Country House Chic at Fawsley Hall Hotel in Northamptonshire

If you’re looking for a country house hotel with stylish interiors, set in beautiful parkland then Fawsley Hall in Northamptonshire could be the ideal choice – read on for my review.

As we drove through the wrought iron gates onto the gravelled drive at the front of Fawsley Hall, I was already imagining myself into the role of a Jane Austen heroine, marrying my hero for love of course, although an extensive estate always helps. Having just watched another BBC adaptation of Emma in which our flawed heroine conveniently falls for Mr Knightley who owns the neighbouring country estate, I was thrilled to learn that the Knightleys had indeed owned Fawley Hall for many generations.

But stepping through the front door I entered a different world, not so much filled with the patina of landed nobility down the ages, but a hotel in which the decorators had been let loose to recreate a cleaned-up boutique-hotel version of the old ancestral home. Fawsley Hall has been gradually built up over the centuries, with the original South Wing from the 15th century being added to through Tudor times (Queen Elizabeth I stayed there) and through the 18th century until the family fell on hard times in 1914.

At the hotel’s heart is the Great Hall, with the original Tudor stone fireplace and plenty of squashy sofas and oversized custions to sink into, while idling away an hour or two reading the papers or playing one of the board games provided. As we’d arrived early, we settled in with a cup of hot coffee, surrounded by wooden panelling and designer nic-nacs, watched over by portraits of the wives of Henry VIII, and a background of organ music – I could have been at Hampton Court. At one end a couple were discussing their wedding plans at Fawsley Hall with the events organiser, and behind us a shaven head girl listened to music through enormous headphones on her laptop – I wondered if she was a pop star I should recognise. Natually, as I was incognito, no-one was paying me any especial attention!

Although we could have happily dozed for a while, and indeed my husband did, we roused ourselves for a walk through the glorious parkland and woods to the pub in the nearest village. A printed sheet is available showing the route along the ‘Knightley Way’ which took around 1.5hrs, but I can’t say that the place is set up for serious walkers, as they didn’t have any maps of the area to lend out. On return from our walk, which was more a leisurely amble broken up nicely by a long pub lunch at the Windmill Inn at Badby, than a yomp across the hills, we were shown up to our room.

Our room was in country house style with pink and blue curtains and matching half corona over the bed, with a lovely Winterhalter style lady looking down on us and a carved limed oak armoire for a wardrobe. The bathroom was almost as large as the bedroom, with room for a bath and a free-standing shower, and decorated in the same traditional style with creams, pinks and blues. The heating in the bathroom was sauna-like and did not seem to respond to fiddling with the controls, but we were able to throw open the sash windows to keep the temperature manageable.

The style of the room, with it’s lime washed carved furniture, Victorian prints and heavy drapes was the height of late 80s fashion and although not at all shabby was now looking more chintzy than modern. It was all very comfortable and luxurious nonetheless and the bed was huge and squashy, only slightly marred by view from the pillows, of a stain on the ceiling, where someone’s bath had probably overflowed. It was so comfortable in fact, that my dearly beloved prompty lay down and went to sleep. (If you see a pattern emerging, please excuse him as he’s been suffering from Man-Flu, the kind that requires much attention and sympathy)

While he dozed, I decided to try out the hotel spa facilities and very nice they were too – only recently opened and housed in one of the old stone outbuildings. I tested out one of the running machines in the gym, overlooking an enclosed garden with a small steaming hot pool. After half an hour on the treadmill, I’d only managed to run off 300 calories, which I reckoned would barely get me a cappuccino and a couple of biscuits, so I returned to the room to rouse dearly beloved and dragged him back to try out the pool. It was just big enough for a few gentle lengths, before we settled into the steam room and sauna to relax some more. The only thing I could fault was the lack of shampoo and conditioner in the changing rooms, which meant I had to wash my hair again on my return to the room before dinner.

