Cliveden House has lived many lives. It?s been the home to an earl, two dukes and Nancy Astor – the first woman to take her seat in the British parliament. It was the meeting place of the Cliveden Set, a group of political intellectuals, and later the notorious Profumo Affair.
Today, it is a luxury hotel. And it?s doing very well – Meghan Markle even chose to stay here the night before her wedding. So in search of opulent luxury of days gone by, TLE checked into Cliveden House?
The Ambiance
First things first it is a stunner of a location. It?s just an hour from London, yet feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of the capital thanks to the rambling formal gardens and ancient woodlands that slope down to the River Thames. The house itself is truly a sight to behold and crunching our way down the long gravel driveway toward it was a true feast for the eyes. Inside opulence abounds, but not at the sake of friendliness and impeccable service. While the house is clearly formal, there isn?t a whiff of stuffiness about the place.
Check in and welcome
Check in takes place in the grand entrance of the hotel which is decked out with suits of armour, oil paintings of British aristocrats and visitors tucking into traditional afternoon tea. After checking in we were showed to our room where our bags were already conveniently waiting. We did have to go back to ask exactly how the key worked ? apparently it?s a quite common query ? but overall check-in was a slick proc...