Honestly, if I was a millionaire, I would probably stay in properties like this all the time. But as a working class brit, I could spend a week abroad for the same as one night in this hotel.
I fully agree with you. However, compared with other similar places I think this is a bit of a rip-off. Two of the three restaurants looked quite cheap and yet they charge a lot for food that is not spectacular. Overpriced and overrated.
Your reviews and descriptions of the properties that you visit are so detailed but not overloaded with superfluous information. Keep up the great work this is definitely my favorite travel channel on UA-cam!
It's great to see you in the UK! Also, if anyone reading this is interested in historic buildings, English Heritage has multiple properties that are a lot cheaper than this one; it's definitely worth looking at.
Going next summer and intend on staying at least once in a historical hotel/manor but not looking at spending 1k + per night (canadian). Do you have any suggestions? I will be around London, York and Bath. Thanks
@@ugosmith7529i dont know much about sleeping in properties like these BUT Ive been living in the uk for a few months and I have found great value in doing daytrips to different historical towns and just researching "name of the town + castle". Most of them have at least one castle that, as he said, you can pay up to 20 pounds to visit, as well as churches. Visiting the castles for just a few hours feels just as magical as it would be staying in them in my opinion, and way cheaper! But if you have the money to stay in them thats amazing as well. Bath specially, i dont remember visiting any castles there but the town itself feels like one continuous castle.
Great review, although I have to say as a UK native I found this funny to watch. I can see the appeal maybe for those from across the pond but the "history" of the place really isn't that novel when you realise there are tonnes of old properties you can stay at like this - which I'm glad you point out although Im sure you can find more grand locations for less in other parts of the UK. Personally it looks like they've used the history of the place as an excuse not to renovate much. Also not to be pedantic but worth noting the National Trust is not a government organisation but a separate charity with a long history.
And like just in general you can find a lot a lot all over Europe that will generally be cheaper and older. It's pretty easy to find old inns for example and if you hop across to france there are a ton of small hotels in medieval buildings.
@@bobjim4566 I know right. Hes remarking at the novelty of staying in a 180 year old building, while my house is 300+ years old and isn't even close to being the oldest in the village or the oldest I've stayed in
I think a great point you made was there quite a few other properties that come very close to this and quite a lot are cheaper and if you don't mind being further away from London their are hundreds of others and almost all cheaper. With spectacular ones in the Lake District and ones like Burgh Island Hotel which also has a cool special vehicle that can transport you to the hotel.
Also just in general in Europe this isn't unique, and while it certainly has a unique history so does the hundreds of other locations around Europe. I mean there are some places you can stay in that used to be royal palaces and others that are much much older, and they might even be cheaper. 178 years isn't actually very old in Europe, you can find much older buildings everywhere and many are still actively used.
I agree. They could at least put the tv on the wall instead of the ugly stand. I get its a historical property so people don't want a modern style. But the room looks old fashioned in an 80s kind of way, not a beautiful antique way.
My partner and I stayed there last year to attend his mate's wedding and we drove from Glasgow all the way down south. It's a beautiful property and also had the most expensive GBP 30 fish and chips and it was nothing exceptional. But if you get a chance to visit India, do try the Taj Mahal Palace and only the old wing. The service is excellent and full of histories. Another one which I highly recommend is Wildflower Hall, An Oberoi Resort, Shimla. Service is exceptional and also the most beautiful indoor pool with chandeliers and outdoor jacuzzi overlooking the valleys.
Now these same evil elites have underground complexes so deep underground we don't have capability to drill to them. We have paid and continue to work for our own enslavement
Not very related to the video, but thank you so much for continuing to make travel content. Always so much fun to watch, and you take such a different approach to it, I love the format compared to typical travel vlogs
the trick is to stay at a cheap hotel and visit a National Trust property for free (grounds usually free, often have to pay to tour the house but it's never $1,000 a night)
Ha, I spent most of this video thinking ‘but it’s a National Trust location, so you can visit the grounds for about £15!’ and then you got to that bit 😂 Great video as always, Jake. It’s a stunning location but it does feel like you are paying a heck of a lot for the hotel side of thing. I can imagine it being an amazing location for a honeymoon or something if you can really splash out for it though. Minor point: the National Trust is a charity, not part of the government. Though its president is the King, and it has >5 million members (ie. about 1 in 10 people in England), so it does feel pretty much like a state institution at times.
That's very interesting information about the Trusthank you so much for that. How do they get so many members? They contribute with money? How much does it cost if it managed to get so many members?
