Cliveden House - Unique Places in Europe
Cliveden House is a luxurious Italianate mansion situated 2 miles from Maidenhead and 130 feet above River Thames in Berkshire, London. The term 'Cliveden' means ‘valley among cliffs.’ It is part of the valley cutting through the eastern part of the mansion's estate. The estate is 152 hectares in size and consists of gardens and woodlands. Within the estate are a gilded tower clock, dovecote, a boathouse, cottage, an elephant carving, a wooden bear sculpture, Wounded Amazon statue, a Topiary, and summer painting at the Long Garden.
Description of Cliveden House
Charles Barry in 1851 magnificently designed Cliveden House. The style of the building is partially English Palladian and Roman Cinquecento.The exterior is furnished with Roman cement mixed with capitals, balusters, and finials. The three-story Victorian mansion is established on a 400 foot long and 20 foot high brick terrace for viewing purposes only. The property has 47 rooms including the Spring Cottage. There are 15 executive suites, two restaurants, and 1 bar at the library. Other facilities include a spa, tennis court, gym, maze, boating facilities, and a meeting space. Additionally, there is a 376 acre ground maze under the management of the National Trust. The most recent renovations were conducted in 2013.
History of Cliveden House
The Sutherland’s bought the former house from Sir George Warrender who died in 1849. Barely a year after the purchase, the house was burnt down for the second time. The fire was blamed on the negligence on the part of the decorators. The 2nd Duke of Sutherland promptly rebuilt it in an Italianate villa style. The house was completed in 1851. The clock tower was built by architect Henry Clutton and runs to-date. In 1984, Blakeney chain of hotels leased the property and changed its name to Cliveden Hotel. The mansion was once the home of Nancy Astor, the mansion was the converging point of the Cliveden Set, a pack of shrewd politicians in the 1920s and 1930s. Later, during the sixties, it acted as a strategizing point for the notorious Profumo Affair. In the 1970s, Stanford University leased it for their overseas campus. Currently, it is leased by London & Regional Properties who run it as a five-star hotel. In 1998, the hotel was bought by billionaire and Microsoft’s CEO Bill Gates through a consortium known as Destination Europe.
Uniqueness of Cliveden House
Cliveden Hotel is an estate like no other. Its tantalizing ownership pedigree entails earls, dukes, countesses, and one Prince of Wales. This is one of the reasons why the hotel is a jewel among the UK's top hotels. The hotel entered the Guinness World Records in 2007 for offering the world’s most expensive sandwich at £100. Recently, they introduced an iPad to cater for all customers’ needs such as food, drinks, and other housekeeping requests.
Tourism to Cliveden House
Cliveden hotel is a magical tourist destination with a magnificent estate, superb staff, and world-class luxury facilities. The hotel offers quality foods and drinks at their roomy restaurant and bar. The hotel can be leased for public gatherings such as weddings, anniversary, and birthdays. In fact, they pre-arrange everything, from food to décor, and all that’s left is for guests to walk in and enjoy. Famous for their services is their wedding planning. Cliveden also offers luxurious services such as SPA, fishing, boating at River Thames, and tennis. The world’s elite visit this high-end luxury spot for entertainment, leisure, and sometimes business.
