This hotel on the Elizabeth Line is 30 minutes from London but feels totally remote
THE HOTEL: The Cotswolds has attracted A-Listers like Ellen DeGeneres and Beyonce partly because of its proximity to London. Morning meetings in Mayfair are softened by late lunches in the countryside. That’s old hat now though, thanks to the Elizabeth Line. The easterly stretches of rural Buckinghamshire and Berkshire can be considered London by virtue of tapping in and out, and a range of hotels offer luxury and a connection to nature that’s even more convenient.
Coworth Park is the most famous hotel in this green lung a stone’s throw from Slough and Maidenhead. That hotel is regularly featured in style shoots for magazines, and is part of the Dorchester Collection, which puts them on the world map. But more interesting is The Langley, a ten minute Uber ride or 35-minute countryside walk from Langley Elizabeth Line station.
Below Deck star Khalid Affara purchased and renovated the property in 2019 after several decades where it had served as municipal offices, following the last family ownership in 1945. The renovation is spectacular. There are some particularly eye-catching enhancements to the building, including four sheer glass windows on either side of the entrance which play with your perspective of the internal and external, turning formerly outdoor columns into interior features. There’s a similar effect near the old orangery where what looks like an external pathway has been turned into an internal one by way of some floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
Modernisation is apparent everywhere, although it rarely interferes with the majesty of the old building. Neon blue and green lighting revamps the grand staircase by the lobby, and the lights nicely contrast with the hotel’s collection of 17th oil paintings hanging everywhere. They aren’t the building’s originals but they’re similar enough. Swathes of wall space painted brilliant white have been left without fussy wall hangings, bringing a modern curatorial eye so nothing feels cluttered.
Deep in the countryside, on the Elizabeth Line
There are plenty of interesting historical features, including the foyer’s original tile flooring displaying Latin phrases and the arresting landscaped garden by Capability Brown.
FOOD & DRINK: Beef carpaccio with truffle vinaigrette, shallots, parmigiano and toasted hazelnuts, and house-smoked duck pastrami with blood orange, balsamic jelly and Jerusalem artichoke were two of the best starters in Cedar, the hotel’s European-inspired restaurant. Beef cheek wrapped in pastry (the hotel’s take on a Beef Wellington) and a rich veal scallop with porcini mushroom were also very good mains. This is punchy food, although the restaurant’s maximalist decor, which features statement wallpaper, chairs and chandeliers, feels too much and draws the eye in too many directions. These beautiful old rooms don’t need much to look fantastic.
We had a nightcap in The Churchill Bar, a smaller space that feels more sympathetically designed to match the building’s history. Dark wood panelling and heavy-set couches encourage slumber no matter what time it is.
THINGS TO DO: The country pile is surrounded by 130 acres of Langley Park, which has a nice cafe and feels rugged enough that fallen trees lie untampered with, and partially excavated Ha-Has invite exploration. Great swathes of unbothered grassland remind you of Hampstead Heath. A spectacular bougainvillea garden has over a hundred varieties and a horse and carriage ride around it was the afternoon’s pursuit of the guests of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, who commissioned the estate in 1738 as a hunting lodge. Even on an overcast day you can see Windsor Castle in the distance and take in a rural view that hasn’t changed in any significant way since this property was built.
The spa has a lap pool, steam and sauna, as well as heated water facilities with various jet facilities for in-water massage. Unusually there’s a female-only area which my guest told me is about the same size as the unisex spa, which in part serves the area’s large Muslim population. There are a range of treatments available. I had the Espa Active Glow From Within Facial, which was relaxing but more aesthetic than other variants as it didn’t involve extractions.
The hotel also has bikes for hire to explore Langley Park and Black Park opposite which is famous as the film location for many of the Bond films. Other classics like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang were also filmed here. Many of the movies shot at neighbouring Pinewood Studios use Black Park for story lines requiring a nature backdrop. The hotel’s proximity to the studios means A-List actors are often checking in here to enjoy the peace and quiet of the privacy and grounds after long days on set. That Heathrow is a 20-minute drive away is helpful, too.
Book The Langley
Rooms at the The Langley start from around £340 for a standard double. Go to marriot.com. Langley is around 30 minutes from central London on the Elizabeth Line.