I think it's a rite of passage for many in the UK when you hit 50 to get a national trust membership. These places are usually full of middle aged and retired couples wandering the grounds and filling up the tea room.
@@Croz89 Definitely, though pretty much every family with kids I know has a membership too - a lot of the sites are pretty good for a vaguely educational day out with plenty of grounds to run around in once they get bored.
For me a 5 star hotel without the service to match is not a 5 star experience.I can forgive most of your other complaints but for about $1000 usd a night they better have the service to match. My rule of thumb for hotels and restaurants: 1) I need to enjoy (for the price) my stay or food, 2) Service needs to match where they are positioning themselves, it's not the same expectation a Holiday Inn from a Four Seasons, 3) Price should be a little less from what I was expecting. If all 3 are met I will recommend it and when possible be a return customer. Awesome review!!! keep them coming.
A simple room with two queens beds in a normal hotel here in British Columbia costs $1000 a night in peak season. And people gladly pay it, they don't even do nightly turn downs anymore lol
What a spectacular place and kudos to Britain for having a national trust to preserve historical places and make them financially lucrative for many generations to come.
I just subscribed to your wonderful channel. I will be binge watching your videos, and commenting. I commented today on your Disney stay, I know there is more than one but this one was kinda new. I was saying I would never go to Disney and spend $5000 and be miserable at the same time. I would 💯 love to go to this boutique Hotel on the River. I would want to stay 5 days. I want to walk the whole grounds and take in all the History this place has to offer. I love ❤️ how peaceful it is. I want to go have afternoon tea, and Mingle with others. Top it all off with a peaceful nights sleep on that beautiful comfortable bed. Thank-you for the video, I will share it to my Facebook. ❤ One more thing, I like that you don’t feel rushed at this Hotel, I would live there if I could. LOL
Usually I don’t watch travel/hotel vlogs unless it’s from my own country (coz at least I can afford it) But knowing what your other channel is based on, it’s really fun to see you actually go to the hotel locations this things
Oh you guys would love hotel Terworm in the Netherlands. I stayed there in April of this year and also, had amazing views and surroundings like this one.. Just a bit smaller.
Oh surprised to see you in UK! I grew up nearby and always remember seeing "the big house on the distant hill" but didn't visit it until much later. The stonework looks much better maintained now than when I last saw it. Enjoy your British travels!
Stunning location with great views. Staying in a place like, since the general public can visit, I'd want to be able to do things the general public wouldn't normally get, when just visiting for the day and not just getting a room to stay in. I'd also expect a 5 star service for a 5 star hotel. I grew up in a country estate that is now owned and managed by the National Trust, which is actually a charity, not a government owned company. That was a great experience and a bit different of an experience than just visiting the estate.
I would not accept unreliable hot water and worn carpet in my room for this price point and location. Just because a building is old and furniture simetimes antique, does not mean it cannot be well maintained or refurbished to at least good modern standards 🤔 The room, honestly with the look and less than impressive view, is not worth the price. Especially since you can enjoy the location without sleeping over 🤷♀️ So the high price really is just for the room you are sleeping in and the breakfast. Also, no 5 star service at a hotel that positions themselves as 5 star is quite ridiculous imo
@@loser.czsksracky3507 I get early access to the videos by paying monthly on a website that starts with P. Apparently I cannot say the name of this website without my comment being automatically deleted. I'm sure you can figure it out.
Its damp , Its dark , They constantly bug you , Your not allowed to walk on the grass , The food was cold , The wine was off due to being stored incorrectly, Staff are underpaid and it shows as they only do what they have to do nothing more. And its a 3 star at most. The furniture is old but not Antique. Hot water has a long way to travel so got cold quickly.. Its definitely not worth the price….
Been for more Northern England and living in a town close to a stately home ok not as grand as this one but one I can visit daily if i wanted using a £50 a year pass, this kind of thing just doesn't appeal to me for the price, there many homes like this around the country you could visit and enter for a day for small cost and do activities and go in the house for a tour but then go stayover elsewhere way cheaper close by, Maybe its cool for tourists or the rich or people into history but for a general English person i dont think it quite hits the spot not even for a one off experience, because you can get 95% of the experience for way way less money at other stately homes.
I've visited the grounds hundreds of times with family (we live less than half an hour away and entry is free with a National Trust membership), but I've never seen inside the hotel. Maybe if I ever pull my life together and get a decent job I'll stay a couple of nights there.
