Just an hour from London, at the end of a sweeping drive whose gravelly crunch recalls the gilded lives of the gentry sits Aurora House. Tucked away in a dog-friendly 3.5 acres among the Surrey hills, this 14-guest font of family fun comes alive with majestic English elegance plus bells, whistles and probably a trumpet fanfare for good measure.
Let’s kick off with the fun stuff. Start your day with a dip in the outdoor pool, heated to 28 degrees from May to September. There’s just time for croissants, coffee and orange juice on the heated terrace before a set or two of tennis on the all-weather court. Energy left? Attack the gym’s treadmill, bike, balance ball, weights and yoga mats.
There’s space, grandeur and buckets of wow on offer inside in a calm palette of biscuit- and-almond neutrals, panelling and polished-wood floors. Slide straight out from the
open-plan living space onto the terrace and into the pool. Cook on the double Rangemaster and sleep in plush suites plucked from the pages of House and Garden.
The adventure begins as you crunch up the sweeping gravel drive through 3.5 acres of formal gardens pinched from the Surrey hills. Indoor/outdoor living is big here and the
bifold doors from the open-plan living space make it easy to slide out onto one of three outdoor seating areas. Or worship the sun on the roof terrace.
Stay out there for tennis on the all-weather court or table-tennis in the sunshine. Cool off between May and September with a dip in the outdoor pool, heated to 28 degrees.
Grill meat and fish from Milford’s in the unique barbecue cabin while the kids discover the trampoline, play croquet on the lawn, and wrap up the day around the firepits.
The family frolics continue on the inside. In between the big en-suite double bedrooms on the second floor, which you might want to allocate to older kids, you’ll find the vast,
vaulted TV room, complete with Sky, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Stream your favourite shows on the Sky Wi-Fi.
Pick from two games rooms. The first, on the ground floor, offers an American eight-foot pool table and darts board. On the top floor, you can amuse yourself with another large
TV and games consoles. Table-football fans should head to the hall. Juice up your EV on us with the electric charging point.
Keep your fitness up in the on-site gym, complete with running machine, exercise bike, balance ball, weights and yoga mats. With access from the master bedroom, this can also double as a cot room. Dump your wellies in the boot room. Escape with books to the reading room. Get together in the open-plan living area for games, chat and telly.
The kitchen/ living/dining area is a big, sociable space for entertaining and for slipping out through the bifolds into the equally sociable garden. A fully equipped kitchen comes with a double Rangemaster gas oven and separate single oven. Fill the integrated fridge and freezer with goodies from Secrets deli and Milford’s for meat and fish.
Eat around the 16-seater dining table with a view of the garden. Or get a better view dining informally out on the terraces or under the pergola. Head to the barbecue cabin
for steaks and sausages. Stock up at Waitrose and Sainsbury’s and treat yourself to takeaways from Domino’s, Thai Kitchen or Sushi in the Sticks.
Walk ten minutes to The Star Witley for gorgeous gastro that includes Brixham pollock and Dorset hogget shoulder. Potter just three minutes down to the White Hart, an
award-winning pub with its own smokehouse. Or try The Swan at Chiddingfold for slow- braised lamb shank or vegan mushroom, chickpea and beetroot burger.
For Asian Fusion at its best, get down to MOMA in Haslemere and enjoy rack of lamb, octopus or prawn linguine. Take your pick from pasta, burgers, steaks and sourdough
pizza at Coppa Club in Haslemere. Or take a 12-minute drive out to pretty Guildford for chilli noodles with glazed Japanese dumplings, or ask about private dining.
There’s serenity to spare here, with your 3.5 acres of lush landscaping wrapped up in the silent beauty of the Surrey hills. Sleep deeply in six delicious en-suites.
The master offers a superking bed. Spread out in the en-suite walk-in shower room and separate dressing room and gym (with space for a cot). Have a lazy lie-in and enjoy the TV with Sky and Netflix. Bedroom two is also a superking with en-suite bathroom and doors onto the huge roof terrace with table and chairs for morning coffee.
Bedroom three provides a kingsize plus en-suite walk-in shower room, while bedroom four is another kingsize with a bathroom opposite. Bedrooms five and six each offer a kingsize with en-suite walk-in shower room. All rooms come with great views that include the tennis court and the Surrey hills.
Play stunning West Surrey Golf Club. Shoot clay at Glenzier Sporting. Sample handcrafted spirits at Silent Pool Gin. Walk your dog around Witley and Milford Commons. Meet penguins and parrots at Birdworld. Or get up to London for the Eye, the Tower, the Palace and a wizard good time on the Warner Bros Tour.