The country hotel 45 minutes from London that’s perfect for spring
THE STAY Fancy an Easter getaway without straying too far from home? Coworth Park delivers all the pleasures of a rural escape just outside London, minus passport control and Cotswolds congestion. Set across 240 acres of Berkshire parkland near Ascot, its history runs deep: the land was granted in 1066, with the mansion built in 1776. In the 1980s Galen Weston, then owner of Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason, added professional polo fields. Coworth remains the only hotel in Britain with its own polo fields. There is no Fortnum’s connection today, but Coworth still captures that same strain of English sensibility, only less French fancy and silver-teapot sweetness and more grown-up Dorchester Collection gloss. Sister hotels include Hôtel Plaza Athénée and 45 Park Lane. Inside the manor, interiors by Martin Hulbert pair a smoked oak sculptural staircase with British art. With 70 accommodations across the estate, most come with four-posters and roll-top copper bathtubs. There’s also converted stables and private residences, including Dower House, where Prince Harry spent his last night as a bachelor.
45 minutes from London: inside Berkshire bolthole Coworth Park
THE POLO & PONIES Horses are the heartbeat of Coworth Park. From April, Polo season gets underway with matches played on the grounds under the management of the Guards Polo Club. Guests can watch a game or saddle up for a gentle horse-riding lesson at the equestrian centre. Our instructor describes the horses as “bombproof with sensible brains” – steady and ideal for beginners, while more confident riders can head out at a brisker pace. Across the property, Coworth rightly celebrates its equine soul. It is the Chinese Year of the Horse after all. There’s a permanently held collection of horse sculptures by Johannes Nielsen, Julian Wolkenstein photographs of “pin-up” ponies with voluminous manes, and cheeky My Little Pony figures straddled about common areas.
THE FOOD AND DRINK The Barn delivers hearty post-ride comfort in the form of Smithy’s legendary chicken pie with tarragon and quail egg. For something lighter, the Drawing Room is made for grazing, with a pianist that gladly obliging our requests. We sip Coworth Brambles laced with blackberry and order a smattering of small plates: sticky cauliflower beignets, king prawn tempura, and salty Mangalitsa coppa paired with juicy cubes of Charentais melon. Michelin-starred Woven by Adam Smith is sumptuous: velvet banquettes with golden string panels. The restaurant was closed for dinner service during our stay, but breakfast is served here, and the madeleines and pain Suisse deserve a special mention.
THE SPA Coworth may trade on its horsey heritage, but the spa has equal pulling power. The semi- submerged glass-and timber building was one of the first in the world to incorporate carbon-negative lime hemp walling. It blends into the landscape and offers a striking counterpoint to the imposition of the main house.
The centrepiece pool has dreamy underwater music. It’s lined with fifteen giant amethyst statues, so striking they were kept in place when the thermal suite underwent renovation last year. The refit focused on contrast therapy; a steam room lined with Citrine crystals, a spacious Finnish sauna, and a snow room which blasts cold fog and falling snow. Treatments include the super hydrating marine facial by Scottish brand Ishga, using seaweed products from the Hebrides.
THE REST Endless gentle pursuits in the form of tennis, sculpture trails, croquet, beekeeping, archery, and strolls through the wildflower meadow that erupts with a flurry of violet and butter yellow in the spring. Kids are well catered for too, with an entire house dedicated for kids play. Easter brings extra fun with treasure hunts and baking activities. Windsor Castle and Legoland are also a doddle away. Coworth Park delivers princely polish with zero compromise on luxury or convenience. A place to ride a horse, drift through the crystal-lined spa, or simply eat a damn good chicken pie.
Visit Coworth Park yourself
Coworth Park is 45 minutes outside of London, or a train to Ascot plus a short taxi. Heathrow Airport is 20 minutes by car. Double rooms start from £480; a one-hour horse riding lesson is from £100. There are special Easter activities from March 21-April 12, 2026. For more information visit dorchestercollection.com/ascot/coworth-park.
More inspiration under an hour from London: Langley Park on the Lizzie Line