Fun Fact: If you go up to Scotland you can stay on the King's land at Balmoral though its not a marketed as anything luxury and its just some cottages but you can do it.
My wife and I stayed here for a weekend a couple of years ago, and it was not a good experience. We found the furnishings very tired and with deep new scratches on some furniture. Stairways were dusty and the service was poor and one meal we sent back three times because it was cold. We also had one of the 'wing' rooms and had a view of rubbish so we changed to the main house. It certainly was not an ultra luxury hotel. It also played far to much on the 1960s candle which was tasteless at times. Would not recommend
Interesting...less than $100 more than a room at the Disney World Contemporary Resort ($970/night), though I would hope the rooms are decorated better at this one.
It's pronounced Buckinghamsheer. Not shyre. Top man. Cheers for the vid Edit: most things here ending in shire are pronounced sheer, Worcestershire sauce is just pronounced Woosta. No sheer at all.
woosta sauce because pronouncing woostasure sauce is to hard so that what people (of which i have never met) call it for short. under no circumstance is worcestershire pronounced as woosta.
I wanted to see what Relais & chateaux own in Australia since we were only colonised in 1888 so… everything is pretty much new (the main reason I love travelling Europe so much), and they don’t have any hotel properties but they DO operate Tetsuya’s, one of Sydney’s best restaurants (and in the world). It was a complete wtf moment 😂 but the restaurant is in a heritage listed property in the middle of Sydney City so that makes more sense I guess.
You can’t on one hand claim your standard is x and then have some rooms with terrible outlooks. Better to not have the extra rooms and maintain that higher standard. I’d be really annoyed to have that room for the money.
Mindboggling to think that this whole ass property was owned by a single family, really shows how wide the gap is to an average citizen even in modern times let alone 19th century
I was looking at the carpet in the suite thinking that it looked a bit grubby and then mention was made of it Surely replacing the same couldn't be a major outlay in terms of operating cost?
this place is horrible for what it costs. 7:46 look at the wrinkles on the seats and then look at the booths in the next shot and how worn out they look. they can do maintenance and restore shit back to the way it use to be. they are taking a big advantage of people who will think its wonderful just because its big and old. nothing is an excuse to how dirty the carpet was in your room. they can replace the carpet as needed and for the price and how nice they claim their hotel is (calling it 5 stars) theres no excuse.
The website of this property is a bit disappointing. Images of the rooms are obscured by a drop down window (that cannot be removed) when using a tablet or mobile handset. [I have double checked the settings on my device] Many of the images of the rooms are under exposed, of course this can be corrected by adjusting the brightness on my screen which is something that I normally needn't bother with.
Wow! You got ripped off!! Parking lot view?? Lol!!! The room decor was dreary and sad. It looked like a servant's room. Nice pool and riverside location. But nah.
Going to the Uk (england and scotland) as well as Ireland next summer. Looking to spend at least 1 night in a posh/luxury hotel/manor/castle but maybe not as expensive as this place. Anyone have any suggestions? So far the Bath Priory is on the list as are a few slightly less glamorous places.
This is the same problem the family of Henry Flagler ran into. The man that built this mansion had progeny that later could not afford to maintain it and had to figure out how to get rid of it. The only solution they could have was turn it into a hotel (Flaglers was turned into a museum). These super opulent homes are really difficult to use as an everyday home and thus are equally hard to justify as a hotel
I disagree that old carpet and unpredictable hot water are too be expected in an old structure. At that price point carpet should be updated regularly and hot water a tank should localized closer to each room. imo.
I think the hot water is more understandable. As a historic property, there will be all sorts of restrictions on changes to the structure of the property, which are likely to make things like changing plumbing much more difficult, especially when the operator is only leasing it. Carpets should be fairly easy to keep up to date though!
It is just me or 5 stars or luxury hotels aren’t as good as they used to be? I remember the first times I’ve stayed in a 5 start hotel and I remember being amazed with everything. I’ve had been in many other 3/4 stars hotels, some were way better than they should be. So the first 5 star hotel was an experience to remember. Since then, I’ve stayed in several other 5 stars hotels and I was so unimpressed. Since bad breakfasts, not many amenities and the service was underwhelming
Probably worth mentioning that service is better when you stay more than one night at a hotel. I generally stay a minimum of 5 nights and the service gets better with familiarity, you can actually become 'friends' with the staff, if you are lucky. Just saying, not being critical.
