Buxted Park Hotel is a traditional, country house hotel in Buxted, East Sussex. It isn’t far from Brighton and an easy drive from the city for a weekend getaway.
The building and the 312 acres of land that surrounds it are amazing. They set the scene, and expectations, as soon as they come into view. The scenery is stunning, the building imposing and everything looks very impressive. That impression only increased as we neared the building, it’s huge.
We were met at the door and ushered to the quiet lobby. It was quite busy, but the efficient, uniformed staff seemed to be coping admirably. We were soon checked in and escorted to our room.
“Buxted Park Hotel really does offer a five-star experience.”
The décor is very traditional but done in an elegant and very light-handed way. The atmosphere is relaxed and refined without being posh. The decoration is light, the furniture in period and nicely done. The entire place had a historical feel with a modern twist and gave us a good feeling about the place.
We had the Sir Winston Churchill suite, named after the fact the ex-Prime Minister that is said to have stayed here. The suite is very lavishly decorated and does a good job of making you feel very special.
It is a large space with thick carpets, plenty of luxurious soft furnishings and huge thick curtains. The large canopy bed was comfortable and very supportive. It, along with the heavy curtains, meant we slept extremely well while here.
The rest of the room was very well appointed, with plenty of furniture, a seating area, walk-in wardrobe, sofas with coffee table, huge windows and everything you need to play king for a day. The room also had a large LCD TV, DVD player, and the usual accoutrements the modern traveller now demands.
The bathroom was also large, with a lovely roll-top bath, walk-in shower, twin sinks, bathrobes and high quality products. The suite provided everything we needed to have an excellent time away from work and the world. It was well turned-out, completely clean and provided an excellent stay.
The rest of the hotel is equally well-appointed, with rich furnishings, artwork and thick drapery everywhere. It is a regal but refined hotel that obviously makes great efforts to appear decadent but not overbearing.
There are a range of dining options at the Buxted Park Hotel. The Dining Room is a fine dining venue, The Coat of Arms is a lovely space akin to a Georgian living room with great views and a relaxed atmosphere. There is also a cookery school here and the option for private dining if required. The hotel also offers afternoon tea and elevenses, which is a nice touch.
Our experience at the Buxted Park Hotel was entirely positive. The service was excellent, the staff genuinely eager to please, breakfast was good and there is enough space in the grounds to get lost for an entire afternoon.
Surprisingly, this is only a four-star hotel. It's very rare to find a hotel which is under rated as we truly believe this is worthy of five-star status. The fact that the hotel does not have a lift or a spa should not detract from the luxury experience this hotel has to offer. The Buxted Park Hotel really does offer a five-star experience, and we would return here whenever we had the opportunity.