Hotel Reviews

Travel Review

Location
72km north-west of London, 45 minutes by train from Marylebone to Aylesbury and then 10 minutes by taxi. The property is also 32km from Oxford, situated in the county of Buckinghamshire.

Ambience
A peaceful, 18th century country house set amid spacious grounds. Immaculately restored by current owners Historic Hotels, general manager Jonathan Thompson has succeeded at making you feel you’re in a private house rather than a hotel. Versailles-touched interior fittings smack of the Ancien Régime – hardly surprising given that Louis XVIII lived here during the French Revolution.

Guestrooms
Every room is filled with 18th century furnishings, fittings and art; in a concession to modernity though, new TVs and wi-fiare throughout.

Service
Wonderfully unfussy and unobtrusive, but our specially ordered wake-up coffee came 25 minutes late. The restaurant is a fusion of French and English styles showcasing local produce. Good value wine menu with an unusually plentiful stock of half-bottles.

Can I work here?
This is the perfect place for an intimate conference or strategy session. A wide range of meeting rooms cater to groups up to 45. The Old Rectory is a secluded house within the grounds catering for up to seven guests and set up for boardroom meetings.

Can I live here?
An annex houses a full spa, swimming pool and gym. Rooms are large, draft-free and heated correctly with the addition of air-con in most, while water pressure almost rivals Niagara Falls

Worth noting
The perfect setting for an important boardroom meeting. Rates start at €400 a night for a double room.

Oxford Road, Near Aylesbury, UK, HP17 8NR
+44 1296 747444 www.hartwell-house.com

Schloss Hotel
Berlin, Germany

Location
Three minutes by taxi from Grünewald S-Bahn station (but it’s better to walk), and 30-40 minutes direct from Schönefeld airport by either taxi or S-Bahn (the S-Bahn is easier and far cheaper). Completely peaceful setting yet not far from the buzzing Kurfürstendamm

Ambience
The hotel consists of a restored, Karl Lagerfeld-decorated 1914 mansion linked by a passage to a more modern block. A Berlincounterpart to Hartwell House (see left) but with completely different cultural and historical DNA

Guestrooms
The suites are in the mansion and the regular rooms in the new block; the Kaiser suite offers a giant 170m2 (€3,000 a night), while entry rooms offer a still generous 40m2 (from €300). Views are of trees and surrounding Wilhelmine mansions

Service
Wonderfully laid back yet formal in a way known only to Berliners.