The beauty of Heckfield Place is that it’s a bit of a rule breaker. On the outside, it looks like your bog-standard country house hotel, but just like a classic fable, looks wholeheartedly do deceive at this rural Hampshire retreat. While its plonked in the middle of Jane Austen county, there’s not a whisker of Pride and Prejudice sensibility here whatsoever. In place of Mr Darcy and all that Georgian razzmatazz is a vision of modernity that takes it cue from once fashionable high Victoriana. In other words, Gen Z, she’s serving dope Gucci.
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Once owned by a 20-year-old widow who well and truly scored a jackpot post her hubby’s death, Heckfield’s slick, contemporary design is a marriage of generational style: the bricks scream high Georgian; the long, towering windows spell Victorian chic; and the walls draped with art sourced from the private collection of billionaire owner Gerald Chan, a fine schooling in the art of British and international modernism. Heckfield tells a story, and one that is so wondrously familial it does what most country house hotels fail to do…create an idealised chic vision of a home.
Designer Ben Thompson was entrusted with bringing Heckfield into the modern era. The result? An aesthetic that screams clever paradox. Think of it as a sketch of the past meets country house hotel 2.0. Light especially plays a key part. Windows are extra-large and, as such creates a medley of wondrous shadow play come golden hour. Rustic geometric floors give each space a sense of grounded personality complemented by playful Persian rugs; while the statement florals plucked straight from the hotel’s estate scream regality. The effect is grand but understated. Muted earthy tones reign supreme in virtually all of the spaces giving everything a sense of storied, attentive calm. There’s not a sense of snob here and that’s what makes Heckfield even more refreshing.
The rooms are just as polemical. There’s nothing overtly special about them in terms of quirky British style, and that’s very much the point. In room 22 it’s all about embracing the art of relaxation. As with the rest of the hotel, fine wool rugs, handwoven mats hailing from East Anglia, little vases filled with flowers and plants sprouting from rustic terracotta pots set the scene. Mid-century pieces also feature prominently against modcons like USB charging points positioned exactly where needed by the bed. Slim bedside volumes by Ruskin, Rousseau, and Woolf also add a nice, personalised touch on the bedside table. Wait, there’s more. Comfy armchairs run riot in every corner while beautifully crafted wooded screens stand tall alongside the freestanding tub crowned by bath salts and toiletries from Wildsmith Skincare. Other thoughtful touches come courtesy of the chic leather-lined complimentary mini bar stocked with goodies and fresh milk from the Guernsey cows that live out on the farm. Spoiler: the stuff is delicious.
Speaking of delicious, so is the food. Michelin queen Skye Gyngell is the woman behind Heckfield’s wildly popular farm-to-fork kitchen ethos. Fresh to a tee, she has everything from an estate farm to a kitchen garden, orchards (all of which follow the principles of the lunar calendar), and livestock to play with, and all follow strict biodynamic principles. Hearth is hidden inside in a former stable, featuring a sharing style menu of Devon-caught crab with tomatoes et al; pork and fennel seed sausage; and a triumphant wood-fired flatbread with escarcole. Marle, a destination bolthole in its own right, is quite the opposite. Think fine dining with a trio of meats and salad dishes served and spun with a twist. All seasonal, of course. As for brekkie, order the yoghurt with granola and the scrambled eggs on sourdough. The butter also deserves a glorious shout-out.
R&R comes courtesy of The Bothy, a spa that everyone tells me in the hotel, should never be referred to as such. Juju? Maybe, but for the sake of it, think of it as a lifestyle wellness space. V. LA. Massages here are impeccable. Post a full-body pummel, I was in a trance. No phones are allowed (you have to surrender it to a locker before you go into the changing rooms), and there’s an insistence on connection more than anything else. It’s wellness on a human level. There’s nothing commercial about it bar the small boutique, and even that’s hidden from direct view. And that’s rare. Elsewhere long walks across the estate and farm (some guided by the wonderful Corrine) make the time pass by, and if you are brave enough, wild swimming will give you a new and cold perspective on life.
Summed up, Heckfield is a rural rarity in England. It’s got plenty of spunk, charm, and relishes of the fact that it’s taken the old stuffy concept of the classic English country house hotel and redefined it, by giving it the middle finger. As a cynical 35-year-old spoilt journalist, I don’t like much, but this floored me in the most confounding way possible. Top marks.
Top Takeaways
Location: Heckfield, Hook, Hampshire, England, UK
Rating: Five-star
The vibe: Modern English country chic without all the stuffiness of the usual Brit retreats.
Amenities: Restaurant; Spa; Bar; Farm estate; Fitness center
Our favourite thing about the hotel: The staff. While sometimes overly formal, everyone was on it. Friendly, personable, and properly English, you are made to feel like the lord and lady of the manor at every corner.
What’s nearby? A 400-plus acre estate. Go on a walk.
Any personal neighbourhood recs? Stay put, that’s the point.
Rooms: 45, including six signature suites.
Pricing: From about 780 USD per night.
Closest airport: London Heathrow or London Gatwick.
