and the creation of a new Master Suite, which features a large bedroom and separate sitting room. From here you can also enjoy a well-stocked private bar, fluffy robes, slippers and upgraded luxury toiletries. We also noticed that there are 'help yourself' Hunter Wellies and blankets around the reception area which is a great idea for those wanting to explore the vast grounds.

The History

The stunning estate was transformed into a country house hotel after being bought by Alan Doble Sanderson in 1924; however, the estate predates this by hundreds of years. With a history that has been traced back to 861AD, an Anglo-Saxon hall, a medieval estate of the Knights Templar and a Victorian country seat are just some of its former lives. In the 1930s, architect Hugh Mackintosh worked in stages to enlarge the hotel adding an east and west wing and creating the statement house that stands today with its neo-Jacobean style and red-bricked façade.

The Room 

The great thing about historic buildings is the high ceilings and overly large rooms. Our room was just that, a great big square room with traditional heritage features combined with modern interiors (Edison style bulb with black wire pendent frame hanging above the bed) and large windows offering nice views over the 18-hole Championship Golf Course. The bathroom was stunning with marble throughout and toiletries by H2K of Harrogate. The room gifts of De Vere chocolate and red wine was also a nice touch. We ordered pizza to our room using room service and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was and how it comes in a traditional takeaway pizza box too.

1042 Restaurant & Orangery  

We were lucky enough to celebrate National Picnic Day in style by sitting out on the front lawn (with beach deck chairs) in the sunshine with a special picnic hamper and an Aperol Spritz provided by the hotel. We also spent a lot of time in the amazing Orangery which has been designed perfectly to put you at ease, so you can relax with plenty of natural light. Breakfast was in 1042 located next to the Orangery (through the bar which stocks Curious Brew) and is also decorated with a keen interior eye, giving a modern county heritage feel; and we have to mention the amazing floor tiles. The restaurant’s design complements the wider hotel environment with a clean and contemporary finish, with monochrome tiling and copper accents. The breakfast spread is top class with tons of fresh pastries, fruits, meets and the full English variety.

We review our stay at this historic English hotel, De Vere Selsdon Estate which as had a recent refreshments to its reception, 1042 restaurant orangery and rooms.