The soft golds of the autumn leaves, interspersed with
russets and lit up with a splash of red, shimmered in the sunshine. So serene
yet so dramatic. This was the backdrop to the 27-hole championship golf course,
acres of gardens and parkland that I saw before me as I sat staring out of the
windows while enjoying afternoon tea in the Orangery at Stoke Park.
It was hard to
imagine that this amazing country hotel was only 35 minutes away from London. The
hotel’s impressive guest list which has included the likes of Brad Pitt, Daniel
Craig, Anne Hathaway and One Direction, shows if I am not the only one who has
discovered this gem.
Being close to Pinewood Studios, the British Film Industry
too seems to have fallen in love with Stoke Park. It was where what is probably
the most memorable golf scene in movie history, the duel between James Bond and
Goldfinger was filmed. It also was the setting for the unforgettable “mini
break” in Bridget Jones’s Diary with Hugh Grant, Renée Zellweger and Colin
Firth. More recently, it appeared in the final scenes of Layer Cake, with
Daniel Craig and Sienna Miller appearing on the Mansion’s front steps.
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| Stoke Park |
Stoke Park has history oozing out of its very essence. From
being recorded in the Domesday Book
of 1085 to having being owned by Elizabeth l and Thomas Penn, son of William,
the founder of Pennsylvania, it is now an impressive “resort” which
became Britain’s first exclusive country club in 1908. Nick “Pa” Lane Jackson, the owner,
commissioned the renowned course architect Harry Colt to design the golf
course. Today it attracts some of the world’s golfing elite.
The main building on the estate is the 18th
century imposing stately mansion designed by "Mad" King George III’s architect,
James Wyatt. It manages to meld old-world elegance with private home intimacy.
It’s the sort of place you feel comfortable curling up in an armchair in front
of one of its roaring log fires.
Stoke Park also boasts an incredible spa, which is in the
Pavilion – next door to the Mansion – where I stayed.
If you like contemporary bedrooms you will prefer to stay in
the Pavilion. The rooms are stylishly furnished with sleek furniture and plush carpets that your feet sink
into. There is a nod to Hollywood glamour in the form of film posters and
elaborate rugs. The star attraction has to be the marble bathroom with heated
floor and a spacious walk-in shower.
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| Humphry's |
Another benefit of staying in this building is that you can
pop on your robe and head down to the pool and spa, which has a menu of
extensive treatments delivered by excellent therapists or to the gym and
fitness studio. There are indoor as well as outdoor tennis courts. Nobody will
mind being a golf widow here. There is so much to do and, if sport is not your
thing, you can take an invigorating stroll around the estate. I took the
Heritage Walk, passed a
few interesting monuments and learnt a few facts along the way.
After lots of walking and a relaxing pedicure and manicure,
I was ready for dinner. If you don’t want to go across to the Mansion for
dinner, you can go to San Marco, which dishes up great Italian food.
I chose to
go the few hundred yards by shuttle bus (it was raining) to the Mansion to
experience Humphry's, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant which is a compelling
juxtaposition of modern British cuisine with the glamour of a bygone era.
To start with I plumped for scallops washed down with a
glass of Ochagavia 1851, Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from Chile, oozing
flavours of gooseberries which complemented the dish really well.
For the main course I had a rather delicious grilled fillet
of sea bass with potato purée, samphir, clams and teign mussels nage,
accompanied by a glass of Palliser Estate Pinot Gris 2011 from New Zealand.
For dessert, it had to be the indecently decadent chocolate
soufflé which just melted in my mouth. This meal was superb. No wonder
Humphry's under the under the auspices of head chef Chris Wheeler has won 3 AA Rosettes.
Excellent service, relaxing atmosphere, wonderful food, a
dose of pampering in the spa and a beautiful bedroom that was hard to tear
yourself away from, this is a lifestyle that I could get used to. Will I be
going back? You bet.
By Daralyn Danns
For more info on Stoke Park, visit www.stokepark.com
