In seven acres of glorious English parkland, you’ll sip gin on the terrace, indulge in a little croquet, stroll the grounds before dinner, and resist the urge to wear a cravat.
Kick a ball into the football nets, throw one through the basketball hoop, play the outdoor golf. Tired yet? Load up the gas barbecue with meaty goodies from Woodhatch, head over to the terrace with its view of the ancient yews and pour yourself another cold one. Life could be worse.
The history of Crown Manor is a storied one, with the main narrative involving an American sugar baron, a favourite daughter, an inheritance and a disapproved marriage. That colourful history has resulted in a characterful display of grandeur and charm alive with period features and modern conveniences.
You’ll feel like Lords and Ladies among the Georgian architraves, the wooden panelling, the heavy curtains, huge fireplaces and thick carpets. Crown Manor is elegant and grand but it’s never stuffy. This is a family home, with all the modern conveniences you’d expect.
You’ll all get together in the main sitting room for Netflix and Amazon Prime streamed on the 40Mbps Wi-Fi, but you’ve loads of options for escape with a book or Bluetooth: pick from the breakfast room, games room with snooker and table tennis, study and even a boot room. Or just get competitive over board games.
There’s room for up to 30 around the chunky dining table plus another table for eight if you need it. Crown Manor does such things at scale. Cook on the two gas ovens with seven gas hobs or in the big blue outdoors on the gas barbecue. Load up the dishwasher when you’re done and pour yourself a Nespresso.
Alternatively, if you’d rather relax completely, Crown Manor offer a range of catering packages, from BBQ’s and fine dining to canapes and cocktail classes. Alternatively, a pro chef from DineIndulge should do the trick. Go for gold and order up a butler, too. Book a one-off special celebration or a fully catered break. Or try a takeaway or two from places like Monte Forte for Neapolitan pizza, the New Gurkha Kitchen and Eighty Ate Burger.
Eat out at The Royal Gurkha for Madras, Massala or Makhani, The Sportsman for scampi, burgers and ploughman’s, or The Kingswood Arms for sharing boards – or dry-aged ribeye steak, linguine or Thai green curry all to yourself. Or how about seared calves’ liver and bacon or fillet of teriyaki salmon at The Grumpy Mole?
Head to Café Rouge in Reigate for French cuisine with a French ambience, to Ciao Italia for pizza and pasta, and to Heen’s for Chinese. Enjoy Thai and Asian dining at The Giggling Squid, a classic English roast at Ranmore, and Lebanese at Lebnani. Or just a cheeky pot of tea and a sarnie at Beryl and Peg’s.
Plenty space here to bring everyone along and sleep like kings and queens in luxury en-suite bedrooms. Crown Manor sleeps 18 guests in nine rather lovely bedrooms. However, additional beds can be arranged for larger groups.
Bedroom one is a double, while bedrooms two and three offer a superking with an en-suite shower. Bedrooms four, five and six all provide kingsize beds and bedroom seven is a superking with dressing room and en-suite shower.
Bedroom eight is a superking with shower en-suite and bedroom nine provides a kingsize on the ground floor with en-suite wet-room and wheelchair access.
As well as the main property, Crown Manor has an additional cottage, which is a one minute walk from the manor. Manor Cottage offers an extra three cozy bedrooms along with private cooking and dining facilities, garden and additional parking spaces.
A big house in the country is always a bit exciting for children, recalling junior literary classics such as Tom’s Midnight Garden and The Wind in the Willows. There are rooms to explore, hide-and-seek to be played and huge grounds and lawns for free-range fun. Crown Manor fulfils the brief and adds a little entertainment on the side.
That entertainment begins in the seven-acre garden. Kick a ball into the nets, toss a basketball through the hoop and let loose on the children’s play area. There’s golf or croquet on the lawn and a barbecue on the baronial terracing when you need to refuel.
Inside’s the place where kids can feel right at home. With a guest list of up to 30, you can bring home with you. Get together around the huge fireplaces to stream Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, or escape with a book to the drawing room or study. Trounce the grown-ups at snooker and table tennis in the evening. Same again tomorrow?
