A dream house to book in the Cotswolds with interiors by Yellow London
Coombe End Manor has all the ingredients of the quintessential Cotswold house – the golden stone, the mullioned windows, the warren of staircases and rooms that makes everything feel like an exciting discovery, and of course the sprawling grounds complete with streams, ponds and woods. Available as an exclusive-use house through Mandarin Oriental Exceptional Homes, the house is a deeply luxurious and utterly dreamy retreat for anyone visiting the UK in search of a true English experience (and indeed for the many Brits who covet the same).
The house is imbued with history: originally starting life as part of a monastery in the sixteenth century, it eventually became the centre of a manor in the seventeenth, and has been added to and extended considerably over the years since. Its grand front porch was designed by the renowned Arts & Crafts architect Sir Edward Lutyens, while parts of the walled garden were laid out by his collaborator Gertude Jekyll. The 500-year evolution of the building has given it a pleasingly rambling layout, with some beautifully proportioned rooms in the Georgian manner, a dining hall with a distinct medieval feel, charming attic rooms hidden up tiny staircases, and even a separate wing that houses a bar, sitting room and games room – perfect for parties.
The outdoor space is correspondingly vast: the estate itself runs to 2000 acres and can accommodate any number of activities, from falconry to quad biking, but even the immediate gardens, with a heated swimming pool, spa house, sauna and generous outdoor dining area, are capacious enough to absorb plenty of people. For the large groups that come to Coombe End Manor, it's a perfect proposition: families can easily gather all together in the sitting rooms and dining spaces, but have plenty of privacy and corners to retreat to for separate activities.
The interiors at the house are a major draw: stylish design studio Yellow London has overseen much of the decoration, which feels fresh and youthful, full of striking patterned fabrics from the likes of Flora Soames and Svenskt Tenn and with a marvellous art collection that includes family heirlooms as well as modern pieces. They're extremely comfortable to boot, with cloud-like beds, squishy sofas, and spacious, beautifully designed bathrooms. The main drawing room (above), decked out in sky blue and filled with fun textiles, is particularly appealing – the ideal place to gather for pre-dinner drinks. One of the nicest things about Coombe End Manor is that it still feels like a family house – the shelves are filled with an eclectic mix of books that give the sense of a personal collection, the pictures on the walls are clearly the work of different generations, and many pieces of furniture owned by the family have been used in the design. While the expertise of an interior designer is clear to see, the house still has the ring of authenticity.
The fact that Coombe End Manor has become part of Mandarin Oriental's global portfolio of exclusive-use homes is testament to how luxurious it is, and crucially, how excellent the service is. The house comes fully staffed with a chef, housekeepers and house managers to facilitate every aspect of your stay. Most of the members of the team have worked on the estate for years and are well acquainted with all aspects of the house and the activities that are possible in its environs. This makes for a seamless stay, whether you want to spend a week lounging in the sitting rooms and enjoying massages in the spa, make the most of the country pursuits available in the grounds, or use the house as a base for exploring the lovely Cotswold countryside. The bespoke menus are tailored to each party, making the most of local and seasonal produce, and there is an excellent wine cellar available too.
For those of us with fantasies of a owning a stately home in this exceptionally picturesque part of England (and let's face it, who wouldn't indulge that fantasy?), this might just be the ultimate stay.
A stay at Coombe End Manor starts at £6,465 per night for up to 20 guests. Enquire now through Mandarin Oriental Exceptional Homes.
Matt Clayton1/10The dining hall
Matt Clayton2/10The kitchen
Matt Clayton3/10The main staircase
Matt Clayton4/10The downstairs cloakroom
Matt Clayton5/10Another view of the drawing room
Miles Willis6/10The master bedroom
7/10The master bathroom
Matt Clayton8/10An attic room
Matt Clayton9/10The ‘cigar room’ that sits over the front porch
10/10The outdoor dining area
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