Eight Roads In Residence: Heckfield Place
The house by day from across the lake and pleasure grounds…a spectacular site and totally matched by the wonders that await inside!
On a sunny August evening, towards the end of this year’s balmy UK summer, I arrived at Heckfield Place. I had driven down to Hampshire from Manchester with my partner Seb, which was an easy and pleasant journey. It always surprises me how many clients don’t think to venture out to properties within the UK. We have some of the finest hotels in the world right on our doorstep.
What follows is my report and review of the two blissful nights that I spent at this bound-to-be iconic English countryside bolthole. As always with my Eight Roads In Residence features, to arrange an escape, get in touch; john@eightroadstravel.com or on 07540 784 456.
Anyway back to the story. Where to start with Heckfield Place. This property is the stuff of hotel legend. Heckfield is a village in Hampshire, situated between Reading and Hook. The estate on this site, and the spectacular main manor house, has been a countryside idyll for over 250 years. The laudable aim of the current custodians is to redefine the notion of what it is to be an English country house hotel. They have certainly achieved that!
This is a beautiful Georgian family home, which has been lovingly (over many years) restored to its historic origins. It is at the heart of a beautiful 400 acre estate, just under an hour away from London.
Resolutely natural, elegantly evolving, this is a living place centred on sustainability and a forward thinking view on our relationship with the land. Each day, produce is picked fresh from their gardens and farm and served in their two restaurants Marle and Hearth. A country haven with a progressive vision, Heckfield Place redefines the idea of a modern luxury hotel.
One of my favourite spots at Heckfield Place is the lounge area next to Marle, one of the 2 restaurants here. It is the perfect spot for an afternoon read. The interior design by Ben Thompson really is quite something. Muted palettes of stone, taupe, oatmeal and grey are blissfully easy on the eye, whilst splashes of colour can be found in beautiful pieces and modern artworks throughout the house and buildings. Mustard is totally my mood right now so this definitely got my vote!
Walking through the ancient heathers, gardens and woodlands, the landscape is punctuated by trees planted in the 18th Century by pioneering horticulturalist William Wildsmith. East of the House, Heckfield’s upper and lower lakes are perfect for a quiet stroll, a spot of boating or a cooling midsummer swim for more adventurous guests.
Open to the sun, sheltered from the breeze, the Walled Gardens offer seclusion in the quiet calm of nature. Set within its walls, the Sun House is a functioning part of the gardens and can be transformed into an extraordinary venue for private dining.
The selection of bedrooms, and more importantly, the style of those accommodations, at Heckfield Place, is simply stunning. Cutting to the facts, there are 13 bedrooms in the 18th-Century House, 31 bedrooms in the Upper and Lower Corridors (the new part), as well as a range of beautiful suites within the House and Corridors. If you need it, there’s also a totally detached two-bedroom cottage situated within the estate grounds.
Knowing your onions here, and selecting the perfect room for you is KEY. That’s where I come in! If you let me know what you like, and your requirements, I’ll speak to the team and do my best to locate you in the ideal spot. For now, let’s just take a look at some of the rooms, so I can show you what I mean. Just amazing!
There are then 6 spectacular Signature Rooms. These are the creme de la creme of Heckfield Place’s accommodations, each offering something completely unique and quite magnificent….
Another of my favourite parts of the estate was the Study. It’s such a beautiful space, overlooking the drive and established front lawn. This gorgeous tapestry was designed by Lucy at Nest Design, and is her interpretation of the golden line that maps the edge of the woodlands of the estate at Heckfield Place. And that gold goal of a lamp? Well of course, that beauty is a Kaarlo Bergbom. These two items exemplify the level of detail and craft that is found everywhere here.
When spa time beckons, the Little Bothy Spa at Heckfield Place totally has you covered. Currently the hotel is operating a small (3 treatment rooms) but beautifully formed outfit, before the separate, much larger facility (the Big Bothy) opens in 2019. Spa products are all organic, custom-blended by Wildsmith Skin (like all amenities here) and are completely unique to the property. Thank you to Carla for my divine facial, neck and arm massage!
The main restaurant is Marle, pictured to the right. Heckfield Place believes that the very best tasting food is locally and bio-dynamically grown. Using a pared back style of cooking, they strive to allow diners to experience the excitement and immediacy of food served straight from the earth. Marle is open for reservations to both residents and outside guests.
The dining options at Heckfield Place are just marvellous. This is Hearth, the second restaurant at Heckfield Place. As with all of the food and dining offerings here, it is under the skilful watch of Skye Gyngell, and centres around an open fire (that you can see at the end). The food here will be simple, and in Skye’s words, heartfelt. Think the comforts of home, with the finest local (and by that I mean, from the estate itself) produce, prepared humbly. The space is really magical. Of an afternoon, the light floods in the side and gives the room the most gorgeous atmosphere.
When the sun sets, there’s then the amazing Moon Bar, which comes to life. Drinks and infusions are made with the freshest ingredients, breathing new life and flavour into classic cocktails and inspiring our own unique creations. The Moon Bar is the House’s most intimate of meeting places.
With its gorgeous green hues, fiddler figs aplenty, acres of marble and views out onto the lake and gardens, Marle is a stunner. And that’s before I even get started on the food. Fully farm-to-table by Skye Gyngell, featuring some divinely delicious treats from Heckfield Place’s own farm and organic gardens/polytunnels.
Your breakfasts will be taken here when you are in residence, and Marle is also open for lunch and dinner too.
With its lofty location, vast size (230 sq m to be precise) and immaculate design by Ben Thompson, the Long Room at Heckfield Place is a knockout. That table you see is old Welsh oak. The portrait in the bedroom? That is none other than Virginia Woolf, painted by Marguerite Darbour. That sitting room looks out onto a private terrace, with the view tumbling down through the gardens and onto the lake and fountains beyond. Quintessential England. There’s also a dream ruby-red marble bathroom, with a circular bathing area, and a vast rain shower. Blissful bathroom times beckon. You can either stay here, or rent the space for a small and intimate event or private dinner. There are few rooms, and spaces, quite as special, or exclusive, as this in the UK.
SOME HECKFIELD PLACE KEY FACTS:
A country haven, sculpted over centuries by ancient heather, woodland, gardens and meadows. Heckfield Place is both tamed and gently wild.
Two dining experiences from culinary director Skye Gyngell
Farm with crops, orchard, livestock and honey bees supplies the kitchen
Assembly Rooms available for private gatherings
The Sun House: a unique function space with capacity for 30 guests located within the walled garden
Upper and lower walled gardens with wisteria, lavender and fragrant English roses
An upper pond with flora and fauna, and a lower pond suitable for boating
Woodlands, with parts of the original arboretum planted by pioneering horticulturalist William Walker Wildsmith
Delightful walking and running paths and bridle paths for riding
Next to the Wellington Estate, an equestrian centre
Fly fishing on the River Whitewater which meanders through the estate
Screening Room – 67 seater private cinema with ‘Cellar Bar’
Biodynamic farming practices; Biomass energy centre / Rain water harvesting / Spring water capturing
Well that’s a wrap from the beautiful Heckfield Place. Be sure to check out our Instagram featured stories during our stay here: Heckfield Place
A huge and heartfelt thank you 🙏🏻 to Olivia and Sacha for welcoming me and Eight Roads into your English paradise, and also to Sam, Linda, Carla and Skye, and everyone else for making sure that I had a gorgeous and memorable time.
If you are interested in an English country escape, then do let me know - now that I have personally stayed, I can tell you all about this wonderful new property, and, as always, ensure that my personal contacts look after you during your break.