Gravetye Manor

Somehow Gravetye Manor is only an hour from the city, and, incredibly, just 12 miles from Gatwick airport; but it feels a good deal more remote than that, with an air of pastoral calm worlds away from the rush of today's cosmopolitan London. It is as though chain hotels had never existed and white walls were unheard of — it's all oak paneling and country charm here. This is a place that seems remote not just in terms of distance, but in terms of history as well. The manor dates back to 1598 and everything about it suggests a continuation of the Elizabethan way of life — starting from the meticulously preserved décor (and in the new addition, a convincing replica of the original style). This is a small hotel, just 17 rooms, and achieves what all the best country house hotels are shooting for: the illusion that customers are house guests of a wealthy country relation. Service is efficient and always proper but never stuffy. And it's a good thing, as you will likely be seeing quite a bit of the hotel staff, and your fellow travelers. Gravetye Manor is a retreat, an escape; as such, there is not much in the way of entertainment. If you feel the need to flirt at the hotel bar, London has dozens of more suitable hotels — but if you would prefer an afternoon spent walking through some of England's most sumptuous gardens (courtesy of the leading landscape gardener William Robinson, one of the mansion's former owners) then this is the hotel for you. How to get there: Gravetye Manor is approximately a 1 hour drive from London and only 20 minutes from London Gatwick Airport.