This 500-acre English Countryside Hotel Is One of the Dreamiest in the U.K.—With a Michelin-starred Restaurant, a World-class Spa, and Horseback Riding

Lucknam Park

• Easily accessible from London by train or car, Lucknam Park sits close to Bath and the Cotswolds, making it an excellent base for exploring some of southwest England’s most beautiful areas.

• Michelin-starred Hywel Jones serves multicourse meals in an elegant dining room, while the Walled Garden Restaurant delivers locally driven cuisine in a more relaxed setting.

• Guests can enjoy cycling, tennis, falconry, archery, clay shooting, yoga, croquet, and the equestrian center, which has private and group lessons.

• The spa features indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy pools, thermal cabins, a sauna, and treatments ranging from crystal healing to facials and massages.

• In addition to rooms and suites, the property is home to nine charming cottages ideal for families or groups, with kitchens, private gardens, and up to four bedrooms.

It’s a cool November morning in Wiltshire, England, and the soft light is slipping into our hotel suite. I’m standing quietly behind my plum-cheeked toddler watching his little hands pressed against the large, gridded window. Eyes fixated on the horses grazing in the misty field outside, he gleefully yips, “neigh!” his breath fogging up the glass with each high-pitched burst. He turns to look at my husband and me to make certain we’re witnessing this magic, too. As a mom whose morning frenzy sees spilled milk and toys underfoot, the magic for me was less in the horses, though that was rather cinematic; it was in the ease of this moment—of being removed from our routine and reminded of the beauty just in front of us.

There’s a special sort of calm that surfaces from a stay at Lucknam Park, a country estate on the edge of the Cotswolds. Londoners are known to arrive at the stately hotel for a quiet break from the big city that lies 2.5 hours away.

The mile-long drive to the main building—a tunnel of 200-year-old lime and beech trees with saffron and tangerine leaves falling like confetti during my autumn visit—is the first hint that time is meant to stretch here. On the other side is a Palladian mansion that has been around since 1720; the former private home passed through several families before it opened as a hotel in the 1980s.

Inside, this rhythm continued. I found myself lingering in the wood-paneled library with a nightcap one evening, losing track of time as I sat beside a crackling fireplace swapping stories with a couple from Ireland. Earlier that day, I had to bribe my 1.5-year-old to leave The Hideaway, a playroom packed with toys, games, and crafts, where he spent hours letting his imagination run wild. Like everything else here, meals unfold without hurry. Afternoon tea and backgammon were a leisurely ritual for my husband, Ronen, and me while our son, Nadav, napped. And at Hywel Jones, which has held on to its Michelin star since 2006, I luxuriated over every bite. Even the approach to dinner resisted haste—despite arriving a few minutes late to my reservation, waiters invited me to have a pre-dinner drink in the drawing room before being seated for my multicourse meal. On our second and final morning, Nadav and I ambled through a gravel courtyard, past a garden and statues, before reaching the relaxed Walled Garden Restaurant for breakfast.

And, of course, Nadav insisted we visit the horses up close. Standing on the other side of the fence, he took his time studying their movements. With every tail flick, he clapped, and every snort or noise brought about squealing laughter. The two horses eventually cantered away, and he waved, then demanded, “more!” With no rush to be anywhere, we awaited their return patiently. Lucknam Park gave us the greatest luxury of all: time, and the permission to spend it on our own terms.

The Rooms

Despite its bucolic, 500-acre sprawl, Lucknam Park has only 42 rooms and suites, making it expansive yet intimate. And for all the property’s peace and quiet, the accommodations are anything but—each individually designed space shouts with velvet, silk, floral patterns, and patterned wallpaper. Still, the vibe is not gaudy; it’s the very picture of a classic country estate. We stayed in the first-floor Grand Suite, with a regal four-poster bed, an open fireplace, and a separate sitting room that proved to be an even bigger perk once our son drifted off to sleep.

There are also nine charming cottages on the grounds for families or larger groups, featuring kitchens, private gardens, log-burning fireplaces, and up to four bedrooms. And unlike the grand mansion, these stand-alone hideaways show off a more subdued design with softer tones—though they still feel delightfully British.

Food and Drink

As you might expect from a restaurant that’s kept its Michelin star for 20 years, the food at Hywel Jones is, simply put, very good. Dinner starts with cocktails in the drawing room, followed by a seasonal, seven-course feast that leans local: warm, homemade butter; Brecon lamb with asparagus, morels, and wild garlic; Hampshire venison with heritage beetroot; a cheese trolley that successfully tempted me to partake despite being too full. It’s sophisticated yet comforting—an apt comparison for the service, too. Walking into the elegant room—chandeliers, white tablecloths, the whole nine—I was expecting pretentious, if not cold, service, even more so since I was dining alone. But I was suddenly in the company of cheery waitstaff who seemed genuinely interested in our conversation, shared extra details about the food and wine, and even offered tips on what to do in the area.

