Eastwell Manor in Kent

Eastwell Manor has an astonishing secret, which we didn’t discover until after we’d left this gorgeous luxury country house hotel near Canterbury. But more of that later.

The Manor is set in the heart of the Kent countryside, the Garden of England, filled with orchards and hop fields. The cathedral city of Canterbury is only a 25-minute drive, taking you to one of the most historic and fascinating cities in England. But 25 minutes in a different direction and you are at the Ashford International Eurostar Train Station, with Paris less than two hours away. It’s a perfect location for touring Kent and northern France.

Our Room at Eastwell Manor
However, we had no intention of touring anywhere other than Eastwell Manor itself. After two busy days visiting Canterbury, it was time to chill out and indulge ourselves – and we’d picked the perfect place for that.

Our room was the Duke of Edinburgh room, named after Queen Victoria’s second son (see Eastwell Manor’s Secret, below.) Two decanters of sherry welcomed us, along with a splendid view over the Manor’s lawns and some lavender beds. The bathroom was big enough to play 5-a-side football in, and there were little luxury touches everywhere.

Eastwell Manor’s Facilities
Before kicking back with a little sherry, we enjoyed the gorgeously-designed swimming pool in the Pavilion Spa, and a stroll around the grounds. Although the Manor greets you impressively when you arrive, you discover later that this is in fact the back of the house.

Walk out around the Manor to the other side, and down towards the fountain, and you’re greeted by the grandeur of the front of the building: the classic English country house. Other facilities include a golf course, beauty salon, gymnasium heated outdoor swimming pool, an all-weather tennis court, petanque pitches and croquet lawns.

Dining Options
For such a comparatively small hotel, with only 62 bedrooms, there are three very different dining options. This is made possible because it’s a very popular spot for non-residents to dine, for wedding parties, and for members of the golf club. This keeps the restaurants busy, which ensures good, fresh food and ever-changing menus.

An easy option if you don’t want to book ahead is the Manor Bar and Lounge, where they serve an exceptionally good bar menu till 9.30pm. Over in the Pavilion Spa there’s the Pavilion Restaurant and Bar, serving more casual dishes such as Gourmet Burger and Chips, Fish Pie, Spicy Toulouse Sausage and Mash, and an All-Day Breakfast. We opted for the more formal Manor Restaurant where, after Hors d’oeuvres in the bar, we both started with Boudin Blanc with a Celeriac Purée and Madeira Jus.

Our main courses were both sensational: a Medallion of Beef Fillet with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes and Glazed Baby Vegetables, and a Fillet of Sea Bass with Basil Mash, Asparagus and Ratatouille-Stuffed Courgette Flowers. We were only choosing from the Fixed Price Menu, and the À la Carte offered even more elaborate dishes such as a Fillet of Turbot with Crushed New Potatoes, Asparagus, Langoustines, Horseradish and Caviar Cream. Little wonder the Manor has won several awards for its cuisine.

Reluctantly Leaving
We checked out at the last possible moment, so we could spend more time in the morning walking around the grounds and colourful gardens. Eastwell Manor actually encourages you to stay, as the facilities remain available to guests even after you’ve checked out, which is a nice, friendly touch. As we left, guests were gathering for a wedding, just as they had been for another wedding when we arrived. It’s certainly the perfect place for it.

Eastwell Manor’s Secret
It was only after returning home and reading through the history of Eastwell Manor (do ask for a copy at reception) that we discovered the hotel’s amazing secret. The Manor goes back to at least the Norman Conquest, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. In the 16th century Richard Plantagenet, the illegitimate son of Richard III, was discovered to have been hiding at Eastwell Manor for much of his adult life, and working there as a stonemason – but that isn’t the astonishing secret.

Later the Manor was rented to Prince Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria. The Queen often came to the Manor to visit her grandchildren, who were born here. Two of them grew up to be Queens themselves, in Europe – so two Queens were born at Eastwell Manor. But that isn’t the secret either.

No, the surprise is that, despite almost 1000 years of history, the buildings at Eastwell Manor are comparatively new. Sadly the house fell into disrepair, and large parts of it were demolished. The Manor House that you stay in today was mostly built in 1926, but done so convincingly and sympathetically that it’s hard to believe it.