There is or was a tv series on Clivedon. I think it would give you a better insight on what goes on. They are having difficulty with staff, as in understaffed. This is due to their location and Covid did not help that situation any better. The kitchens are illogically placed and in my opinion not safe for staff, due to its location on the property. Would I stay there, why yes, yes I would. It is on my bucket list, but at the price, unreachable.
Americans being amazed by old buildings always amuses me lol, my house growing up is over 250 years old and the primary school I went to was based around a victorian building so it's just like normal for things to be that old lmao
House looks fab but bedroom decors is a bit boring grey and other grey. not exactly luxury. ugly wires hanging everywhere. Doesnt exactly scream countryhouse ambiance.
Glad you enjoyed your stay in the UK :) If you ever return and want to do abandoned videos here theres a ton of fascinating abandoned places in and around London! Worth noting that anyone who's a National Trust member can visit Cliveden as part of their membership, and you can usually get a few days free as they have offers throughout the year for 2-3 day of free passes for familes.
The reason it’s priced so high is what normal hotels call “maintenance” but in the cases of National Trust and similar patrimonie worldwide is “ongoing conservation”. While folk are more likely to factor in the social value of expensive stays in hard to get “adventure” travel in the underdeveloped world, it’s less obvious when staying 30 miles from the centre of one of the worlds most developed and capitalist cities. That heritage conservation premium has to be precariously balanced across all revenue areas. Charge too much in the restaurants which serve more day visitors than guests and they’d lose that patronage, vs fine dining at “hotel rates” and they may have to substantially increase the room rates. As a tourist you may feel “maybe a bit ripped off”, but perhaps realising that you paid a wee part in maintaining a heritage property for generations to come helps assuage that feeling.., just a little bit…
Honestly, if I was a millionaire, I would probably stay in properties like this all the time. But as a working class brit, I could spend a week abroad for the same as one night in this hotel.
I fully agree with you. However, compared with other similar places I think this is a bit of a rip-off. Two of the three restaurants looked quite cheap and yet they charge a lot for food that is not spectacular. Overpriced and overrated.
@arslongavitabrevis5136
Qqqq❤❤
As a fancy taste (modest income) thousandaire myself, I have to agree
You’re only working class in your mind.
I guess it looks quite nice. But for that kind of money, I would expect a few more Edna Mode posters.
Your reviews and descriptions of the properties that you visit are so detailed but not overloaded with superfluous information. Keep up the great work this is definitely my favorite travel channel on UA-cam!
Thank you very much!
It's great to see you in the UK! Also, if anyone reading this is interested in historic buildings, English Heritage has multiple properties that are a lot cheaper than this one; it's definitely worth looking at.
Going next summer and intend on staying at least once in a historical hotel/manor but not looking at spending 1k + per night (canadian).
Do you have any suggestions? I will be around London, York and Bath.
Thanks
@@ugosmith7529i dont know much about sleeping in properties like these BUT Ive been living in the uk for a few months and I have found great value in doing daytrips to different historical towns and just researching "name of the town + castle". Most of them have at least one castle that, as he said, you can pay up to 20 pounds to visit, as well as churches. Visiting the castles for just a few hours feels just as magical as it would be staying in them in my opinion, and way cheaper! But if you have the money to stay in them thats amazing as well. Bath specially, i dont remember visiting any castles there but the town itself feels like one continuous castle.
Hilarious seeing Americans stumble over "Buckinghamshire" - gets em every time!
Great review, although I have to say as a UK native I found this funny to watch. I can see the appeal maybe for those from across the pond but the "history" of the place really isn't that novel when you realise there are tonnes of old properties you can stay at like this - which I'm glad you point out although Im sure you can find more grand locations for less in other parts of the UK. Personally it looks like they've used the history of the place as an excuse not to renovate much.
Also not to be pedantic but worth noting the National Trust is not a government organisation but a separate charity with a long history.
And like just in general you can find a lot a lot all over Europe that will generally be cheaper and older. It's pretty easy to find old inns for example and if you hop across to france there are a ton of small hotels in medieval buildings.
I've stayed in budget chain hotels that are in older buildings than this. 180 years old really isn't that much for Europe....
@@bobjim4566 I know right. Hes remarking at the novelty of staying in a 180 year old building, while my house is 300+ years old and isn't even close to being the oldest in the village or the oldest I've stayed in
I think a great point you made was there quite a few other properties that come very close to this and quite a lot are cheaper and if you don't mind being further away from London their are hundreds of others and almost all cheaper. With spectacular ones in the Lake District and ones like Burgh Island Hotel which also has a cool special vehicle that can transport you to the hotel.
