Is there anything more glorious than spending a night or two away in a luxe hotel? I certainly don’t think so. No matter how busy, stressed or anxious you’ve been feeling – the moment you check in somewhere plush, the worries tend to absolutely melt away.
I’ve been having a busy summer, and without the time to go a proper holiday somewhere sunny, it felt like fate when the opportunity to spend a night at the stunning Hawkstone Hall came up.
An absolutely stunning early 18th century mansion nestled in the heart of the English countryside, we headed down on a rather soggy Wednesday afternoon, and it felt like an absolute dream when we rounded the corner, and came across the hotel.
Only opened back in April following a two year renovation, Hawkstone Hall was previously a family home, then a Roman Catholic Priest Retreat. Sumptuously decorated, we were met at the door with a glass of champagne, and allowed to relax in the morning room during check-in.
Honestly, the building is one of the most staggeringly beautiful hotels I’ve been in. There are some many incredible original features, so that every time you look around, there’s something new to see. I’m a bit of an architecture and interiors nerd at the best of times (I studied Art History at university, and I can spend days in galleries and museums) so the hotel was quite literally a dream come true to stay at.
With 39 bedrooms to choose from, all named after British authors, Hawkstone Hall is a hotel which really feels like the quintessential country house hotel.
We were swiftly shown upstairs to the Christie room on the third floor. Named after the famous mystery novelist, it was absolutely everything you could hope for in a hotel. Seriously plush, with an oversized tub, huge bed and all the mod cons, I could have happily spent a week in here and still been sad about leaving.
After a four hour drive from Edinburgh, the bath was soon put to good use, and after the obligatory photos were taken, it was glorious to have a good old soak, making good use of the fabulous Elemis toiletries on offer.
The bathroom itself was just as dreamy – incredibly spacious, with more than enough room to set out my skincare goodies, thanks to the his ‘n’ hers sinks – I loved the vintage touches and roomy shower. With some serious pressure behind it, it was the perfect way to get the morning started!
The bed was the stuff of dreams too. Absolutely huge and decorated in taupe and grey, it was hard to resist jumping right into.
Right in the centre of it, was Hector – a fun little touch, which would make the perfect souvenir of your trip. Throughout the room, we were completely blow away by all the little extra touches. The bedside tables had Elemis pillow spray and lip balm, whilst the drinks trolly had a wonderfully curated selection of drinks and nibbles.
It’s these little touches, which for me, really make a hotel memorable, and Hawkstone Hall has quickly become one of our favourites.
Not only was it absolutely beautiful, but the staff were unfailingly wonderful. Full of enthusiasm and knowledge about the building, it’s clear that the hotel really have a wonderful team in place.
We headed down to the Saloon for dinner (it was so good, it’s got a whole post of its own), but were were back down for breakfast.
We headed down to the Saloon for dinner (it was so good, it’s got a whole post of its own), but were were back down again for breakfast.
The Saloon really is one of the grandest rooms you can imagine, but impressively, it’s cosy, and wonderful to sit and relax in. In addition to breakfasts and dinners, it also plays host to afternoon tea too!
We kicked things off with a fruit platter, which came beautifully presented. Slices of watermelon, pineapple and mango were delicious, and the berries were all sweet and succulent.
Despite not normally being much of a breakfast person, I couldn’t resist their cheese omelette, and I am so glad I indulged! A fluffy cloud of eggs, filled with melting cheese was presented, and promptly devoured. Unlike most omelettes which rely on a sprinkling of cheddar, Hawkstone Hall had (once again) gone above and beyond – a touch of brie and blue cheese worked to give it a delicious savoury richness, and I could happily wake up to it daily from now on.
We had made a couple of appointments in Cheshire for later that morning (rookie error on our part), so after breakfast I took a quick walk around the hotel to see what was what.
My first port of call was the Tapestry Room, which was absolutely stunning. Decked out in powder blues, it makes the perfect spot for an intimate wedding ceremony, and the plasterwork on the ceiling truly was the stuff of dreams.
The features which Hawkstone Hall have retained are absolutely incredible. I could have happily spent the day taking photographs of each and every detail.
I can see why the hotel is so popular for weddings and for retreats – every single corner of the place is glorious – a especially loved the corridor heading up to the Tapestry Room which had a real greenhouse feel – such a beautiful spot to relax and enjoy the sunshine in!
I couldn’t resist sneaking into the Ballroom too! Already set up for their next event, the room had some serious glamour! With a gilded ceiling and crystal chandelier, this room was an absolute dream to explore – I can only imagine how stunning it must be full of people enjoying themselves!
If you’re looking for the North of England’s prettiest ballroom – I’m pretty sure Hawkstone Hall has the crown!
The hotel also enjoys acres of stunning grounds, including lily ponds and terraced gardens. There’s a bank of hunters at the front door to slip into if you want to explore – as well as a golf cart which can show you round in record time. Thanks to the aforementioned appointments, we weren’t able to explore, but the next time we visit, I’m leaving a whole afternoon free to properly explore.
As you can probably tell, we had an absolute ball at Hawkstone Hall. The staff could not have been lovelier, and honestly, the hotel is an absolute jewel. We’re already planning a return visit, and I’ve been shouting about the place to pretty much everyone I know.
Thank you so much to Hawkstone Hall for having us. Rooms start at £200 and you can find out more information here