A stay at Gravetye Manor
There are some places that are so lovely you can’t stop thinking about them after you leave, and Gravetye Manor West Sussex is most definitely one of those.
It probably helped that I visited this luxury country house hotel – which is undoubtedly one of the best country house hotels in West Sussex, despite stiff competition – during one of the most glorious weekends of the summer, so even though I arrived all hot and bothered after three hours crawling along the M25, five minutes later I was feeling wonderfully soothed and relaxed thanks to being at the stunning gardens at Gravetye (the gin and tonic probably helped too).
Gravetye Manor in West Sussex is a 16th century Elizabethan house and a foodie and horticulturalists’ paradise
Gravetye Manor gardens
The wild gardens at Gravetye Manor are stunning and justifiably renowned: a riot of different colour and sizes and far removed from the formality of grander establishments. It is the gardens which first made Gravetye Manor famous, thanks to William Robinson who bought Gravetye and the 1,000 acres it stands in in 1884, and his pioneering style of enhancing the natural beauty of the garden and woods can still be seen today.
Looking for hotels with Michelin star restaurants?
The perfect gourmet break at Northcote hotel Lancashire
Hambleton Hall, Rutland: Michelin star dining luxury
Whatley Manor, Wiltshire: a Cotswolds gem
Lucknam Park near Bath, luxury spa stay
Ynyshir restaurant and rooms, Wales
Top class food at Hampton Manor, West Midlands
9 great hotels with Michelin-starred restaurants
Relaxing in the Lake District with Gilpin Hotel and Lake House
The gardens at Gravetye Manor are a mix of manicured lawn (with the occasional bench or table making it perfect for lunch or afternoon tea, or just soaking up the sun) and the beautiful wildflower gardens surrounding it.
Gravetye Manor dates back more than 300 years and has a beautifully traditional atmosphere
There are some tables on the main lawn but we – my mother was my lucky plus one for the stay – were shown to a lovely table round the side of the manor, in a beautiful courtyard overlooking a wild flower meadow beyond which was a sparkling lake.
Lunch in Gravetye’s gardens
With the traffic delay I had worried I would be too late for lunch but no, at Gravetye Manor, food – as well as being served in the its Michelin star restaurant – is served in the gardens or lounge from 10am until 10pm which is extremely civilised, especially for a Sunday in the middle of the West Sussex countryside.
The menu wasn’t just a ‘light bite’ option either but top-quality British food, from wild cress and nettle risotto to salad of seared pigeon breast. I had dressed south coast crab followed by the fish of the day, pollock, with summer garden vegetables and they were both as wonderful as the view of the beautiful grounds.
There are little tables and chairs dotted around the gardens
Salad of seared wood pigeon breast, preserved brambleberries and sorrel
Fish of the day with summer garden vegetables
Gravetye Manor history
Built in 1598 by local landowner Richard Infield for his bride, Katherine, Gravetye’s origins as a notable garden site were – literally – sown in 1884 when world-famous gardener William Robinson bought it and the 1,000 acres which surrounds Gravetye. Robinson was known as the creator of the classic English garden, where the idea was to enhance the natural beauty of woods and gardens rather than forcing or controlling them into more formal styles.
It is hard to imagine a prettier spot for some al fresco dining then Gravetye Manor’s gardens
Even if – like me – you know nothing about plants, you will love being surrounded by Gravetye’s beautiful gardens and for aficionados there are events run throughout the year by head gardener Tom Coward.
The view from our bedroom window at Gravetye Manor
Gravetye Manor afternoon tea
Both the gardens and the lounges inside Gravetye Manor are just perfect for afternoon tea and there were several parties enjoying afternoon tea at Gravetye Manor both inside and out.
Afternoon tea at a country house hotel is a real treat if done properly and Gravetye Manor afternoon tea looked like the real deal, served on a proper cake stand with sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, jam and a selection of cakes and petit-fours.
Afternoon tea is a great tradition at all British country house hotels and Gravetye Manor is no exception
There are lots of lovely rooms in Gravetye Manor to explore
Bedrooms at Gravetye Manor
When we finally dragged ourselves away from the gardens to our bedroom, the expansive Pear at the top of the hotel, we were delighted to still be able to enjoy them thanks to the stunning view from our window.