*there
Also just in general in Europe this isn't unique, and while it certainly has a unique history so does the hundreds of other locations around Europe. I mean there are some places you can stay in that used to be royal palaces and others that are much much older, and they might even be cheaper. 178 years isn't actually very old in Europe, you can find much older buildings everywhere and many are still actively used.
@@hedgehog3180 yeah exactly it's a beautiful house, but there will be one just as beautiful just as old or older a 30 minute drive away.
Man you are too nice to that room. Looks like a Best Western
I agree. They could at least put the tv on the wall instead of the ugly stand. I get its a historical property so people don't want a modern style. But the room looks old fashioned in an 80s kind of way, not a beautiful antique way.
Never saw a bathroom like that in a Best Western, besides Best Western has gotten a lot better than they used to be.
My partner and I stayed there last year to attend his mate's wedding and we drove from Glasgow all the way down south. It's a beautiful property and also had the most expensive GBP 30 fish and chips and it was nothing exceptional. But if you get a chance to visit India, do try the Taj Mahal Palace and only the old wing. The service is excellent and full of histories. Another one which I highly recommend is Wildflower Hall, An Oberoi Resort, Shimla. Service is exceptional and also the most beautiful indoor pool with chandeliers and outdoor jacuzzi overlooking the valleys.
The fact that people used to just live in these as their full time residence is insane to me. The amount of wealth.
People still live in giant mansions today
Now these same evil elites have underground complexes so deep underground we don't have capability to drill to them. We have paid and continue to work for our own enslavement
They still do live in such massive residences, some even bigger than this. Only that most of them are far more hideous to look at.
Beautiful property but like your ratings show you're not necessarily getting all of what you should be for what you're paying
Not very related to the video, but thank you so much for continuing to make travel content. Always so much fun to watch, and you take such a different approach to it, I love the format compared to typical travel vlogs
Well thank you for continuing to watch!
I always look forward to these videos. Really appreciate you putting so much thought into them.
I appreciate that!
the trick is to stay at a cheap hotel and visit a National Trust property for free (grounds usually free, often have to pay to tour the house but it's never $1,000 a night)
the overwhelming majority of NT properties charge you to visit the grounds. Membership is a good deal if you will visit many places.
Ha, I spent most of this video thinking ‘but it’s a National Trust location, so you can visit the grounds for about £15!’ and then you got to that bit 😂 Great video as always, Jake. It’s a stunning location but it does feel like you are paying a heck of a lot for the hotel side of thing. I can imagine it being an amazing location for a honeymoon or something if you can really splash out for it though.
Minor point: the National Trust is a charity, not part of the government. Though its president is the King, and it has >5 million members (ie. about 1 in 10 people in England), so it does feel pretty much like a state institution at times.
That's very interesting information about the Trusthank you so much for that. How do they get so many members? They contribute with money? How much does it cost if it managed to get so many members?
I could see Paying those Prices if your Meals and the Spa and Boats were Included!
I think it's a rite of passage for many in the UK when you hit 50 to get a national trust membership. These places are usually full of middle aged and retired couples wandering the grounds and filling up the tea room.
@@Croz89 Definitely, though pretty much every family with kids I know has a membership too - a lot of the sites are pretty good for a vaguely educational day out with plenty of grounds to run around in once they get bored.
@@Zveebo Depends on if it's a weekday or weekend/school holiday.
For me a 5 star hotel without the service to match is not a 5 star experience.I can forgive most of your other complaints but for about $1000 usd a night they better have the service to match. My rule of thumb for hotels and restaurants: 1) I need to enjoy (for the price) my stay or food, 2) Service needs to match where they are positioning themselves, it's not the same expectation a Holiday Inn from a Four Seasons, 3) Price should be a little less from what I was expecting. If all 3 are met I will recommend it and when possible be a return customer. Awesome review!!! keep them coming.
A simple room with two queens beds in a normal hotel here in British Columbia costs $1000 a night in peak season. And people gladly pay it, they don't even do nightly turn downs anymore lol
As soon as he panned over the bar I thought "ooh, Lagavulin 16" ...and then he says it's his personal favorite. Good man, that Jake.
What a spectacular place and kudos to Britain for having a national trust to preserve historical places and make them financially lucrative for many generations to come.
I just subscribed to your wonderful channel. I will be binge watching your videos, and commenting.
I commented today on your Disney stay, I know there is more than one but this one was kinda new.
I was saying I would never go to Disney and spend $5000 and be miserable at the same time.
