The website for the Manor House states, “you feel the magic of The Manor Hosue before you even arrive”, and for us, never a more accurate word was spoken.
This property had been on our radar for our members for the longest time. We are well-versed with all of the hotels and venues in Exclusive’s portfolio, and who wouldn’t be? Between PennyHill Park in Bagshot, South Lodge in West Sussex, Lainston House in Hampshire, Royal Berkshire in Berkshire and Fanhams Hall in Hertfordshire, the group have properties all over the country. The Manor House in Castle Combe in Wiltshire, though, was one we still needed to hold a fam in and oh, what a location.
The Manor House is a 14th-century luxury hotel and golf club with Michelin-starred dining and its championship golf course. On arrival at the property in the quaint Cotswolds village of Castle Combe, you are blown away from the minute you arrive.
We arrived on Sunday, and holding a fam on a Sunday, with a Monday departure, allows our members to come and experience the property free of distraction or the stresses of work. As Event Managers, we sometimes have last-minute meetings or last-minute events that pop into the diary. Holding a fam on a Sunday afternoon means our members experience the property both with a lens on leisure and business and departing on Monday at leisure works. Some of our members take the opportunity to get to know the property by working from there, and some drive home or the office to start their week.
Our fam started at 2.00 pm with arrival and check-in to our beautifully appointed rooms before heading to afternoon tea. The tea was served in their stunning lounge and was fantastic. Staff at the Manor House are very attentive (as with all the Exclusive properties), and it was incredible.
After afternoon tea, we had a few hours to see all the extraordinary meeting and event spaces and enjoy the grounds and our rooms at leisure before meeting for dinner. You can see all of the meeting and event spaces here.
Activities at The Manor House available to you include everything from Star Gazing to discovering the stunning Italian gardens where you can relax to the sound of bird songs and experience a treatment in The Potting Shed. You can follow one of the many trials with your furry friend if you are staying with your dog or just relaxing in your room. Most of our members enjoyed a bubble bath with some tasty in-room treats left for us.
Up next was dinner, and the property has its own Pub on-site (The Castle Inn), just a short walk from the hotel or a 30-second golf buggy ride. We walked and loved walking past the quaint cottages that paved the walk. The Manor House owns most of the cottages, and we were lucky enough to take a peak inside one of them – these would be perfect for your VIPs. You can find out more about them here.
Dinner in The Pub was terrific. The Pub also has 12 bedrooms, and you can take the space exclusivity. It would be perfect for that board-level away day. You can find more details on that option here.
The food in the Pub was special, as was the wine. Most of us had beef bourgeon (it was, after all, Sunday); you can see a sample menu here.
We then made the short walk back to the property, and then it was off to bed in our gorgeous rooms. A couple of us had to make the drive back early doors which was such a shame; we didn’t want to leave.
We loved our fam at The Manor House; we are still talking about it. The event opportunities (whether business or leisure) are endless, and we can’t wait to return soon.
For more information on using The Manor house or any of the Exclusive properties for your events, drop us a line, and we can connect you.