We passed over the fine dining experience in the Equilibrium restaurant with set taster menus from £59 a head and went for the mainstream brasserie which was excellent food and excellent value. The room was cosy with an open fire and cream and green decor and a 2 course ‘Simply Fawsley’ set menu at £14.95 or the Brasserie menu with starters and deserts from £5-7  and main courses from £11-17. We shared a starter of rabbit rillettes with some home-made onion chutney and crispy toast, then I had hake on a potato pancake with vegetables and finished with a rich and intense chocolate and walnut tart – more chocolate than anything else, while dearly belovered had the Eton Mess, a concoction of whipped cream, berries and meringue. I thought it was a fantastic value meal for a classy hotel with great ambiance – if I was a local I’d certainly be making it my regular place to eat out.

After our meal we lounged around reading glossy travel mags by candle-light in the Great Hall before retiring, to sink into our ultra confy bed – dearly beloved was so impressed he even checked out the label on the mattress to see what how many springs it had, and we both slept soundlessly. When I woke, he was still sleeping, so I crept out to make use of the free Wifi that is available throughout the hotel (you can’t keep a blogger from her laptop). We went down for a leisurely breakfast with a lovely selection of everything from creamy scrambled eggs, to wholesome meusli, to tempting mini pastries, to apricot compote – of course I had to try a little of everything.

Then it was a toss-up between another dip in the pool or some outdoor activities, but as the sun was shining, we took another walk through the clipped yew formal gardens at the side of the hotel, down to the little church and a turn around the fishing lake, where the anglers were setting up their pop-up fishing shelters. My husband was loathe to pack up and leave our room – ‘that is a very,very,very comfortable bed’ he said, obviously wishing he could pop it in his suitcase along with the grapefruit shower gel, as we closed the door.

As we checked out, I quizzed the receptionist about Fawsley Hall and gleaned that it is a popular wedding venue, with two or three weddings every weekend throughout the year. I can see why, with that stunning Great Hall, stylish reception rooms, excellent food and lovely gardens and parklands, I wouldn’t mind getting married there myself. In fact, the helpful lady was keen to press a wedding brochure into my hands, which I thought was a little unnecessary, having already enjoyed many years of marital bliss. Perhaps for a second honeymoon though.

I’d certainly recommend Fawsley Hall for a weekend or anytime break, and I thought it was good value too, considering the spa facilities, ambiance, style and excellent food, especially if you scour the internet hotel sites such as Mr and Mrs Smith for last minute bargains.

Need to Know

- We paid £150/night for a Club Double room incl breakfast & taxes as we booked last minute with Mr & Mrs Smith – the published room price is from £175 up to £475 for the most expensive suite.  However, shop around on the internet and check for last minute deals on the hotel website.
- We paid £65 for dinner for 2 for 2-3 courses with a couple of glasses of wine each in Bess’s Brasserie.
- Fawsley Hall is in Northamptonshire, just off the A361 south of Daventry – see their website for directions
- Swimming pool and Gym – these facilities are free to guests
- Attractions – Fawsley Hall offers a booklet detailing all the things to do in the area and there are many stately homes within a hours drive, although most are closed in the winter months.
- Families – The Hotel has a stylish grown-up feel, but children are welcome and it would be fine for school-age and teenagers, although not ideal for toddlers – I saw several families with children enjoying a half term break. You should also check for any restrictions on when children may use the pool.

Cheaper local alternative accommodation

If you want something a little cheaper to stay which still has that boutique charm, try The Granary, just down the road, which has 10 B & B rooms and weekday conference facilities.  I didn’t visit it, but I passed the sign as we drove away and the website looks nice. You can walk to Fawsley Hall if you want to eat there, and a short drive to Badby with two pubs and access to the same glorious countryside.

Disclosure

I received no complimentary anything during my stay at Fawsby Hall, but sadly had to part with my own hard-earned cash (which I don’t do lightly).

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