I would 💯 love to go to this boutique Hotel on the River. I would want to stay 5 days.
I want to walk the whole grounds and take in all the History this place has to offer. I love ❤️ how
peaceful it is. I want to go have afternoon tea, and Mingle with others.
Top it all off with a peaceful nights sleep on that beautiful comfortable bed.
Thank-you for the video, I will share it to my Facebook. ❤
One more thing, I like that you don’t feel rushed at this Hotel, I would live there if I could. LOL
I will always be here to watch these! Thank you for sticking with it
A lovely detailed video! Let have more unusual destinations such as these please
The fact that it is close to Heathrow is the reason why I like it.
I love that you guys visited England ♥️ I hope you have more plans to come here in the future.
Usually I don’t watch travel/hotel vlogs unless it’s from my own country (coz at least I can afford it)
But knowing what your other channel is based on, it’s really fun to see you actually go to the hotel locations this things
Oh you guys would love hotel Terworm in the Netherlands. I stayed there in April of this year and also, had amazing views and surroundings like this one..
Just a bit smaller.
I swear I so look forward to this series, I'm so suprisingly into it just ugh I actively got excited seeing a new entry was released
5:43 nice pool area, but in *DESPERATE* need of a power washing
Oh surprised to see you in UK! I grew up nearby and always remember seeing "the big house on the distant hill" but didn't visit it until much later. The stonework looks much better maintained now than when I last saw it. Enjoy your British travels!
Loved this. Excellent review.
A beautiful old building is no excuse for crappy, dirty old furniture. Or carpet.
Those tablecloths should be ironed!😱
Stunning location with great views. Staying in a place like, since the general public can visit, I'd want to be able to do things the general public wouldn't normally get, when just visiting for the day and not just getting a room to stay in. I'd also expect a 5 star service for a 5 star hotel. I grew up in a country estate that is now owned and managed by the National Trust, which is actually a charity, not a government owned company. That was a great experience and a bit different of an experience than just visiting the estate.
I would not accept unreliable hot water and worn carpet in my room for this price point and location. Just because a building is old and furniture simetimes antique, does not mean it cannot be well maintained or refurbished to at least good modern standards 🤔 The room, honestly with the look and less than impressive view, is not worth the price. Especially since you can enjoy the location without sleeping over 🤷♀️ So the high price really is just for the room you are sleeping in and the breakfast. Also, no 5 star service at a hotel that positions themselves as 5 star is quite ridiculous imo
very well said. could agree with everything you said any more than i do.
Stunning environment. Really enjoyed this video.
wait, how is this comment 3 days old?
@@loser.czsksracky3507 shhh don't upset the AI!!!
@@loser.czsksracky3507 LOL wait what, how tf?
@@loser.czsksracky3507 I get early access to the videos by paying monthly on a website that starts with P. Apparently I cannot say the name of this website without my comment being automatically deleted. I'm sure you can figure it out.
@@corican Ok thanks, didnt know that i could see P...... comments.
Old carpet and worn sofa's are certainly NOT "something to expect for an old structure". Certainly not at that price point anyway.
Its damp , Its dark , They constantly bug you , Your not allowed to walk on the grass , The food was cold , The wine was off due to being stored incorrectly, Staff are underpaid and it shows as they only do what they have to do nothing more. And its a 3 star at most. The furniture is old but not Antique. Hot water has a long way to travel so got cold quickly.. Its definitely not worth the price….
Beautiful place! Love you reviews.
Been for more Northern England and living in a town close to a stately home ok not as grand as this one but one I can visit daily if i wanted using a £50 a year pass, this kind of thing just doesn't appeal to me for the price, there many homes like this around the country you could visit and enter for a day for small cost and do activities and go in the house for a tour but then go stayover elsewhere way cheaper close by, Maybe its cool for tourists or the rich or people into history but for a general English person i dont think it quite hits the spot not even for a one off experience, because you can get 95% of the experience for way way less money at other stately homes.
Great to see this channel growing! Video on hotels before they get abandoned, then again after LOL
Very informative ❤
I've visited the grounds hundreds of times with family (we live less than half an hour away and entry is free with a National Trust membership), but I've never seen inside the hotel.
Maybe if I ever pull my life together and get a decent job I'll stay a couple of nights there.
Fun Fact: If you go up to Scotland you can stay on the King's land at Balmoral though its not a marketed as anything luxury and its just some cottages but you can do it.
