As I turn off the M1, my heart sinks as the SatNav reveals my destination is only five minutes away. Luton Hoo, I'm told, is a grand, historic hotel, but its surroundings are far from impressive. Bland roundabouts and forgettable views are all around. Luton is not big on glam, and I anticipate yet another identikit, run-of-the-mill hotel, probably in need of an overhaul.
The minute I drive through the wrought iron gates, though, I realise that I am wrong. Very wrong. Suddenly the motorway seems far away. It's like driving into another, infinitely more elegant, world.
My car bumps down a leafy avenue, lined with soaring oaks and landscaped vistas stretching far and wide. It's heart-skippingly perfect. By the time I reach the sweeping drive and look up at the dramatic, creamy stone façade of the house (complete with porticoes fashioned on the Ritz in London, no less), I have arrived in the 1920s. The resident porter breaks the reverie just as I am about to ask when the country house party is to begin...
It's not only me who has been carried away with the history here — I'm in good company. Luton Hoo has been used as a location for many much-loved films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Wings of the Dove, The World is not Enough, Enigma — in fact there's a whole book in reception detailing the many films shot here over the years. I'm delighted to be shown to the Lady Butter Suite, via the most amazing circular marble staircase, and to discover that it was used in Four Weddings as the room in which Hugh Grant hides in a cupboard and witnesses a secret (and rather noisy) tryst. It's enough to make you swoon.
So much more than a hotel, the house has an intriguing history that is evident everywhere. Resident historian Zena Dickinson was once housekeeper to the aristocratic Philips family that owned the pile before it was sold to Elite Hotels, and she fills me in. Originally built in the 1760s, Luton Hoo was eventually bought by a diamond magnate in 1903 and lavishly decorated by his Russian wife. A friend of the family was the Queen, no less, who honeymooned here with Prince Philip in 1946 and subsequently held annual shooting weekends to celebrate their anniversaries.
These days, the Queen Elizabeth suite of rooms, which has replicas of the original Holland & Holland furniture bought at the Paris World's Fair of 1878, looks out over exquisite Capability Brown grounds. In fact, on first exploring you marvel at how wonderfully preserved everything is and wonder how they allow mere modern-day guests to wander so freely around. From the stately dining rooms to the art-lined corridors — it's like being in someone's grand home at the turn of the century. It turns out, though, that most items are duplicates — Elite hotels spent nine years painstakingly commissioning replicas of the art, textiles and furnishings to recreate the feel that guests are staying in a real country house. It's brilliantly done.
A stay in the main house is a must — there are 35 rooms to choose from and all are atmospheric. There are a further 109 rooms in adjacent wings, but they just don't feel the same — especially if you have a penchant for the elegance of bygone days.
Dinner is taken in the Beaux-Arts Wernher Restaurant, complete with original chandeliers that cost £250,000 back then — more than the price of the house itself! The menu leans towards the British contemporary, arty kind to be expected in such surroundings — all amuse-bouche and sorbets interrupting the flow of food — but still delicious in its dainty way. The grilled Dover sole was a joy, as was the endive, pear and walnut tart. But it was the surroundings themselves that were intoxicating, although the wine may have helped.
An afternoon spent in the surprisingly contemporary spa housed in the stable block is well worth it — with treatments inspired by the flowers and herbs grown on the estate — but, equally, the sumptuous gardens are wonderful to roam through. As long as you are back in time for cocktails on the terrace, of course.
Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa, The Mansion House, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3TQ (+44 (0)1582 734437: Lutonhoo.com)
Two for One special summer offer
Guests booking one night's accommodation at Luton Hoo during the summer will be entitled to a second complimentary night on the condition that guests dine at the hotel both nights. Prices start from just £110 per person for a two-night stay based on two adults sharing a Deluxe Room and includes bed and breakfast and use of the Country Club facilities. To make a reservation or to find out more, please visit elitehotels.co.uk or call 01582 698888.