For something more relaxed, the Walled Garden Restaurant is a relatively new addition, having opened in 2024. It serves all three meals, and the food doesn’t disappoint—much of my plate was supplied from the kitchen garden or sourced nearby. At breakfast one morning, Nadav happily ate his smoked salmon before guiding a forkful of the velvety fish to my mouth, blurting, “nummy!” We also shared a croissant and a bowl of local apples, pears, and blackberries. For lunch and dinner, chef Alex Greene plays up the informal vibe through shared plates, though a la carte options are available. The restaurant also hosts summer barbecues on its terrace and Sunday roasts.

Of course, this being Britain, afternoon tea here is practically a pastime. Served in the drawing room or library between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., the three-tiered setup includes classic finger sandwiches (smoked salmon, egg and cress), scones with clotted cream, pastries, and Champagne if you’re feeling fancy. There’s also children’s tea—a sweet treat involving hot cocoa, fresh fruit juice, or tea, alongside sausage rolls, scones, sandwiches, and the option of doughnuts, brownies, or honey cupcakes. So charming, my toddler has insisted it be a tradition we adopt at home.

Activities and Experiences

Lucknam Park’s 500 acres of manicured land is not solely to admire; it’s to explore, too, and luckily, there are plenty of ways to do it. Experiences include cycling, tennis, clay pigeon shooting, falconry, archery, duck herding, lawn croquet, and yoga and Pilates classes. The real standout, however, is the equestrian center, which stables 12 horses and offers guests one-on-one or group lessons. Ronen, Nadav, and I were perfectly content just walking around the grounds. Getting lost among the gardens—bare as they were during our late fall visit—was a quiet joy. I packed toys, but Nadav much preferred the fun right in front of him: rocks in the back courtyard that he collected and piled, a lamp post he required I chase him around, and the crunching sound of leaves as he stomped on them.

But no one would fault you for bypassing all of that and whiling away the afternoon at the spa, which has an indoor-outdoor heated hydrotherapy pool, an infrared sauna, a fitness center, an indoor pool, and a handful of thermal cabins like the Japanese salt and amethyst rooms. Treatments include everything from crystal healing to 111Skin facials to hot-stone massages.

Lucknam Park is the kind of place that has a helicopter pad for arrivals, but also spare boots by the door for getting muddy; where honeymooning couples are just as well taken care of as little ones and dogs.

Family-friendly Offerings

By early evening, the cold air felt sharp and the sun slipped away, so we moseyed over to The Hideaway—a bright, cozy, whimsical playroom tucked in a cottage a short walk from the main building. There was enough here to keep Nadav entertained for hours—a soft play area for tumbling, a sensory room with water-filled light tubes, art supplies, low shelves lined with books, games, and toys for pretend play, even child-sized furniture. Watching Nadav flit between wooden farm animals and a toy kitchen, giggling as he built a block tower only to knock it down, it struck me that this—just like the Michelin-starred restaurant and helicopter landing pad—was a luxury. The space was not an afterthought; it’s proof that everyone—even the youngest among us—deserves to be pampered. That ethos is also apparent at the spa, where kids ages 5 to 16 can have fun during treatments like the Chocolate Heaven experience (chocolate body mask, gentle facial) and mani/pedis. There’s also a playground if the weather cooperates.

As for accommodations, adjoining rooms make it easy for families, as do extra beds and cots. Babysitters are available if you want to reserve a table at Hywel Jones (the restaurant welcomes children over 5 and has a kid-friendly menu).

Location

Lucknam Park, in all its teleporting power to another world, in reality lies not far from London. You can take the two-hour train from London Paddington to Chippenham, like we did, followed by a 20-minute taxi ride. Or, you can make the 2.5-hour drive yourself. Given its proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bath (a mere 30 minutes away), and the storybook villages of the Cotswolds (picturesque Castle Combe is just 10 minutes away), I recommend having a car for easy exploration. Stonehenge is also an hour’s drive.

Accessibility and Sustainability

Lucknam Park was awarded a Green Tourism Gold award, which acknowledges its efforts for reducing carbon emissions by turning food waste into renewable energy. As for accessibility, the ground-floor library and restaurant are designed for wheelchair use, and the Manor Room is fully accessible, with ample space for a wheelchair, ramped access, and a wet-room-style bathroom with grab rails, and a sink and toilet built for wheelchair access.

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay

Lucknam Park is an American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts property, which gets card members a complimentary daily breakfast for two, a $100 food and beverage credit, guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout, and a room upgrade when available, among other benefits. The property is also part of Virtuoso, and those who book through the network nab perks like complimentary afternoon tea and daily breakfast for two, as well as early check-in, late checkout, and upgrade on arrival when available. Nightly rates start at £332/night ($437/night USD) for a classic room.

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