Cliveden House: spa review

A National Trust property makes a spa destination that’s more than luxurious, it’s positively regal, as Carol Muskoron discovered.

Cliveden House in Taplow, Berkshire was home to Nancy Astor (the first ever woman in Parliament), and has played host to the Queen Mum, Joyce Grenfell, George Bernard Shaw, Charlie Chaplin, John Profumo, Christine Keeler and, more recently, to myself and my cousin Sophia.

 

Ever in search of a spa that is truly worth splashing out on, we ventured to the stately home hoping for a relaxing girlie night away. How would Cliveden rate as a weekend spa break? It turned out that this was a spa break we would not forget in a hurry...

 

Check in time at Cliveden is 3pm which, incidentally, is pronounced ‘Clivden'. The site of the house, dating back to 1666 (when it was home to the second Duke of Buckingham) was formerly known as ‘Cliffden; because the house appears like a cliff towering over you when viewed from the Thames just below.

 

We decided to arrive early and have lunch at the hotel before checking in - our first view of this majestic building was breathtaking. You enter through the public gates to the National Trust parkland, follow signs to the hotel, hit a phenomenal fountain and turn onto a mall not unlike The Mall that leads up to Buckingham Palace. At the end of this is the Cliveden of today, designed by Charles Barry, the architect of the Houses of Parliament. It is nothing less than magnificent.

 

Our suite, as luck would have it, looked out on the mall - the view gave me some inkling as to how the Queen must feel of a morning (I do hope she has a front-facing bedroom). Our bedroom was beautiful - this was old style glamour. Dark, rich furniture,  no minibar (just a room service menu), a sophisticated selection of old books that looked genuinely interesting and a visitors book. Yes, there was a TV and internet connection but we didn't plan on using either. Instead we would attempt to immerse ourselves in the more basic pleasures to be had from sheer luxury.

 

After lunch on the terrace (pictured top) and tea (poured from a silver tea service) we headed out to explore the grounds. It was odd walking among the mere visitors to the gardens and knowing that you will be staying over; odd but manageable! The back view of the house and the gardens are as magnificent as the front and we had a stunning walk down to the Thames to watch the passing boats. The place is so beautifully landscaped that you feel as if you've been transported to another world.

 

There was just time before dinner for a swim. Across the courtyard from the house, a small clock tower is visible and just next to that is the Pavilion Spa. It's located inside a walled garden, inside of which is an old-style swimming pool (famous for being the meeting place of Christine Keeler and John Profumo). It is small but very, very charming, with two wooden hot tubs at the far end. The night air was drawing in but once in the water I was blissfully warm, and even warmer for the thought that I would be back here tomorrow - this would not be my only swim here.

 

Dinner that night was in the Terrace Restaurant which looks out over the back view of the house. The atmosphere in the tall-ceilinged room was somehow intimate, with the waiters incredibly helpful. I had risotto with truffle and pancetta, followed by calves liver with an Alsace Gewurztraminer (strongly recommended by the lovely wine waiter). Dessert was a warm Braeburn apple tatin with rich vanilla ice cream. The food was comforting yet expressive, with just the right touch of originality.

 

Coffee in the library thereafter was a delight. We sat amongst the paintings of royal infants and looked out of the floor-to-ceiling windows at the grounds beyond. There was just time for a walk around the house and a little night air before we headed up the phenomenal wooden staircase to our suite.

 

Breakfast the next morning was also in the Terrace Restaurant and it was as indulgent as you cared to make it. There was everything on offer from kippers to live yoghurt. I chose a light breakfast and we then headed to the spa to check it out in more detail.

 

I discovered a heated indoor pool as well as the outdoor one, an indoor whirlpool and I tried both hot tubs (bliss).  There was also a steam room. I'd booked in for an anti-ageing Terrake facial - the emphasis here is on natural products. After an hour of creams and steam and massage I was feeling very, very good.

 

We took lunch by the pool and had a historical tour of the house before we grudgingly got in our car and left. It was truly horribly coming back into the real world. Is Cliveden a good place for a girlie break? My answer would be a very definite: yes.

 

 

Prices start at £195 for bed and breakfast at Cliveden. For more information, visit www.clivedenhouse.co.uk

 

You can book Spa Days and Half Spa Days at Cliveden's Pavilion Spa. Click here for more details.

 

See last month's spa review: five-star luxury in Cannes

 

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