My wife and I stayed here for a weekend a couple of years ago, and it was not a good experience. We found the furnishings very tired and with deep new scratches on some furniture. Stairways were dusty and the service was poor and one meal we sent back three times because it was cold. We also had one of the 'wing' rooms and had a view of rubbish so we changed to the main house. It certainly was not an ultra luxury hotel. It also played far to much on the 1960s candle which was tasteless at times. Would not recommend
Great video Jake ! Can you go up into that amazing tower on the property, or is that off limits.
Not sure if this is a U.K.-ism but 170 years old isn’t that special. Sleeping there perhaps but buildings from the 1850s are relatively common.
Can’t believe you came to England, we live pretty close to where you stayed!
Looks like blenheim palace... So many palaces in the great Britain... awesome... 🌐🇬🇧❤️
Interesting...less than $100 more than a room at the Disney World Contemporary Resort ($970/night), though I would hope the rooms are decorated better at this one.
"Buckingham, shire"
I could totally see Otho Sackville wanting to go for this, if not for his untimely "retirement" by Sharkie and Wormtongue..
It's pronounced Buckinghamsheer. Not shyre. Top man. Cheers for the vid
Edit: most things here ending in shire are pronounced sheer, Worcestershire sauce is just pronounced Woosta. No sheer at all.
Whoops!
I think it's pronounced more like Buckingumshear
I think it's pronounced more like Buckingumshear
And he pronounced Cliveden wrong. It’s ‘Clive-den’. Plus he said the National Trust was a government agency - it’s not.
woosta sauce because pronouncing woostasure sauce is to hard so that what people (of which i have never met) call it for short. under no circumstance is worcestershire pronounced as woosta.
Would it kill them to put the television in an armoire. That room looks so much like a dorm room
You should really try Gleneagles in Scotland!
I wanted to see what Relais & chateaux own in Australia since we were only colonised in 1888 so… everything is pretty much new (the main reason I love travelling Europe so much), and they don’t have any hotel properties but they DO operate Tetsuya’s, one of Sydney’s best restaurants (and in the world). It was a complete wtf moment 😂 but the restaurant is in a heritage listed property in the middle of Sydney City so that makes more sense I guess.
You can’t on one hand claim your standard is x and then have some rooms with terrible outlooks. Better to not have the extra rooms and maintain that higher standard. I’d be really annoyed to have that room for the money.
Mindboggling to think that this whole ass property was owned by a single family, really shows how wide the gap is to an average citizen even in modern times let alone 19th century
A place like that should be a home, not open to the public, it should be lived in and the centerpiece of a grand and glorious empire.
Love these reviews it’s nice to know how the rich live
I was looking at the carpet in the suite thinking that it looked a bit grubby and then mention was made of it
Surely replacing the same couldn't be a major outlay in terms of operating cost?
Just another wonderful video from the bright sun crew. Thank you!
Listen agree most of the comments. But as a retro boutique hotel operator, clean the carpets and furniture 😊
Love your videos Jake but just one minor point that the National Trust is a charity rather than a government agency.
Source: Am a Member!
14:27 How would you rate AG1 if they were not a sponsor? 2/10, or is that too generous?
The national trust is not a government owned company, i should know i work for them.we are a registered charity
this place is horrible for what it costs. 7:46 look at the wrinkles on the seats and then look at the booths in the next shot and how worn out they look. they can do maintenance and restore shit back to the way it use to be. they are taking a big advantage of people who will think its wonderful just because its big and old. nothing is an excuse to how dirty the carpet was in your room. they can replace the carpet as needed and for the price and how nice they claim their hotel is (calling it 5 stars) theres no excuse.
The website of this property is a bit disappointing.
Images of the rooms are obscured by a drop down window (that cannot be removed) when using a tablet or mobile handset.
[I have double checked the settings on my device]
Many of the images of the rooms are under exposed, of course this can be corrected by adjusting the brightness on my screen which is something that I normally needn't bother with.
Wow! You got ripped off!! Parking lot view?? Lol!!! The room decor was dreary and sad. It looked like a servant's room. Nice pool and riverside location. But nah.
Would love to see footage from the Marriott hotel you stayed in.
Going to the Uk (england and scotland) as well as Ireland next summer. Looking to spend at least 1 night in a posh/luxury hotel/manor/castle but maybe not as expensive as this place.
Anyone have any suggestions? So far the Bath Priory is on the list as are a few slightly less glamorous places.
