When planning my holiday or visit to a certain place, choosing the right hotel is always an important part of the preparations for a trip.
Some people may see a hotel as simply a place to stay overnight, but in my opinion it can change greatly your whole journey, enhancing or devaluing it to a considerable degree. In fact, certain hotels can become enough attractions in themselves to make it worth going to just to experience the stay!
Some years ago I used to prefer glossy establishments with double doors, enormous swimming pools and gilded restaurants. And although they haven’t completely lost their appeal, nowadays, when the ultimate luxury compass point is shifting more and more towards the idea of calm, a stress-free life and finding time for yourself, a charming hideaway can sometimes offer more value than a golden palace.
To answer this growing demand, across the country is developing a new generation of places to stay, of which Wolsey Lodges are one of the most prominent examples. They offer a luxury experience combined with the privacy, tranquility and comfort of a private home. Many of them, boasting beautiful interiors and a long history, have also many interesting stories to tell.
These new type establishments haven’t yet accreted a description on their own, and therefore are traditionally labelled as ‘B&B’, but don’t be fooled by the name. Dotted around the country, they are stylish hideaways, surrounded by the beautiful views and offering a delightful break from the busy city life.
One of such places is Haughley House in Suffolk, which give you a unique opportunity to stay at the private home of Lord and Lady of the Manor of Haughley and enjoy their superb hospitality.
Haughley House is a medieval manor, with its oldest part dating back to 1450. The survey book for Mary Tudor, when the Manor passed into her ownership in 1554, has miraculously survived and to this day is being kept in the house. There is a priest hole in one of the chimneys and one of two passages (presently sealed off) leads to the church, which is the true centre of the historic Manor containing the original manorial records dating back to 1321 in the reign of Edward II.
Subsequent Georgian additions gave the property an eclectic look, merging the traditional Tudor sobriety with truly Baroque flamboyancy.
Haughley House’s beautiful décor reflects the heritage and the era of its different parts. The guest bedrooms have characteristic medieval walls with dark beams, lattice windows and slightly uneven floors, which add a lot of period charm. The dining area is unmistakably Georgian, with its bright colours and display furniture pieces showing an exuberant fan collection from the centuries gone by.
The coat of arms displayed throughout the house was bestowed to the family by King James II.
The only three bedrooms available for the guests are named in the honour of the previous Lords of Haughley – Tyrell, Broc and Montfort.
Montford Room, the biggest of the three, features a wonderful four poster bed with and is ideal for a romantic holiday. There is also a well stocked wine cellar in the basement, which was another nice thing to discover.
The delightful dinner consisted of twice baked salmon soufflé with crème fraîche and vodka topping, Summer Chicken with peas and mint and white chocolate and Bailey’s parfait with blackberries for pudding, followed by tea, coffee and chocolates. The hosts always share a table with their guests to make sure that everyone has been properly looked after and is having a lovely time.
All eggs and vegetables were completely organic, as they come from the owners’ own mini farm, and the bread was home made using organic flour from a local windmill.
My bed was just great, not too soft and not too hard – ideal for a relaxing night’s sleep. Another thing I was particularly pleased about was a lovely monogrammed bathrobe, which one finds very practical in the evening. I always get rather disappointed when I don’t find a bathrobe in my room or when its fabric is too rough for the skin. I also loved the scent of toiletries.
For people, who have more time to spend in the area, there were plenty of beautiful photo albums, tourist guidebooks and brochures for inspiration. (The village of Haughley is conveniently situated only a short drive away from some picturesque historical towns likes Bury St Edmunds, Saffron Walden or Cambridge.)
In every room there was also a thoughtfully placed bookshelf with a choice of various books in case you forget your own and would like to read something before going to sleep.
On a sunny day, guests can sit outside in a well looked-after garden, with a romantic bench hanging off the old tree – ideal to sit together at sunset. If you travel on your own, this is also a perfect place to come with a book.
It was wonderful to be able to escape for a while a busy London life and immerse in the magic of a more leisurely age, encapsulated, like a scent in a perfume bottle, in this charming country house.
For bookings and more information visit website .
More photos from the house can be viewed on our Facebook page .
Words and photographs by Stephanie Green
