Cliveden House

Ahead of a two-room, one-night stay on Wednesday 2 September, I contacted guest services twice by email with a straightforward pre-arrival query: whether short-term cold storage could be made available for food we are bringing with us back to Dubai. Neither email received a reply, nor any acknowledgement. I then attempted to resolve it by telephone, calling several times in the course of a single day. On each occasion I was transferred to reception, where the line rang out unanswered, with no facility offered to leave a message. I fully accept that not every request can be accommodated, and a simple decline would have been perfectly reasonable. What is harder to overlook is the inability to reach anyone at all, across two channels, on a minor matter well in advance of arrival. I hope this reflects a temporary lapse rather than the standard for pre-arrival contact, and I would welcome the property's comment.

We occupied 3 rooms at this gorgeous historic property, celebrating a birthday. We were welcomed and efficiently shown around by Rajan. The mansion room (with access to a pantry stocked with complimentary wine/beer/ soft drinks and snacks) was more like a junior suite, with a very comfortable 4-poster bed, a sofa and plenty of space. They kindly gave us a half bottle of LP champagne and chocolates in the room. We used the well equipped spa including a swim in the famour listed outdoor pool. We enjoyed dinner in the main restaurant, the food and service were excellent though the size of the starters was a little disappointing (for example the £26 Scallops consisted of just one scallop!). Breakfast was also excellent, both the buffet and the cooked a la carte items, served by the very charming Arndor. We then had a long scenic walk in Cliveden's national trust grounds, enjoying the Thames, the forest and beautiful gardens. Don't hesitate, book it and have a treat!

I have stayed at Cliveden House many times over the years, and it remains one of the finest country house hotels in England. There are very few properties that combine history, setting, service, and comfort this well, and Cliveden continues to deliver every time I return. The staff are exceptional and have always been one of the strongest parts of the experience. Service is polished and attentive, but still warm and personal. George Kuldo, the Front of House Manager, deserves particular recognition. He is gracious, highly professional, and has a natural ability to make guests feel genuinely welcome. He is exactly the type of person you want representing a hotel with Cliveden’s reputation and history. The rooms are extremely comfortable and thoughtfully equipped. The grounds are extraordinary, and simply spending time walking the estate is part of what makes a stay here so special. The spa is superb and remains one of my favorite hotel spas. The food is also consistently excellent. I stay at a great many luxury hotels, and Cliveden is one of the few places I return to again and again. The setting is remarkable, but ultimately it is the staff and the consistency of the experience that keep bringing me back. Cliveden remains a very special hotel, and I am already looking forward to my next stay.

We have visited Cliveden a couple of times this year. I suggest to get there reasonably early if you want a tour of the house which is available on certain days of the week, because tickets run out fast. Cliveden is a wonderful place to wander and we especially love the walk down the slope or steps to the river which is a lovely setting. Steps are steep in places but you can do a lovely circular walk along the river and through the woodland (a handy woodland cafe too for refreshments). BEWARE the red kites. They are spectacular to see. However my husband and I were eating some sandwiches in a quiet spot down some grassy steps near the river where boats could moor. A red kite dived in between us and nabbed my sandwich which I was holding near my lap. It brushed both our shoulders and could have drawn blood if I'd moved my hand at the exact time it swooped. Obviously they are clever eagle eyed hunters that take their opportunities and it would have been great to capture on camera - however be careful as they are bold and clearly not afraid of humans.

Incredible experience from start to finish. I was slightly hesitant after looking at the room prices however if you are at all on the fence, please go for it! It was without doubt the best hotel my wife and I have stayed in together, and that is saying something as we have been lucky to visit a number of 5 star hotels together over the years. We stayed for our wedding anniversary and all the team at Cliveden did their utmost to make the weekend as special as possible. Facilities are lovely, rooms well looked after, comfiest hotel bed we have ever slept in and the staff are incredible. Overall experience as near to perfect as possible.