Travelheart A Blog for those who love to travel
Country house hotels just don’t come any grander than the Tylney Hall Hotel in Hampshire.
This Grade II listed building, originally a Victorian manor house, seems to have retained all of its original charm and stylish features – from the atmospheric wood-panelled bar that was originally a large private library to the magnificent tree-lined avenue drive that still greets guests on arrival.
Floor to ceiling walnut panelling and an opulent staircase dominate the reception area and lounge, while the hotel’s two drawing rooms offer their own new take on Victorian style. The Italian Lounge has ornate period furnishings and a marble fireplace, but most guests would agree that its spectacular ceiling, originally imported piece by piece from the Grimation Palace in Florence, Italy, is the true crowing glory here.
It leads onto the light and airy Grey Lounge, a popular spot for guests to take high tea, which comes replete with Rococo-style cornicing and pale blue walls. Its windows open out onto the most stunning views over 66 acres of landscaped parkland and the Tylney Hall Hotel private gardens. Originally designed by renowned gardener and planter, Gertrude Jekyll, these gardens remain a tourist attraction in their own right. For the last 25 years they have been tended by a team of dedicated gardeners led by Paul Tattersdill.
And the old market town of Basingstoke, complete with iron age hillfort, is within easy reach.
For all its rural charm, though, the Tylney Hall Hotel in Hampshire is well equipped to serve the modern practical world. Its location near Basingstoke and Hook, not far from the M3 and M25 motorways, makes it easily accessible to visitors from London, Heathrow Airport and the whole of the M4 corridor. It might be rooted in Hampshire, but excellent road connections mean Tylney Hall is just as convenient for travellers on their way to and from Surrey, Berkshire and beyond. The manor has its own business, conference and banqueting facilities, and the library bar is an eminently suitable location for pre and after dinner drinks.
Leisure facilities include an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, a gymnasium and spa, and even outdoor tennis and croquet facilities. The romantic setting has made it a popular location for wedding ceremonies and receptions. There are ten function rooms to choose from and wedding parties of up to 120 people can be catered for.
Four-poster beds in oak panelled bedrooms are a definite draw for brides and grooms to be, and the hotel has its own dedicated wedding team to take care of all aspects of wedding, reception and honeymoon bookings.
The hotel staff were recently awarded a Tourism South East Outstanding Customer Service Award and the high standard of rooms and suites have earned this former manor house 4 Red Star status. The gourmet dining experience has been awarded AA 4 Star, 2 Rosettes.
