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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.

On Sunday 25th November, Ben and Anna from the BBB team were invited to bring 5 PAs to a very exclusive overnight stay at Chewton Glen. Here is what happened…

We were invited to arrive late morning on Sunday, in time for lunch, so after checking in and dropping off bags in our rooms, we met at the Pool Bar, part of the Spa complex that overlooks the swimming pool. Lunch was light and delicious, a healthy style buffet in keeping with the wellness theme of the Spa area, and in the afternoon we were encouraged to explore the hotel as we wished. A couple of the us headed off to enjoy the hydrotherapy spa pool, aromatherapy sauna, crystal steam room and other treatments available. Guests can book in for the full range of treatments you’d expect from a five star establishment, including massages, Kundalini and various scrubs, as well as nails, waxing, reiki and an array of specialist men’s therapies. The whole complex is beautiful and definitely worth scheduling into any visit to the hotel!

Others from the group took a more active approach and walked about the grounds, discovering the tennis courts, gym, dance studio and checking out the golf course, ending up at the stunning beach, which is a short distance away.

We then retreated for some quiet time in our rooms. We were housed together in the stunning Croquet Rooms, each with doors leading onto a private terrace and all situated around the beautiful gardens. These rooms are elegant, peaceful and romantic, each with a view of parkland and a king size bed. All room categories have luxurious bathrooms, bluetooth audio and seating areas but vary in size and decor depending on category and location within the property. Some of the larger suites have several rooms, extra beds, water features and private gardens – each is different and can suit a variety of traveller, from singles to families.

At 5.30pm, the group gathered at the Marryat Suite for champagne. At 83m2, this is the largest suite and was the bedroom and living room of the original 18th Century Manor House, now reconfigured to luxury accommodation. This suite has a private terrace with outdoor hot tub, sweeping views of the grounds, a king size bed (2 extras possible for children), very comfortable seating area and state of the art Sonos audio through the lounge and bedroom. The suite and terrace are also often used to host drinks receptions and private dinner parties and it’s easy to see why, with the beautiful views and stunning decor!

Next we were picked up by Chewton buggies and taken across the grounds to the Kitchen Cookery School, where we were told about the classes on offer and saw the facilities first hand. Sadly there wasnt time to cook, but we enjoyed some gin cocktails and sumptuous canapés before heading off again! The buggies then whisked us away to the Tree Houses, where we had more champagne and canapes! Needless to say, this was wonderful.

Dinner itself was served to us in the Wine Room, the private dining area of The Dining Room restaurant. We were treated to an excellent set menu especially for us, all of which was totally exquisite. Fittingly to the room, each course was accompanied by a delicious wine. We really were treated like royalty and the atmosphere of the room itself was intimate, calm and spacious. The room would be perfect for business lunches and dinners, family reunions or any special occasion.

There are plenty of spaces to entertain or conduct business though, aside from the Wine Room. The Lake Suite, The Ward Room, The Library, The Club Room and the Mission Room all offer different degrees of space, formality and decor across the property. Weddings and large parties are also well covered. The Kitchen Cookery School is also a brilliant alternative to a corporate day out and can be hired exclusively for up to 24 people, either half day or full day, with menu and class options to suit. There’s also the option to just watch a demonstration with cocktails and canapes, if more appropriate. The most decadent event offering at the Kitchen is the private dinner for 12 – the group gathers, watches the chef prepare dinner exclusively for you, then you can sit back and enjoy it with an extensive selection of wines and fizz!

After dinner, to round off what had already been an incredible and indulgent night, we headed to the main bar of the Hotel for yet more cocktails and a lovely relaxing time! After all the wonderful hospitality from team, the comfortable beds and soft linen were more than welcome. We all slept beautifully – the peace of the countryside was a very welcome treat for the Londoners amongst us! Breakfast was what you’d imagine – a sumptuous buffet fit for royalty (worth noting, breakfast meetings can also be catered for). I know we were all quite sad to leave! The stunning property really does live up to its reputation – every detail is thought of and staff really do make every effort to ensure each and every guest has the best possible experience. The beauty of the grounds and the proximity to the beach add to the feeling of escape. The reputation of the hotel, combined with the excellent facilities and many adaptable work spaces really make this a great option for all business or event needs, as well as a romantic weekend away. Please contact Anna at BBB to book or for further information.