Fam Trip – Beaverbrook
On Thursday 12th July, the lovely team at Beaverbrook invited BBB to bring a small group of PA’s to come and see the property, check out the cookery school and enjoy some lunch.
Long term SORTED PA Alex Popoff was one of the visitors and this is what she had to report….
First off, Beaverbrook is an incredibly special place, not only by it’s fabulous location and beautiful decor, but by the property’s unique history….
On arrival, we were ushered to The Garden House, a secondary building at the back of the property where the cookery school is located, as well as a small selection of guest bedrooms, charming sitting rooms, a full restaurant and the impressive the kitchen garden.
We were welcomed by the team and told a little of the heritage of the hotel. The house was once owned by Max Aitken, Lord Beaverbook, a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and highly influential figure in the worlds of British politics and media across the first half of the 20th century. He was also a well known society figure and had an impressive selection of friends who all came to stay at the property as a welcome escape from London and to experience a bit of hedonism… One of the most notable guests was Sir Winston Churchill, who spent a considerable amount of time at the house. Lord Beaverbrook became Chruchill’s Minister of Aircraft Production during WW2 and his love of aviation is clearly apparent throughout the decor of the property.
After the historical debrief, we were taken to the Cookery School and introduced to Head Chef Kaz Suzuki, whose impressive resume includes working in many restaurants and private dinners around the world, including Japan, New Zealand, France, Spain and Indonesia. But despite the accolades, Kaz was down to earth and made everyone learning feel like they were an accomplished cook already!
We learnt to make a delicious skinned tomato and burrata salad, which we dressed with a specially created twist on fresh pesto, using rocket, basil and sunflower seeds. To everyone’s immense pleasure, this dish turned out to be our lunch starter and I can confirm, it tasted as good as it looked! We then enjoyed a long lunch in the stunning conservatory area of the Garden House restaurant, before being whisked away to view the rest of the property in the Beaverbrook bus…
On arrival at the Main House, we entered a world reminiscent of the former glamour of the age of Churchill. Sweeping staircases, Art Deco bars, a private cinema room and an impeccable Japanese restaurant were just some of the joyous public spaces of the main hotel building, not to mention the serene patio garden, the rolling lawns and beautiful views across the countryside beyond. It’s easy to see why so many of Lord Beaverbrook’s friends came here regularly to unwind and enjoy themselves!
The bedrooms, we discovered, were each named after some of the incredible personalities to have stayed over the years. The names are too many to list, but an impressive selection, to give you an idea, are Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, Jean Cocteau, W.B. Yeats, Wallis Simpson, H.G. Wells, Ian Fleming and of course, Sir Churchill. Each room is unique, the decor is decadent and luxurious throughout and every detail has been considered to make guests feel instantly at home and taken care of. Original features have been kept throughout, including Churchill’s original bath!
Traditional country pursuits are also well covered, with pétanque, badminton, tennis, croquet, fishing and clay pigeon shooting all available on site. Bicycles are available for guests to explore the estate and next door is a new luxury golf course, ideal for CEO’s wanting to broker deals outside of the boardroom or impress potential clients. In early 2019, a new Spa complex is also due for completion, rounding off the opportunities for the ultimate in relaxation.
Business meetings and events are also well catered for at Beaverbrook. The property boasts three spaces that are ideal for meetings, presentations, working dinners and larger events.
The Orangery is lovely; a large, open room with a lot of natural daylight and many original features, the mood in here is serene and tasteful (despite the fact that it also plays home to a children’s entertainment programme when not booked otherwise!) An extremely versatile and flexible space, the room can accommodate 100 for a reception, 40 for private dining and 28 as a board room, with various other layouts and combinations possible between.
The Blue Room harks back to the glamour of Beaverbrook’s era, with iconic paintings, warm wood panelling and traditional decor. The room can cater for up to 16 guests, either board room style or as private dining, with an exceptional menu of either British or Japanese cuisine with an extensive wine and champagne list.
Lastly the Cinema Room is quite stunning – perfect for all manner of presentations, private screenings or press events, this room is beautiful and impeccably glamorous. It has state of the art AV and surround sound, luxury seating and full connectivity / wifi.
For full info on event spaces, head here.
Stunning, luxurious and calm, this really is a haven close to London but surrounded by wonderful countryside, and I would thoroughly recommend it for anyone wanting a night or two away in style, a corporate away day or a luxurious private event. There are even certain guest rooms in the Garden House that welcome dogs!
My only question about the property was when can I return?…..
Check out the hotel and all it has to offer here.
222 Kensal Rd,
London,
W10 5BN
T: +44207 138 3556
