View all newsletters
Have the short, sharp Spear's newsletter delivered to your inbox each week
  1. Luxury
August 2, 2013

Spear’s Hotel Review: Cliveden

By Spear's

A hotel like Cliveden has no need to be as good as it is: it could easily glide into gilded ruin, as seemed likely under previous managers. Instead, new managers Chewton Glen have made sure that all its fundamentals — glorious rooms, first-rate cuisine, fine service — are in place before embarking on a £20 million, two-year restoration. It is all still terribly grand, even if some rooms need a National Trust-approved lick of paint.

Cliveden’s storied history is everywhere evident, with a Lely of George Villiers next to a monstrously large 16th-century chimneypiece, imported in the 19th century, across from John Singer Sargent’s coquettish Nancy Astor in the hall. As my friend commented, every wood-panelled high-ceilinged bedroom does rather make you wonder which celebrity coupling occurred here.

The food surprised me most. I did not expect the inventive dishes we were served, such as a refreshing halibut carpaccio or a delicate tempered chocolate box covered with salted caramel sauce. The service in the dining room — as everywhere — was perhaps over-eager, with one waiter in his zeal filling my friend’s gin and tonic with still water, but they are hiring more experienced staff at the moment.

I would not hesitate to recommend staying at Cliveden, only I might recommend you hesitate: once the renovations are done, and the type of guest taken a little further upmarket, it will be back to the glorious future.

Content from our partners
Abu Dhabi: How the 'capital of capital' became a magnet for UHNWs
Abu Dhabi Finance Week in the 'Capital of Capital'
Experience Seekers: The Future of Luxury Travel

Select and enter your email address The short, sharp email newsletter from Spear’s
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network