Many Gravetye bedrooms have window seats so you can curl up with a book while soaking up the scene and Pear was no exception: the huge room also contained a sofa, large table, dressing table and an immaculate bathroom with walk-in shower and a stand-alone bath.
We stayed in Pear bedroom in the eaves of Gravetye Manor
The traditional tin bath in our en-suite bathroom
There were all the trappings of a luxury hotel room, from fluffy towels and posh toiletries to magazines, coffee and tea-making facilities, smart TV and digital radio and it was lovely changing for dinner in such opulent surroundings.
In spite of its undoubtable style and history, Gravetye is a very welcoming country house feel where you are left alone to wander at will, to curl up with a book in a snug corner, to play croquet on its immaculate croquet lawn, explore the gardens including the famous kitchen garden, take a walk down to the lake or have a drink at its cosy and well-stocked bar.
Gravetye Manor restaurant
Dinner, of course, is a highlight of a stay at Gravetye Manor. Gravetye’s Michelin-star restaurant The Dining Room has stunning views of the garden and everything served is either from the hotel’s impressive kitchen garden or sourced from the local area.
Its Seasonal Dinner Menu consists, in theory, of three courses but this being Gravetye, we enjoyed far more than just three courses, starting with a delicious prawn tempura and lime gel, carrot terrine with cumin mayonnaise, a beetroot cloud with rose gel and beetroot terrine with goats cheese before we’d even started on the dishes themselves.
Gravetye Manor restaurant is as impressive as its food and its gardens
These ranged from roasted Norfolk quail, native lobster with fennel, to mains of smoked roe of local Roe venison, cabbage, leeks and black garlic and Creedy Carver duck with cherries, buckwheat, honey and cauliflower.
My main course of smoked roe of local Roe venison, cabbage, leeks and black garlic
They were all cooked and served to perfection, as you’d expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant (but without any of the long wait between courses as you sometimes get at this level) and the whole meal was flawless from start to finish.
The rather fabulous cheese trolley
One of several amuse-bouche – this is beetroot terrine with goat’s cheese
Some more off-menu treats appeared before dessert: a raspberry sorbet with chocolate crumb, and then while my dining companion tucked into a faultless sorbet, I couldn’t resist the cheese board which had been such a highlight of my previous visit.
I choose a taste each of Barkham Blue, Sharpham Creamet and Cerney Ash from the impressive range and wondered how I was ever going to find room for breakfast or even stagger up the stairs to bed.
In spite of such feasting I slept well thanks to a deeply comfortable bed and really good quality bed linen and after an indulgence wallow in the deep tin tub I emerged ready to tackle breakfast.
Gravetye Manor breakfast
Breakfast menu at Gravetye Manor
Again, the level of hospitality really stood out: staff greeted us a cheerful ‘good morning’ as we headed to the restaurant; we were instantly seated, excellent coffee arrived in seconds and the cooked options were great, especially the traditional English breakfast with pork sausage, Smoked Dingley Dell back bacon and award-winning black pudding from Stornoway.
Thankfully the weather remained glorious and we were in no rush to leave, instead walking off breakfast with an epic trek around the gardens and into the wildflower meadows and woods beyond, where you will feel miles from anywhere.
A stay at Gravetye Manor hotel is not cheap but you will remember it for years afterwards – I have stayed in more than 200 luxury hotels in the UK now and it is still one of my all-time favourites.
Gravetye Manor hotel looks great from every angle
Hotel information and to book Gravetye Manor
Gravetye Manor, Vowels Lane, West Hoalthy, near East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 4LJ
Tel: 01342 810 567
Gravetye Manor is a member of the PoB Hotels chain, a collection of 50 of some of the best hotels in Britain.
Visit Gravetye Manor on Tripadvisor
Looking for hotels with Michelin star restaurants?
The perfect gourmet break at Northcote hotel Lancashire
Hambleton Hall, Rutland: Michelin star dining luxury
Whatley Manor, Wiltshire: a Cotswolds gem
Lucknam Park near Bath, luxury spa stay
Ynyshir restaurant and rooms, Wales
Top class food at Hampton Manor, West Midlands
9 great hotels with Michelin-starred restaurants
Relaxing in the Lake District with Gilpin Hotel and Lake House
