Gravetye Manor review: The Elizabethan country house hotel surrounded by historic gardens of national importance

Though Country Life first mentions Gravetye in 1925, it was in 1996 that we branded it ‘a double legend’. The Elizabethan manor house in West Sussex was built for Richard Infield, an ironmaster, for his new bride, but it is better known as the home of famous gardener William Robinson and, more recently, as a country-house hotel.

Famed for his ‘pioneering love of informality’ Robinson used his gardens ‘to demonstrate his fiery opinions’. Among his many accolades, he is remembered as a champion of gardening to mimic Nature — in stark contrast to the then vogue for very formal Victorian beds — which led to the popularising of the English cottage garden.

The 1,000 acre estate includes a lake, meadow and orchard, but it is the Flower Garden, with Robinson’s exuberant borders, now under the watchful eye of head gardener Tom Coward, that make a lasting impression. Garden tours also take in the elliptical Kitchen Garden — a 1½ acre, sloping site, enclosed by 12ft-high, sandstone walls.

After Robinson, Peter Herbert arrived at Gravetye in 1958. Captivated by the gardener’s house and its setting he converted the property into one of the first ever country house hotels and ran it until his retirement. In February 2012, it was bought by fund manager Jeremy Hosking, a long standing patron, who set about reversing the gradual decline that the property had suffered in the previous years.

The rooms

The rooms and suites at Gravetye still feel like they belong to a private home — likely because one, there are only 17, and two, they are all furnished with a mixture of antiques, oil paintings and squishy sofas. Some are wood-panelled, some papered in jovial botanical-print wallpaper. Others boast four poster beds.

Our room, Lime, was named, as they all are, for one of the many trees that grow on the estate, was in the eaves, but still spacious enough — with its own sitting area — that we didn’t have to stoop. The view, through mullioned windows, was of the main flower garden and so charming that we didn’t mind when we forgot to close the curtains and woke up at 5am to the sun’s mellow morning light casting it all in a pinky glow.

Eating and drinking

Gravetye is a lovely hotel, but it's the food that helped to put it on the map — and people journey down from London, and much further away, just for dinner in the glass-fronted restaurant. Last year, there were whispered concerns about its future when executive chef George Blogg announced his plans to put down his apron — but it happily held onto its Michelin star in this year’s list.

And rightfully so.

Martin Carabott, of Luca and Hide, has stepped into George’s shoes and carried on the tradition of focusing on hyper-seasonal ingredients. Indeed, the Victorian kitchen garden supplies more than 90% of the required fresh produce, and the team only works with suppliers with a similarly robust commitment to proper animal welfare standards. When we stayed — in August — there were oodles of British caught fish and a magical blackberry souffle on the menu.

How they’ll keep you busy

The hotel’s facilities are limited — there’s no swimming pool or spa, so you’ll need to find other ways to entertain yourself. Think: a thorough exploration of the extraordinary walled garden (above), long, lazy lunches on the terrace, and hours spent reading a good book in the ground floor bar with its pretty and ornate carved ceiling.

What else to do while you’re there

Wakehurst, home to the Millennium Seed Bank, Borde Hill Gardens and Sheffield Park, landscaped by Capability Brown, are all within striking distance. As in Standen House — an Arts & Crafts National Trust property — and the Bluebell heritage railway.

Gatwick Airport is 12 miles away.

Who is it for?

My best friend’s father-in-law — I’m going to guess he’s in his mid-60s — says that Gravetye is his favourite hotel in the UK and stays every year, to mark his birthday.

However, age aside, anyone with an appreciation for gardening will have a good time.

What gives it the ‘wow’ factor

The garden, obviously. And the staff, whose sense of service and knowledge make a strong case for this being a five star hotel and not a four star one.

The one thing we’d change

We would’ve loved a bath in our room — make sure you request one if it’s of equal importance.

Gravetye Manor is a Relais & Châteaux hotel and rooms start from £405 a night. Visit the Gravetye website for more information and to book.