Newick Park

SET IN SPRAWLING ACRES of Sussex countryside, Newick Park is an elegant Georgian manor with everything you could want for a few days of high living: sweeping lawns, wooded grounds complete with roving peacocks and antique-filled lounges. Just the place to play out your M'Lady fantasies.

They take bedtime seriously at Newick Park: expect vast king-size beds, rich drapes and finest Egyptian bedlinen, making it quite possible to lose yourself entirely under the sheets. Making the most of the great outdoors at Newick Park is all part of the fun too, with umbrellas at the ready for showery days. Take a dip in the secluded outdoor pool or enjoy a round of croquet on the lawn.

Sweeping parkland views

Try clay pigeon shooting, or grab some wellies for walks around the 250 acres of grounds, where pheasants strut and rabbits scamper.

Newick Park's peaceful bedrooms all have views over the parkland, and some roomy suites are set in the Granary, a few minutes from the main house. Push the boat out by booking wood-panelled Her Ladyship’s suite, with its four-poster and views across the estate (it's the favourite for first nights and honeymoons) or Longford, with its deep window seats made for sharing. We stayed in the latter, where we had enough room to throw a party.

Dinner is an occasion here. We dined on sea bass and scallops cooked on a bed of fennel, rounded off with a fresh coconut soufflé. Menus major on fresh organic produce, much of which comes from the estate itself. Or (should you be lucky enough to get tickets) pack a hamper and head for Glyndebourne or wind down the windows for a breezy drive on the Sussex Downs.

There's a nicely relaxed vibe at Newick Park – it's plush, but not prissy. Staff are warm and obliging, making it a great place to soak up that quintessential country house experience.

© Room for Romance