This is the kind of place I wish I could go back to very soon… I booked a romantic week-end there exactly one year ago as a St Valentine’s gift to my husband. It was obviously before, when we barely knew what life in uncertainty and isolation could be like. But things will change. Hopefully soon. So let’s dream of a near future with new getaways opportunities!
I’ve gathered here the best pictures and memories of our wonderful stay. Trust me, this is the perfect gem to unwind, just 30 minutes away from central London…Ideal for a post-covid celebration 🙂
Today, DOYOUSPEAKLONDON invits you to Danesfield House Hotel and Spa.

Danesfield House Hotel and Spa

We arrived at this gorgeous place, situated between Marlow and Henley-on- Thames in Buckinghamshire, on a freezing cold but sunny day and were immediately seduced by the imposing buildings and elegant gardens.
Especially, the first thing we were impressed by when entering the property was this elegant tree-lined drive of Hornbeams under the Clock Tower.

The glorious setting, the imposing architecture and the picturesque interior design were a great introduction to the brilliant time we would have there.

As we would discover soon after our arrival, Danesfield House counts numerous corridors, wooden stairs and different living spaces offering a singular and picturesque atmosphere.

Danesfield estate: from a Country House to a Hotel & Spa

Danesfield House, as we see it today in its Neo-Tudor style, was completed in 1901 as a family home for Robert William Hudson and opened in 1991 as a Luxury Country House Hotel.

The house is the third property to have been built within this beautiful setting with 65 acres of formal gardens and outstanding views over the River Thames and the Chiltern Hills beyond.

The gardens have been restored and renovated from 1989 until today, offering a variety of beautiful flowers and quite unusual plantings. No doubt these gardens must be sumptuous in Summer…

Danesfield House has also had a fascinating history, including the fact that during WW2 (in 1941) it got requisitioned as a base to develop the Intelligence Section of the Royal Air Force.
Nowadays, in addition to being an Hotel, Danesfield House hosts an award-winning Spa (so renowned we could not find any slot to get a massage…such a regret I guess we’ll have to come back!): Spa Illuminata (which has its sister Spa in Mayfair, if you are too big a fan of the city…).

The place also features a 20-metre swimming pool, a steam room and a sauna, which we appreciated very much. The only downside was the lack of loungers around the swimming pool, leaving a few couples puzzled as where to put their stuff while enjoying the facilities…

Perfect dinner at Danesfield House

There’s no perfect getaway destination without a great dinner included! And dining at the restaurant that evening was indeed pure bliss, thanks to the staff being very attentive though not intrusive (it was a romantic dinner, after all) and the scrumptious  food in well presented dishes.
Due to dim lights my pictures would certainly be unflattering thus cruelly unfair, so let’s just mention my delicious dishes…
My starter salad made of “endives, figs, goat cheese and candied pecans” was exquisitely fresh and tasty; the main “pan-fried Seabass, sautéed spinach, saffron potatoes and asparagus” perfectly tasty. The dessert above, “berries, vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis” that I had with a tea earlier that day, was so yummy I ate it in no time (such a waste I confess, I should have made it last…allow me to blame the melting ice cream!).
I would have liked to make the whole dinner last forever actually. It was an absolute pleasure. Our only consolation was the prospect of having a delicious breakfast the next day!
And it was amazing. Again. Breakfast was served inside of course, but with a splendid view out over the grounds … and the sun was still there to make it look perfect!

Danesfield House’s cosy bedrooms

Although our room was neither particularly spacious nor outstanding (it’s all about money, really), it was warm and cosy.
Nevertheless, there were a few details to make it feel really comfortable and little things in the design which added up some colours to this rather dark room.
In the end it was quite pleasant to relax here, in-between our countryside walks, our regular comings and goings to the restaurant or our swimming pool break…
One can easily feel at home at Danesfield House and it was hard to leave this beautiful place… Such a gorgeous property with a special atmosphere and a high quality service!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and found inspiration here. If you are planning to treat yourself to this amazing Hotel & Spa, please share your experience and opinion on DOYOUSPEAKLONDON’s blog!

---

To go further:
Danesfield House & Spa: Henley Rd, Marlow-On-Thames SL7 2EY
Website

---