Cliveden House

Few hotels in England offer a stronger dose of the aristocratic life than Berkshire’s Cliveden House. This 19th century Italianate landmark, surrounded by 400 acres of National Trust gardens, is nothing if not monumental. It’s both physically imposing and historically significant — for its famous owners, the Astors, its notable guests, including every British monarch since George I, and for what’s gone on within these walls, most notably the Profumo affair in 1961. A butler greets arriving guests, and decanted drinks replace the uncouth convention of the minibar. Rooms are named, rather than numbered, after famous guests and residents, from Charlie Chaplin to Lady Astor herself. The interiors, naturally, are as opulent and formal as they come, and in the formal dining room the advice to “dress for dinner” should be taken as read. During the day, the gardens and some portions of the house are open to the public — it’s that pesky “national” bit in National Trust. Thankfully there’s no shortage of space, and even a full-sized tour group can’t break the immaculate calm at Cliveden. Still, if you’re hell-bent on privacy, there’s always the Spring Cottage, on the banks of the Thames, with a personal butler and a chauffeur-driven car for the short ride back to the main house.