WHAT'S IT LIKE? This grand country house, designed by Mario Asprucci the Younger and Francis Sandys, is likely to be one of the most extraordinary you could stay at. Specialising in family-break weekends, and conference and meetings during the week (outside school holidays), it is a recent addition to the Von Essen group of hotels, which includes Cliveden (Business Traveller review July-August 2006).
Ickworth has one of the grandest exteriors of any country-house hotel, though it cannot distract from the unfortunate history of the house and its family, the Herveys. Originally built in 1794-1803 to house Lord Bristol's art collection, it was a white elephant even before it was completed since the collection, assembled on his world tour, was seized by Napoleon's armies in 1798. The east wing of the rotunda was built in the 1820s and converted into accommodation (this is now the hotel); the west wing was added for symmetry and remained empty until a few years ago when it was converted into exhibition and conference space with Sodexho Prestige.
The Herveys gifted most of the house to the National Trust in 1956 in lieu of death duties, with the last Lord Bristol losing the rest of the family money and eventually completing the sale of the house and grounds in 1998. The hotel opened in 2003, and in the sitting room there are some fascinating before-and-after pictures showing the sad state the building was in before being rescued and renovated.
WHERE IS IT? Set in 1,800 acres of National Trust grounds in Suffolk, with rolling countryside accessible by several walks and a lovely National Cycle footpath (bicycles available from the hotel). It is five miles from Bury St Edmunds and 45 miles from Stansted airport. By train from Liverpool Street station, London, journey time is approximately one hour and 45 minutes.
HOW MANY ROOMS? 27, and a further 11 in the Dower House half a mile away from the main house. The rooms in the main house are furnished in a comfortable country-house style, more like a home than a hotel.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS Frederick's is the signature restaurant, good for romantic evening meals but also with the option of using the private rooms for group meals. Café Inferno in the former kitchens in the basement is where the children are fed during holidays and at weekends, but can also be converted into an adaptable and fairly indestructible evening venue.
LEISURE FACILITIES There is a small Aquae Sulis spa in the former kitchens. No gym, though there are plenty of runs in the grounds, as well as a good-sized heated swimming pool.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES This is the market Ickworth is moving into since, like most good country-house hotels, weekends are very busy. All rooms have modem points for internet access (though £17 for 24 hours is very expensive) and there is a good selection of small meeting rooms with capacity up to 45 for theatre layout in the library.
VERDICT Good both for family breaks at the weekend and small meetings and conferences during the week.
PRICES From £220 for a standard double room with dinner, bed and breakfast (minimum two-night stay at weekends) - a 14 day cancellation policy applies. Children stay for free when sharing. The 24-hour delegate rate is £195 including dinner, bed and breakfast, buffet luncheon, room hire and use of in-house audio-visual equipment and toolbox. Team-building activities are possible including shooting, quad biking, golf, helicopter rides and hot air ballooning.
CONTACT The Ickworth Hotel and Apartments, Horringer, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, tel +44 (0)1284 735350, ickworthhotel.com.
Tom Otley
