Opened in 2022, Maison Estelle on Grafton Street in Mayfair is one of London’s most sought after members clubs, with limited memberships and a shroud of secrecy stemming from the strictly enforced no photos policy – guests are given stickers to cover their phone cameras on entry. No wonder you haven’t seen this place all over your Instagram feed.
Things are a whole lot more relaxed, however, out at Estelle Manor, a huge new country estate hotel in the Cotswolds which has just opened. Although there are a few bars and areas restricted to members, the vast majority of the hotel and its facilities are open to anyone who’s booked a room. You can’t just rock up and visit a restaurant but as long as you’re staying for at least one night, the place is yours.
Estelle Manor is a beautiful place – the long driveway leading up to the grand old mansion is surely one of the best hotel entrances in the country. The main building is a Grade II listed stunner, with serious Downton Abbey vibes from the outside. Inside it’s much more chic, with interiors designed by New York’s Roman & Williams providing a staunchly maximalist look and feel. In the public areas, there are huge custom-made hanging light fixtures, patterned wallpapers, modern artworks, comfy yellow sofas draped with blankets and pillows, and floral displays at every turn. It all blends seamlessly with original features like the grand old stone fireplaces, wood panelling and the iron-framed mullion windows. In short, it’s all pretty stunning, with a luxurious yet welcoming feel.
There are 108 bedrooms, with some located on the upper floors of the main house and others in newly-built cottages on the grounds. These are perfect for families and feel quite cosy and lived-in despite being brand new. Nothing quite beats bagging a room in the main house, however, with views out over the grounds and period features galore. Whichever room you have though, there’ll be super comfy beds, antique furniture and marble-clad ensuite bathrooms adding up to a very comfortable stay.
There are four restaurants at Estelle Manor, though one of them, a modern Japanese, is members-only (other areas off limits to non-members include an extra late-night bar and a co-working area). For everyone else, there’s The Billiards Room, a jade-hued modern Chinese restaurant serving dim sum and traditional Chinese dishes; The Glasshouse, a cute building at the centre of the walled kitchen garden serving wood-fired; and The Brasserie, an all-day restaurant serving the likes of Oxford cheddar soufflé and an epic beef wellington.
Elsewhere around the grounds, there’s a boutique shop, an incredibly high-tech gym featuring some serious equipment, and a beautiful outdoor pool on the terrace just by the main house. Perhaps the best is yet to come, however, as there’s a huge Roman-inspired bath house under construction which will be covered head to toe with white marble and will feature a vast tepidarium bathing hall, five pools, a lounge, ten treatment rooms, thermal cabins, and a bar.
Despite having only been open a couple of months Estelle Manor is very much the place to be already. Get your room booked quick while you still can.