Near+Far Estelle Manor review: 9/10

Why book

Estelle Manor’s exclusivity is apparent on arrival when smiling staffers with iPads greet you at the gate. Only members and hotel guests are allowed through – leading to a long drive where the grand Jacobean Hall finally comes into view. Imposing and clad in Cotswold stone, it could be, on the surface, another British country escape. But it’s anything but…

The trailblazing British countryside hotel is the brainchild of Ennismore founder Sharan Pasricha, who purchased the Grade II Eynsham Hall and transformed it into the ultimate chic country pile. There are period touches, art deco furnishings and a distinctly Twenties and Thirties feel, but they are refreshed with colourful wall coverings, contemporary art, striped poolside parasols, sexy restaurants and members-only spaces. Come to Estelle Manor not to escape the scene, but to be in the thick of it. From the team whose portfolio includes Gleneagles, you can guarantee you’ll have a fantastic time.

What we love

• The different options for guest accommodation, from the grand manor house to cottages, ‘houses’ and intimate glamping-style spaces.
• How the founder has been on a mission to make Estelle the new era of members’ clubs – so expect younger, cool, entrepreneurial types from London and its sister establishment Maison Estelle (a townhouse in Soho).
• The acres and acres of parkland, padel courts, veggie gardens and fresh country air – all just an hour’s drive or train away from London.
• The number of exquisite spaces to hide away with a drink – the pool terrace with a spritz, fireplace with a martini, drawing room with a pot of tea.

Location

Estelle Manor lies in the most idyllic of English locations – the Cotswolds – an area known for its stone villages, charming pubs and being the choice country address of some of the UK’s biggest stars. Oxfordshire is the county; 3,000 acres of parkland are all owned by the brand – so undeveloped, uninterrupted, completely exclusive and private. It’s around an hour’s drive from London or an hour’s train to Hanborough station or Oxford Parkway, followed by a short transfer. Once there, you won’t want to leave, but if you do, you’ll find charming Cotswolds village like Woodstock, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the Water, and Moreton in Marsh with their high-end independent boutiques and chocolate box houses. The city of Oxford itself with the world-famous museums and colleges (the Ashmolean for history lovers) and The Bicester’s Collection are also a short drive away.

The vibe

Grand, stately, fairytale-like and old-world British, but cool, youthful, soulful, and sexy. Think the Bloomsbury Set in 2024 – with kaleidoscopic contemporary artworks, fixtures and installations married with vintage and antiques and colourful walls in the shade of terracotta and tourmaline. There’s always abuzz in the public spaces – there’s a feeling of London in the countryside. Don’t be surprised to run into someone from the city…

Rooms and suites

108 rooms and suites across various different settings are on offer – allowing guests and members to return time and time again for, what must feel like, a completely different experience. For old-world charm and British countryside heritage, book a room in the manor house itself, where splendour like upholstered and velvet chairs and creaky antiques await. Some even have terraces with striped sunloungers overlooking the parkland and pool. This same theme follows the new Stables and Walled Garden buildings, which have the same splendour inside despite looking very shiny and new from the outside (cosy hideaways for honeymoon and more).

For a glamping-style experience, luxurious Woodland Cottages hide in the woods, while three-bedroom ‘houses’ work feels like actual family homes. Mini bars are taken to the next level, with a special Estelle Manor blend of coffees and teas, of course, but silk sleep masks, local Cotswolds treats, skincare and more. Our Estelle Suite was straight out of a fantasy – a four-poster bed with crisp white bed sheets, dining table, roll-tup soaking tub, endearingly wonky floorboards, textured wallpaper and big windows overlooking the rolling Oxfordshire countryside. Make full use of the selection of hair styling tools hidden in the charmingly rickety antique dresser.

Food and drink

Estelle Manor manages to hit all the marks wanted of a country house hotel. There’s the laid-back yet elegant breakfast served in the Brasserie, which spans a light-filled orangery and more formal-feeling restaurant with panelling, plus an all-day menu of seasonal British favourites. For an edible dive into the British countryside, there’s the Glasshouse restaurant – nestled within the walled garden serving sharing-style heritage fruits and veggies and grills – with a killer wine list of everyone from pinot noir and orange wine to assyrtiko. For seductive dinners, there’s the Billiards Room – an ode to Twenties elegance with jade-green carpets and glittering surfaces serving a Chinese menu devised by an ex-Hakkasan chef. There’s also a more casual sushi bar. While food is sublime, an everlasting memory of the stay is cosying up by the fireplace in the amber-hued Living Room before supper, surrounded by books and art with a perfect martini in hand.

Spa and facilities

Estelle Manor’s most famed is its Eynsham Baths – a 3,000 square metre Roman-inspired spa. Guest book time slots and embark on multiple hours of hot and cold baths, sauna, steam and more in a brilliant marble white multi-storey hall with pale blue pools. It’s a sublime experience and unmissable – but while it’s complimentary for members, it’s £95 per person for hotel guests (so make sure to carve out the full allotted three hours). Treatments are also possible in the sprawling spa complex. Elsewhere, there’s the heated outdoor pool framed by pretty pink-striped umbrellas and loungers, which is perfectly pleasant even in the cooler weather. Estelle Manor also houses a clubhouse-type area for its members, with an excellent co-working space, nail salon and gym – all accessible to non-members apart from the co-working space.

Anything to add?

Get into the countryside spirit by booking its wide array of persuits like archery, clay pigeon shooting, air rifling and more. Keep an eye out on the website for themed events (such as autumn packages and ‘weekday wonder’ offers. The festive season will include a three-night stay package, alongside additions like an ice skating rink and a festive food market. Those who spend a lot of time in the UK can do a little better than a joint membership for Estelle Manor and Maison Estelle – getting a city hideaway and countryside escape in one.

Doubles in the manor house from £560 (about AED2,670), estellemanor.com, @estellemanor

All photography by Mark Anthony Fox

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