Treasures of Tylney Hall

Tylney Hall gardens

by Will Venn

by Will Venn - 18/08/2008

Few invitations to spend a weekend in a countryside hotel come equipped with a helicopter grid reference outlining where to land on arrival.

Sadly being helicopter-less, we journeyed by car and as we walked in through the wonderful oak panelled reception area of Tylney Hall, we were greeted by the sound of popping corks and chinking glasses as not one, but two wedding parties were in full swing.

This venerable former mansion house, surrounded by 66 acres of stunning grounds is today one of Elite Hotels most formidable countryside retreats in the south. Tylney Hall sells itself as an ideal venue to host conferences, get married, enjoy gourmet dinners in an award winning restaurant or just play croquet in beautiful grounds dotted with 300-year-old Redwood trees. The trees line a vista offering uninterrupted views of the Hampshire countryside making London seem much, much further than the 45 minute car journey it took to reach here.

With origins dating back to the reign of Elizabeth I, Tylney Hall has played different roles throughout history, from being a country estate to acting as a hospital during World War I, before becoming the headquarters of a shipping line and then eventually a school until the 1980s, when Elite Hotels checked in and refurbished the property to provide 112 bedrooms and suites for its guests today.

Our accommodation – the Seldon Wornum suite was located in the Orangery. Spread across two floors with a four poster bed and stunning views over a carp lake, we were impressed already but with attention paid to the smallest of details such as the Molton Brown bath products and gift box of chocolates on arrival, we felt very special indeed.

A tour of the hotel's buildings and grounds, courtesy of the duty manager Frederik van Niekerk enlightened us to the secret treasures of Tylney Hall, such as the air raid shelter close to the Ha Ha wall which borders the estate, and the huge variety of apple trees painstakingly grown in an orchard tucked away in the gardens of the hotel.

Crossing the boathouse lake bridge provides the best panoramic view of Tylney Hall itself and it's the closest you'll get to feeling like the lord of the manor, yourself. Our stroll around the grounds took us to the Rose Gardens, the Azalea gardens, and a number of small ponds around the Water Gardens. Everything appears so perfectly manicured yet blended into the natural harmony of the place, the gardeners must be total artists.

Local attractions around the area include Jane Austen's House and Winchester Cathedral, both just 30 minutes away, but quite honestly you could enjoy a weekend break in Tylney Hall without stepping foot outside of the estate.

A range of spa treatments and a choice of two pools, one indoor and one outdoor will help you unwind here while a gymnasium and a selection of five different walks around neighbouring Rotherwick will give you an appetite for a sumptious evening meal.

With a cocktail aperitif taken in the hotel's Italian lounge, adjacent to the Library Bar, all I could think of before dinner was Agatha Christie novels and games of Cluedo. Tylney Hall conjures up impressions of the 1930s readily and it's a good touch to see that a tie and jacket dress code is stipulated for dinner, leaving jeans and trainers part of a distant modern world which hasn't fully infected the hotel's Oak room restaurant.

Few adjectives can do justice to describe our meal that evening. With starters of potted crab and a chicken and langoustine dish, followed by a chateaubriand main course to share and a treacle tart for desert, everything from the service to the red wine jus to window side view as the sun set across the gardens was astounding.

Retiring to the lounge for a brief black cherry liquor was about all I could do before crashing out in the comfy four poster bed to be awoken by the sound of ducklings outside, eight hours later.

We had stayed in the hotel for less than 24 hours, but packing up and saying goodbye to the staff, it felt as if we had been there for weeks and months. Good manners, and a total professional and courteous service are what really sets Tylney Hall apart from many of its competitors. And its that human element which chimes so well with the grounds, rooms and majestic wonder of the hotel, which should give pride to the people who work there as much as to the guests who visit.

* Seasonal breaks to Tylney Hall cost from £260 per room per night, based on a two night stay, dinner bed and breakfast when sharing a double/twin room; subject to availability. For further details please check: www.tylneyhall.com.