Written by Menswear Style in Travel on the 1st November 2018

The fact that this hotel was once a boarding school back in the day makes sense because there are lots of long corridors; It's like a maze at times. Those long hallways are now turned into seated reading stations with hundreds, if not thousands, of books available on display shelving for guest to read. The De Vere Beaumont Estate, in Old Windsor recently had a £12 million refurbishment, which includes the creation of new luxury bedrooms and a general overall revamp, including its unique Grade II listed 19th Century chapel which is popular for weddings.

There are tons of quirky British design features throughout (gallery walls, wood boat paddles and a rocking horse were among our favourites) are striking and tasteful. The 44-acres of beautiful parkland with complimentary use of Hunter wellies is particularly useful for families. We came across a children’s playground area, natural ponds, specially commissioned sculptures and an enchanted forest walking trail.

The History 

The story of this estate is a very British one; a tale of democracy, royalty, education and religion. At its heart, sits an 18th-century mansion, a chapel, 75 event spaces and a Georgian white house in vast grounds. The original house was built for Lord Weymouth, but it was its time as a public school for boys (dubbed ‘The Catholic Eton’), from 1854 - 1967, that saw most of the estate's architectural developments.

The Room 

We stayed in one of the most impressive suites located in the White House, accessible by the grand spiral staircase and once the room of House Master Joseph Bampton. The suites are open plan luxurious spaces with a separate bedroom and lounge area; with even more great modern books to read, a Roberts radio and two smart TVs. The bathroom was one of the biggest we’ve ever seen and comes with a roll-top bath (equipped with rubber frog), walk-in shower, H2K Harrogate toiletries, fluffy robes and slippers.

1705 Restaurant 

We were very lucky with the weather and were able to sit out in the internal courtyard area, where the boys of the old school would play when the weather was rather poor. 1705 Restaurant takes seasonal, local ingredients and creates delicious food. Alternatively, to the courtyard guests can choose to dine in the light and airy, wooden-floored restaurant with its feature ceiling and rich materials or onto the comfy sofas in the adjoining bar. Weather depending, we did spot a wood-fired pizza oven (reserved for hotter days) in the courtyard so we’ll be back to experience that in the future for sure.

Originally built for Lord Weymouth and once a public school dubbed The Catholic Eton, we headed to Old Windsor to review the De Vere Beaumont Estate Hotel.