Well, better actually. Jaine Blackman relishes historic surroundings with all mod cons

Do you like your country house hotel to have a bit of history?

What’s your favourite era – Tudor, Georgian, Victorian?

At Fawsley Hall Hotel and Spa, you don’t have to make a choice... you get them all.

Set in the Northamptonshire countryside it has a rich history which is reflected in its architecture.

Walking into the magnificent Tudor Great Hall, with its vaulted roof and mullion windows, you could feel you were on the set of the popular television drama Wolf Hall: the former family seat of the Knightley family was mentioned in the Domesday Book and Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I were among many royal and celebrated guests.

But it’s not the only era in evidence.

The hall, a Grade I listed building, also incorporates handsome Georgian and Victorian architectural features, later additions by the family which lived there until 1913.

It overlooks the historic church of St Mary the Virgin which contains the Knightley family tombs, including the effigies of the 16th century Sir Richard Knightley and his wife Jane.

I won’t say it feels like stepping back in time, for earlier generations surely didn’t enjoy the comfortable, pristine fixtures and fittings which guests can now enjoy.

Life was a lot smellier and draughtier back then, with no comfy sofas to lounge on while enjoying afternoon tea or smart, warm and welcoming bedrooms with ensuites and all mod cons to retire to.

Fawsley Hall had been run as a hotel for some time but was taken over by the award-winning Hand Picked Hotels group about 18 months ago and has since been the subject of a recently completed £4.5m restoration.

It has involved a complete overhaul of the public area and the 60 bedrooms and suites.

The four Red Star hotel has been redecorated and the reception, restaurant, bar and lounge areas have been redesigned to make the most of period features.

Set within parkland and formal gardens designed by Capability Brown in the 18th century, the hotel has a conservatory, wedding, conference and banqueting facilities, the self-contained Knightley Court suitable for 120 people, a private cinema, and a spa with indoor pool, steam room and sauna, outdoor hydro pool, gym and treatment rooms.

The two AA Rosette fine dining Cedar Restaurant offers a menu by head chef Richard Walker, making the most of seasonal produce.

There are also private dining rooms which offer perfect spaces for family celebrations and other get-togethers.

The renovations have been tastefully done and the building itself oozes a sense of the past but there’s a modern feel about it too.

Unfortunately, after the last Lady Knightley died in 1913, the contents of the house were auctioned.

So while there are impressive-looking paintings and some interesting artefacts dotted around, the original family furnishings are long gone.

There’s not quite the country house party feel you sometimes get in hotels with a history, it’s all a bit polished for that, but perfect if you like your historic homes without the sagging mattresses and frayed edges.

Oxford Mail:

Hand Picked Hotels, created by former lawyer turned hotelier Julia Hands, specialises in architecturally splendid country house hotels, and Fawsley certainly fits the bill.

For people travelling from Oxford, it has the added attraction of being close enough for an overnight getaway to recharge the batteries and offer a change of scenery without having to drive for hours.

It’s close to Silverstone, Althorp, and Warwick Castle, for those looking for local attractions but on a midweek stay we were happy to just enjoy the hotel and gardens.

It’s well worth taking a look around the different wings of the hotel and, if you get a chance, a peep in some of the different bedrooms.

There’s one that Elizabeth I stayed in which is particularly impressive.

And with the addition of electric light and central heating – it’s now even more impressive than when she stayed there.

Essentials

Fawsley Hall Hotel and Spa, Fawsley, Daventry, Northamptonshire NN11 3BA

Rooms start at £125 per room per night with breakfast. 

Hand Picked Hotels (handpickedhotels.co.uk / 0845 458 0901) is offering heritage breaks from £149 per night in a double room, with a three-course dinner for two with glass of wine and breakfast the following morning based on two sharing.