Langshott Manor Hotel

Though it’s not strictly a country house hotel — the commuter town of Horley has rather grown up around its three-acre grounds — the sixteenth-century Langshott Manor offers country-house atmosphere by the spadeful. Imagine if The Tudors took place just a few miles from Gatwick Airport, with a bit less Jonathan Rhys Myers, quite a lot less violence, and much better food, and you’re most of the way there. More literally, if you’re in London, you’re most of the way there — the capital is less than an hour’s drive away.

The Elizabethan architecture no doubt contributes to Langshott Manor’s sense of peace and quiet, all beamed ceilings, mullioned windows and great heavy doors. It’s a style that’s particularly conducive to privacy (and deep sleep) in the twenty-two guest rooms, though they’re not shy about including a more recent intervention from time to time, such as a Victorian-era bathtub.

Dining options include the Mulberry Restaurant as well as a more casual lounge menu, and the afternoon tea service is worth planning your afternoon around. In all likelihood, you’ll be on the premises — though there’s plenty to entertain you in the surrounding countryside, chances are you’ve come here to hide away, rather than to get around.