Just like Gosford Park (without the murder)
STAYCATIONS are all the rage. Yes, yes, we know. But it is often the case that it takes longer to get to your UK minibreak destination than it would to fly to Spain or get a train to the South of France. Surely the point of staying at home is that you don’t have to spend half the weekend travelling?
Luton might not be an obvious destination for a refreshing break from urban life, but it’s certainly close to central London (30 minutes by train in fact) and there is a lot more to the area than the airport. Luton Hoo, a grand country house hotel, looking down to the river Lea and surrounded by 1,000 acres of mature parkland, is only a five-minute taxi ride from Luton Parkway station. Despite the odd roar of an Easyjet flight taking off, and distant hum of the motorway, the hotel is ideal staycation material. In just over 24-hours, the knots of city existence had begun to melt away; I felt relaxed, revived, and after two hearty walks around the grounds, even my skin looked clearer (promise).
Before it reopened in 2007 after a multi-million pound refurb, Luton Hoo was a majestic country estate, closed to the public. If parts of it seem familiar – the grand staircase, the imposing pillared Georgian façade – it is because the house has often appeared on the big screen. Scenes from Eyes Wide Shut, Enigma and several Bond films were filmed there. Hard as it is to square the idea of Tom Cruise hanging out in Luton, it is true – he did, along with many other A-listers, although now they come as guests rather than in character.
Huge care has clearly been taken to ensure the hotel’s interior stayed keeping with its original décor: the patterned carpets and hanging tapestries throughout are copies of originals that lined and hung in the main rooms and corridors. Even the oil paintings of family members are faithful replicas. Unlike some five-star hotels, the feel is relaxed. Despite its size, Luton Hoo feels more like an aristo’s country seat, rather than a luxury hotel: French windows are left open on sunny days and children are free to run around the formal gardens (I even saw one small child leapfrogging the topiary hedges), and perhaps most importantly, the staff are down-to-earth.
The spa complex is a five-minute walk from the main house across the lawn. The 18-metre pool with sauna and steam room is a draw for burnt-out execs and parents sneaking a night away. For those needing to work off any office aggression, there are also two hard tennis courts, and one grass court that opens for play in summer. If you still have calories to burn after a full fry-up, there are the grounds.
Whether going for a stroll, a jog, or 18 holes of golf, there is enough parkland for you to feel completely alone. Landscaper du jour, Capability Brown, came to Luton Hoo and worked his magic in the grounds. If you don’t feel energetic, from the comfort of one of the many sofas in the public rooms, you can look out on to his rolling daffodil-filled vistas undulating down to the river Lea. (The airport tower is happily masked by several mature cedar trees).
At night, the house, dark and candlelit, has a slight air of Gosford Park (without the murder, that is). Dinner is served in the Wernher restaurant, a grand salon which, with its tapestry-flanked walls and thick carpet, is surprisingly cosy. The cuisine is in keeping with the hotel’s overall ethos: fine country house fare with a twist – stalwart ingredients such as duck and beef, enlivened by imaginative sauces such as vanilla and café au lait.
The large bedrooms and thick stone walls ensure a great night’s sleep – surely a priority for any minibreak. On Sunday afternoon, for once I didn’t feel anxious about the prospect of a long drive home. Other guests, enjoying long Sunday lunches and extended cream teas, clearly weren’t in a hurry to pack up either. In fact, with only a 45-minute journey home, why not stay for supper?
Packages from £167 per night. www.lutonhoo.co.uk