Arriving at Eynsham, England’s Estelle Manor feels like stepping into a Jane Austen novel (or a Bridgerton set, depending on your vibe). Set on 85 acres and surrounded by over 3000 acres of parkland, Estelle Manor is the stuff of dreams — particularly if you’re looking to live out your period drama fantasies.

At first approach, the Neo-Jacobean Manor House feels enchanting, yet regal, but inside things get much more eclectic and spirited.

Give it to me in a logline.

Decadent luxury manor hotel and private members club in Oxfordshire, England.

How did we get here?

In December of 2023 my husband had a work trip in Europe, so I took my then 4-year old for a 3-night trip before we met back up with him. I like to include this part because when I go and who I’m traveling with is important to my overall perception of a hotel.

Let’s talk design, shall we?

Estelle Manor is a maximalist’s dream and truly one of my favorite hotels design-wise. The Grade-II listed landmark house, with interiors in part by Roman and Williams, is full of Jacobean details like hand-carved staircases, stone fireplaces and original paneling. But it’s through its layered modern touches like contemporary art, patterned textiles and bespoke lighting that it truly sings. It feels opulent, yet youthful and vibrant at the same time and everywhere you turn there’s an eye-catching design detail just waiting to be discovered.

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Rooms & Suites

The 108 individually-designed rooms and suites spanning the Manor House, Walled Garden and Stables at Estelle Manor each have their own design style. As a generalization, the Manor House rooms are more sophisticated and opulent, whereas the Walled Garden and Stables rooms lean more into the country house aesthetic.

My son and I were upgraded to a Large Walled Garden Suite (essentially a 1-bedroom suite), which was absolutely perfect for us. Something important to note: if you’re traveling with children under 13, you can only stay in the Walled Garden, Stables, Woodland Cabins and private houses. As someone who travels both with and without my child, I totally get this. There’s direct access to the outside from each room/suite, allowing kids more freedom to roam and less intrusion on other guests. Win-win!

Our suite felt like stepping into an Anthropologie store in the best way possible. We had a large sitting room with sofa, lounge chair and wood-burning stove as well as a small dining table with custom banquette and stools overlooking the garden. The bedroom had an incredibly comfortable emperor king-size bed with en-suite bathroom complete with gorgeous shower, marble vanity and mahogany-encased bathtub underneath a stained-glass skylight.

The suite had the most impressive mini-bar I’ve ever seen in a hotel — from fun snacks like truffle chips and gummies to collagen face masks and wellness supplements.

I adored everything about the suite, but if I had one complaint it would be that the suite didn’t get a ton of natural light, particularly in the bedroom. The suites are long and narrow, with the only window in the front room by the banquette, so if this is something important to you, you may want to stick to the main house.

Amenities & Experiences

They are aplenty. Sure, there’s the regular stuff like restaurants and bars, gorgeous outdoor heated pool complete with striped umbrellas, padel courts and gym. But then there are other more unique offerings like falconry, pony rides and archery, and even rides in mini Landies for the kids. There is a kids club, but (at least when we went) it was only available to members (not hotel guests), which was a bit of a bummer to learn. In addition, they have something called “The Den” which is an unsupervised area in the Adventure Lodge available to kids 8+ and has foosball, pool tables and games.

The pièce de résistance is their Roman-inspired Eynsham Baths Spa, which unfortunately was not open yet when we visited. For £145, hotel guests can partake in their Thermal Journey through six different areas, as well as access to the open-air Hideaway and Tea Lounge. It looks absolutely divine and I’m determined to make it back there to experience at some point.

How about the food?

Estelle Manor has four different restaurants:

• The Brasserie/Orangery - all-day dining (child-friendly until 8:00 pm)

• The Billiards Room - Chinese (18+)

• The Glasshouse - seasonal classics, comfort food (family + dog-friendly)

• The Armoury - Japanese (child-friendly until 8:00 pm, dog-friendly)

I wish I had more to personally report on this front, but we ate the majority of our meals in-room (all great). We did venture out to the Brasserie/Orangery for breakfast a couple of mornings, which was lovely. Highlights included the fresh juices and pastries. We also loved going to the Living Room Bar to enjoy hot cocoa by the fire.

Festive Season is particularly magical at Estelle Manor. Just look at that gingerbread replica of the manor house! Definitely look into their offerings if a country house getaway is on your wishlist for the holidays.

Standouts

• The design is *chef’s kiss*.

• Attention to detail — from brass knobs and marbled glassware to its well-curated gift shop and uniquely stocked mini-bars.

• Family-friendly without being family-focused — chic, but still lots of opportunities for leisure activities for guests young and old.

Overall I’d highly recommend Estelle Manor for a fun mini-break. It’s got everything I love about hotels — character-filled, inspired design, beautiful grounds, great restaurants, loads of activities, luxe amenities, etc.

If you’re not a fan of commitment (I get it), feel free to hit the ❤️ button or share this post with a hotel-loving friend!

Thanks so much for your support!

Ronee