Horsted Place Hotel

If you’re an opera lover, Glyndebourne will be known to you. What isn’t as well known is that after such sublime art, the idea of getting on an overlay 10pm train back to London - with all the undesirable activity that implies - is extremely unappealing. You want instead to find a local place of peace, tranquility and not a little grandeur to lay your head for the night. After all, Glyndebourne is a formal festival at which most attendees still wear Black Tie. This is why I visited, with clients, Horsted Place Hotel. Somewhere nearby that was only 10-15 mins drive from the opera house. It has a gentility and soft but defiant luxury to it. Like an old, penniless Countess who despite only possessing old jewellery and shoes, can still rustle up a daring, modern outfit. The bones are good. An 1850 Manor House, Tudor Revival, with, in most cases, a sensitively updated interior. Rooms are themed according to the famous visitors of the house and surrounding countryside. Worth noting that Queen Elizabeth II and DoE visited in the 1960s when their friends bought the house. Given the age and social stature of the house, the rooms are very large and comfortable, with views over the countryside surrounding it. As it is down a long driveway, you hear nothing of any major roads around. Reception is a little strange, as it is just a small desk in the hallway as you enter, but it’s difficult to see where else to put it. Aside from check in and check out we had little need for staff help, but it was adequate and friendly. It’s not too chintzy here, which can always be a worry for some people about luxury country house hotels in the UK at this price point. It has been recently redecorated and tastefully so. Yes, it’s a little more outdated than, Beaverbrook or Estelle Manor, but then you’re not paying those prices. No dinner was had, but breakfast was good. The only issue was no Uber driver would come down the driveway. The hotel helped when the Uber driver cancelled, enabling us to get a replacement vehicle from a local taxi company.

We have just spent a couple of days at Horsted Place Hotel as a birthday treat. What a wonderful building with so much history! The building has been tastefully restored to its finest Manor House decor. All the staff are very pleasant and helpful. Particularly the waiters/ waitresses and reception staff. We were staying via a secret escapes deal and did not find any issues about the food menu which has been mentioned on some other reviews. We found the choice of food excellent and the quality of the cooking and preparation exceptional. There is an option to pay a small amount extra to have a wider choice. We stayed in one of the superior suites which was very large, clean and the bed wonderfully comfortable and spacious. - probably the most comfortable bed we have slept in any hotel. We look forward to returning again in the future.

We booked this fairly last minute as wanted a night away. What a great find this place is. We booked Nevill room and it was huge - hotel staff were really freiendly and we had excellent service from them. We had a snack in the bar in the afternoon and was really impressed with it and the evening menu was really nice as was the breakfast. There are plenty of walks to do around the hotel and a golf course which we did not use but walked around.

From the moment we arrived at Horsted Place we felt very welcome and as is if nothing was too much trouble. The gentleman that checked us in was extremely friendly and welcoming. The room and general decor were all very lovely, absolutely spotless and very tasteful. Breakfast was amazing! We will definitely return, thank you!

On a cold January day, it would not be unusual to find such hotels as Horsted very quiet. The atmosphere on this occasion was sepulchral, but we didn’t mind. Afternoon tea was a pleasant distraction from the gloom outdoors and the dining room here is a charming, well-proportioned room with a beautiful vista across the countryside. Less attractive is the modern furniture which doesn’t quite work, but it’s all about personal taste, so this is not a criticism. Staff were friendly and helpful, the afternoon tea itself, was acceptable but not memorable. Our scones were undercooked, there were very few sandwiches, (sacrificed we felt, at the expense of the sweet items, which were plentiful.) However, we are quite sure that we could have ordered more sandwiches. We would have appreciated leaf tea as opposed to tea bags - makes a big difference. In warmer weather afternoon tea on the terrace would be very pleasant. Horsted is very interesting and I might well dine here in the future.

This was our third time at Horsted Place and we had a brilliant time. The staff couldn't have been more courteous and helpful and the breakfast and evening meal were exceptional. Our room was spotlessly clean and the bed comfortable. However, since we were last there the hotel had undergone a facelift. Not everyone's tastes are the same and my husband and I felt differently about the new decor. For me, internally the new decorations and furnishings have lost some of its classical charm and class and were too bland- not at all to my taste. I particularly disliked the tables and the missing white tablecloths. Even so, it is a beautiful building and I would still go back.