Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire

We all know more or less what a Four Seasons is, and most of us are at least familiar with the basic idea behind an English country house hotel. But put the two together and the result, the Four Seasons Hampshire, is something of a novelty, even, in some circles a controversy; these hotels tend to be private affairs, and the idea of a global luxury chain getting into the country-house game was met with some skepticism.

But as long as you can swallow a couple of basic facts — it’s big for a country house hotel, at over a hundred rooms, and no, Mr. and Mrs. Four Seasons won’t be personally on hand to pour the champagne and show you photos of the Seasons kids — then you’re in a position to make the most of what the Four Seasons Hampshire has to offer: faultless contemporary luxury a short drive from London.

So what it lacks in idiosyncratic charms it makes up for in the sort of unglamorous essentials the Four Seasons does well. Service is exceedingly professional, the rooms are state-of-the-art, and the beds are among the most comfortable on the planet. Take all the typical country-house diversions — a walk in the garden, a drink in the library, even a bit of riding or shooting — and add some luxury-hotel bonuses like an indoor-outdoor pool and an enormous spa in the old stable block, and you’ve got yourself a new breed of country house hotel.


How to get there: Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire is approximately a 45 minute drive from London's Heathrow Airport and 1 hour from Gatwick Airport. Farnborough, a private airfield, is approximately 15 to 20 minutes from the hotel and upon request, private jet transportation can be arranged between destinations. Transportation from Farnborough Airport to the Hotel must be arranged in advance as taxis and public transportation are not readily available.