Beaverbrook House

In the heart of the Surrey Hills among 400 acres of quintessentially British country estate is Beaverbrook House. Surrounded by stunning gardens and unspoilt countryside this house and estate is a historical treasure full of life that’s just begging to be discovered.

A brief history…

Beaverbrook was originally built in 1866 for Abraham Dixon and upon his death was bought by Lord Beaverbrook in 1911 – who fell in love with the property after just one visit – for £30,000. Beaverbrook then spent another £10, 000 resorting the late victorian mansion, installing electricity and the UK’s first home cinema.

One of the 20th century’s most influential men, Lord Beaverbrook was a multi talented cabinet minister during both world wars who was both greatly admired, and feared with an impressive career in both politics and newspapers. Knighted by King George V early on in his career (1911 in fact), he is well known for founding the Sunday Express as well as working with other large newspapers which made him a powerful ally – especially to his good friend to Winston Churchill who regularly frequented Beaverbrook House.

Beaverbrook as we know it today has been opening in phases over the past three years, the first of which being the Garden House – an intimate one bedroom property designed by Nicola Harding which was unveiled in 2016 along with a seasonal Anglo-Italian restaurant. After a final phase of development and a touch of magic from interior designer Susie Atkinson the main hotel soon opened to guests in 2017 and the Coach House Spa opened its doors in January 2019.

Each room has its own individual flair, from the charming classic rooms on the first and second floors, to the Turret rooms tucked away in the decorative tower and top floor of the house where you can enjoy views of the 470 acres of gardens and countryside. Who knows, you could pick the very room Winston Churchill, Ian Flemming or HG Wells once stayed in…

For those who like a little more space and luxury can book the Master (Dowager) suite. Once occupied by the second wife (and widow of Lord Beaverbrook), this unique suite offers dual aspect views of the Surrey Downs and Italian Gardens with a four poster bed and two private terraces.

The gardens have been lovingly re-designed by Richard Bisgrove who is a world leading expert on Gertrude Jekyll, an influential British horticulturist. The Italian Garden has a sunken pond with steps down into it which was formerly an outdoor pool, the perfect spot to take a stroll after lunch in the sunshine.

The house also boasts a beautiful outdoor terrace with views across the lawns of the estate and Surrey hills, and a private dining room, which sits up to 16 guests – the perfect location for an intimate dinner or lunch with family and friends.

A bold addition to Beaverbrook is the new cutting edge Japanese restaurant overseen by head Chef Taiji Maruyama who has worked at Nobu in both London and Monaco, and originally trained at Tokyo’s Kojyu.

Impressively, a large proportion of the seasonal ingredients used in the dishes served are grown on the grounds of the estate in the kitchen garden such as artichokes, courgettes and a variety of salads. Fish is delivered fresh every day and Chef Maruyama is constantly sourcing unusual local ingredients to complement his dishes.

The dining room is light and bright offering guests a unique Japanese gastronomic experience, and drastically contrasts with the The Garden House restaurant’s exceptional Anglo-Italian menu.

Attached to the dining room is the luxurious Parrot Bar, as its name suggests it is bursting with 1920s glamour and flare. Head Barman, Rafael Sanchez who previously worked at The Marbella Club, has composed a menu of cocktails that pair perfectly with Chef Maruyama’s Japanese cuisine.

If you prefer a more hands on approach to dining the Garden House provides an intimate and personal experience where guests can learn to master sushi from scratch, homemade pasta, chocolate and so much more..see the full list of courses and dates here.

The super impressive new Coach House Health Club and Spa is a light-drenched space expertly interweaved with nature and art, courtesy of the bespoke installation of Brian Clarke, to create the perfect environment for relaxation and rejuvenation. With a 20 metre UV ionised indoor and outdoor pool which guests can enjoy, state of the art 200 SQM gym, six treatment rooms, outdoor bathtub, thermal spa area with an English bath house, steam room, sauna, jacuzzi and ice fountain you will be spoilt for choice which to try first.

Fun Fact: When Lord Beaverbrook used to turn on his indoor swimming pool lights, the whole village would lose their power so they would always know when he was going for a swim…

Beauty treatments, studio and a deli are also available for use, or you can just enjoy the relaxation room for some quiet time near the fireplace. For the list of treatments or to find out more information on the spa visit the website here.

If cooking or spa relaxation are not on your hit list, Beaverbrook has a whole host of other things to do; try your hand at a family table tennis competition, meet the head sommelier for a wine tasting, learn how to shoot clay pigeons with one of Beaverbrooks expert instructors, enjoy and afternoon of fishing by the water, treat yourself to afternoon tea or hire out the private cinema which was the first in England, but that’s not all… see the full list of activities here.

You can find out more about the hotel and grounds or make a reservation by visiting the website here.

Images supplied by Tony Patterson AVS London for Beaverbrook House