This is the same problem the family of Henry Flagler ran into. The man that built this mansion had progeny that later could not afford to maintain it and had to figure out how to get rid of it. The only solution they could have was turn it into a hotel (Flaglers was turned into a museum). These super opulent homes are really difficult to use as an everyday home and thus are equally hard to justify as a hotel
I disagree that old carpet and unpredictable hot water are too be expected in an old structure. At that price point carpet should be updated regularly and hot water a tank should localized closer to each room. imo.
I think the hot water is more understandable. As a historic property, there will be all sorts of restrictions on changes to the structure of the property, which are likely to make things like changing plumbing much more difficult, especially when the operator is only leasing it. Carpets should be fairly easy to keep up to date though!
Beautiful estate . Lackluster rooms.
Imagine the cost of summoning good weather for the guest in England!
If the sofa and carpet are a bit tatty, it probably makes the experience more authentic, as many old money English houses are like that.
Dirty anything is NOT acceptable at this price point.🇨🇦
Relais and Chateaux does not operate or manage any hotel, but is an association of small family run boutique luxury hotels around the world!
Nicely done
It is just me or 5 stars or luxury hotels aren’t as good as they used to be?
I remember the first times I’ve stayed in a 5 start hotel and I remember being amazed with everything. I’ve had been in many other 3/4 stars hotels, some were way better than they should be. So the first 5 star hotel was an experience to remember.
Since then, I’ve stayed in several other 5 stars hotels and I was so unimpressed. Since bad breakfasts, not many amenities and the service was underwhelming
Probably worth mentioning that service is better when you stay more than one night at a hotel. I generally stay a minimum of 5 nights and the service gets better with familiarity, you can actually become 'friends' with the staff, if you are lucky. Just saying, not being critical.
There is or was a tv series on Clivedon. I think it would give you a better insight on what goes on. They are having difficulty with staff, as in understaffed. This is due to their location and Covid did not help that situation any better. The kitchens are illogically placed and in my opinion not safe for staff, due to its location on the property. Would I stay there, why yes, yes I would. It is on my bucket list, but at the price, unreachable.
Americans being amazed by old buildings always amuses me lol, my house growing up is over 250 years old and the primary school I went to was based around a victorian building so it's just like normal for things to be that old lmao
My old co worker. Him and his wife has a bnb out side of paris. He says its wonderful place to stay.
Is the Cottage called
'Mr. Profumo'?! 😮
The British sometimes find the American idea of good service a little overwhelming.
love ur videos!!
The National Trust is a Charity governed by its board of trustees, it is not a Government body, although it has some special legal powers.
I hope you do some Japan hotels.
The price is 'if you have to ask...' but that property would cost a large fortune to maintain indeed
The fact that the turned it into a hotel, but not a Waldorf Astoria
The whole front of the building being relegated to just being a damn parking lot is kind of sad. There is so much more potential in there.
NANCY ASTOR'S HOME....has played such a large part in BRITISH history
"Especially if you want to get VERY British." lol
Beautiful property!
Mr Lee was the Astor’s butler
I wonder if Jake has seen 4 In a Bed or Hotel Inspector and is going to visit some of the places on that show 😂
You had to see the help through your window? Uggh.
House looks fab but bedroom decors is a bit boring grey and other grey. not exactly luxury. ugly wires hanging everywhere. Doesnt exactly scream countryhouse ambiance.
Glad you enjoyed your stay in the UK :) If you ever return and want to do abandoned videos here theres a ton of fascinating abandoned places in and around London!
Worth noting that anyone who's a National Trust member can visit Cliveden as part of their membership, and you can usually get a few days free as they have offers throughout the year for 2-3 day of free passes for familes.
The reason it’s priced so high is what normal hotels call “maintenance” but in the cases of National Trust and similar patrimonie worldwide is “ongoing conservation”.
While folk are more likely to factor in the social value of expensive stays in hard to get “adventure” travel in the underdeveloped world, it’s less obvious when staying 30 miles from the centre of one of the worlds most developed and capitalist cities.
That heritage conservation premium has to be precariously balanced across all revenue areas. Charge too much in the restaurants which serve more day visitors than guests and they’d lose that patronage, vs fine dining at “hotel rates” and they may have to substantially increase the room rates.
As a tourist you may feel “maybe a bit ripped off”, but perhaps realising that you paid a wee part in maintaining a heritage property for generations to come helps assuage that feeling.., just a little bit…
You should check out Malmaison in Oxford it's a old UK prison most of the rooms are the old cells :)
Your link isn't free. What am I missing?
Haha Doug wants his score back