Rushton Hall

A magnificent historic building with a hatful of facilities, Rushton Hall is a beautiful Elizabethan mansion that maintains the feel of a well-loved private hotel. Surrounded by 25 acres of grounds with a small lake, a tennis court, pool, gym and a spa complex, it’s bursting with character but also a bit more up-to-date than you might, powered by a biomass boiler that means it's one of the most eco-friendly country house hotels you could find.

There are over 50 guest rooms, all with good wifi, tea- and coffee-making facilities and complimentary water, robes and slippers, king-size beds and Freeview TVs. They’re all named rather than numbered, mostly after historically relevant characters in the building’s history. Rooms break down between the cheapest ‘classic’ rooms through to the ore contemporary  ‘luxury’ rooms in the new wing to the top-end ‘state’ rooms suites with four-posters and huge bathrooms.  Mostly the differences between the various categories are in room-size, the view from the window and the bathrooms – state and four-poster rooms have separate power showers and baths, and bathroom TVs. The stunning Great Hall, with its enormous fireplace and 15th-century wooden roof, is a special place to enjoy a cocktail or afternoon tea, while the next-door restaurant plays up to the building's historic vibe with a fine dining menu served by gliding waiters – though there is also the '1593 Brasserie' which serves a simpler menu in a more laid-back setting.

Rushton Hall is very well placed for lazy short breaks from London and for visiting the many and varied attractions of this part of England – you may not know it but Northamptonshire has more historic houses than any another county, plus its location in the heart of England means it’s also well located for a number of attractions, from Rutland Water and the Naseby Battlefield to the Althorp Estate andRockingham Castle, not to mention Rushton Hall’s own 'Triangular Lodge' just a short walk away through the grounds.