Best for
Start at Cliveden House for a walk through the National Trust woodland, then follow the estate paths down toward the River Thames.
Best for
Start at Cliveden House for a walk through the National Trust woodland, then follow the estate paths down toward the River Thames.
What makes it special
Ask about a vintage boat trip to Bray for a view of Cliveden’s wooded slopes and the house from the water.
Room to consider
Choose a Deluxe Terrace Hot Tub Room in the Garden Wing for a private hot tub and an outlook over the spa garden.
Insider tip
Leave time for the Parterre below the house, where the formal garden gives you a different kind of walk from the riverside paths.
Free membership gives you access to preferred rates, exclusive benefits and current promotions for your stay.
Cliveden House stands on a high terrace above the River Thames at Taplow, with 376 acres of National Trust grounds around it. The present mansion is a hotel, but its gardens, sculpture and old rooms still carry the scale of a country estate. London is close enough to make the change of setting feel unusually abrupt.
The house has a more complicated history than its 1666 origin suggests. George Villiers, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, established the first mansion here; fires destroyed that building and its successor. Charles Barry designed the present house after the 1849 fire. Buckingham's South Terrace remains from the earliest house, a physical link between the hotel's different centuries.
The room is on the second floor at the rear of Cliveden House. From the windows you can look towards the Berkshire countryside. The 20 square metres include a queen bed and a writing desk. The room keeps period details from the house, with a traditional interior and its own en suite bathroom. It cannot accommodate an extra bed.
Noble Isle toiletries, bathrobes and slippers are provided. There is a hairdryer in the room, as well as a safe and Wi-Fi. Tea and coffee are available. You can sit at the desk to plan your day before heading downstairs or visiting the spa.
The room is on the second floor at the rear of Cliveden House. From the windows you can look towards the Berkshire countryside. The 20...
The room sits in the East or West Wing, with antique furniture and period details that vary with the layout. The hotel lists an average of 24 square metres for this category, with a handmade queen bed. Each room is named after a former visitor to Cliveden. One recalls Rudyard Kipling, who stayed at the house in the early 1900s.
The bathroom has either a shower over the bath or a separate shower, depending on the room. Bathrobes and slippers are provided. Tea and coffee are available, and the room has space to sit and read. The hotel cannot add an extra bed in this category.
The room sits in the East or West Wing, with antique furniture and period details that vary with the layout. The hotel lists an average...
On the first floor, the room looks into the courtyard. Antique furniture and period details vary from room to room, with a sitting area beside the sleeping space. The room ranges from 32 to 35 square metres. A handmade king bed or two twin beds are available. There is also a desk, giving you a place to write or work away from the bed.
The period bathroom has a bath with a shower above it. Noble Isle toiletries, bathrobes and slippers are provided. You can spend time in the sitting area before going downstairs. The room cannot accommodate an extra bed.
On the first floor, the room looks into the courtyard. Antique furniture and period details vary from room to room, with a sitting area beside...
These rooms sit in the Garden Wing and look over the spa garden. Their individual interiors have period details and names drawn from the house’s past visitors. Natural light reaches into the room, while the outdoor outlook varies between the walled garden and pool.
An en suite bathroom forms part of each layout. A writing desk forms part of the interior. No extra bed can be added to these layouts.
These rooms sit in the Garden Wing and look over the spa garden. Their individual interiors have period details and names drawn from the house’s...
Individually styled rooms in the Garden Wing look over the spa garden. Their interiors retain period details from the house, with a sitting area beside the main sleeping space. The outdoor outlook takes in the historic swimming pool.
A traditional en suite bathroom continues the room’s classic design. A desk forms part of the interior. These rooms cannot accommodate an extra bed.
Individually styled rooms in the Garden Wing look over the spa garden. Their interiors retain period details from the house, with a sitting area beside...
These rooms sit on the first or second floor in the wings of the house. There is a sitting area near the bed, with a fireplace in some rooms. The design ranges from traditional to a more recent country-house style, with period details in each room. The handmade bed can be arranged as a king or as two twins.
The en suite bathroom varies by room. Some have a shower over the bath and others have a walk-in shower. Noble Isle toiletries, bathrobes and slippers are provided. Air cooling is available in selected rooms. Ask the hotel about an extra bed or sofa bed if you need one.
These rooms sit on the first or second floor in the wings of the house. There is a sitting area near the bed, with a...
High ceilings and period features shape these suites, which were refurbished in a traditional classic style. The lounge may be a separate room or part of an open layout. Many have a fireplace, though this is not a feature of every suite. Views vary between lawns, countryside and the courtyard.
The bathrooms also vary: some have a shower over the bath, while others have separate bathing and shower areas. Air cooling is provided in selected suites, with the fitted layout differing between individual rooms.
High ceilings and period features shape these suites, which were refurbished in a traditional classic style. The lounge may be a separate room or part...
The main mansion places these rooms on its first or second floor. Traditional and modern classic interiors both retain period features, with a comfortable sitting area beside the main sleeping space. The outlook takes in the Grand Drive and Fountain of Love.
Most bathrooms have a shower over the bath; one room has a walk-in shower. Sleeping arrangements also vary by room: one allows an extra bed, while two have sofa beds. The Butler’s Pantry offers wine, beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee.
The main mansion places these rooms on its first or second floor. Traditional and modern classic interiors both retain period features, with a comfortable sitting...
High ceilings frame antiques and original works of art. The suite has a fireplace and a lounge with room to sit away from the king bed. It measures 63 square metres. The windows look over the estate, with some suites facing the Parterre and its gardens. The layout varies between suites, and some have a dressing room.
The period bathroom continues the style of the main rooms. You can spend time in the lounge after a walk through the gardens. The hotel can arrange an extra bed or sofa bed for a charge. One of the suites can take two extra beds.
High ceilings frame antiques and original works of art. The suite has a fireplace and a lounge with room to sit away from the king...
A private hot tub sits on the terrace in the Garden Wing. The terrace looks into the spa garden, with the historic pool within the walled grounds. The room has 43 square metres and a handmade king bed or two twins. Period details frame the sitting area, and there is a desk if you need to write or work indoors.
The en suite bathroom has Noble Isle toiletries, and bathrobes and slippers are provided. Air cooling is available in selected rooms. The sitting area gives you somewhere to read while you wait to go outside. The terrace is reached directly from the room.
A private hot tub sits on the terrace in the Garden Wing. The terrace looks into the spa garden, with the historic pool within the...
In the main mansion, high ceilings and antique furniture frame an open lounge. Original art and a fireplace are part of the interior. The suite averages 63 square metres and looks across the Parterre. The bedroom has a handmade king bed or twins. Some suites have a separate dressing room, depending on the layout.
There is a bath and a walk-in shower in the en suite bathroom, with Noble Isle toiletries. The Butler's Pantry offers a selection of wine, beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee. A connecting room may be available, and the hotel can arrange an extra bed or sofa bed for a charge.
In the main mansion, high ceilings and antique furniture frame an open lounge. Original art and a fireplace are part of the interior. The suite...
The second bed sits in the living room. There is one separate bedroom.
The Inchiquin Suite sits on the East Wing’s first floor. Fine European fabrics and antique furniture shape its traditional interior, with a large living room beside the main bedroom.
Views take in the Grand Drive, Fountain of Love and gardens, with a side view from the living room. A period en suite bathroom completes the suite, and no extra beds can be added.
The Inchiquin Suite sits on the East Wing’s first floor. Fine European fabrics and antique furniture shape its traditional interior, with a large living room...
From the first floor of the mansion, the private terrace looks across the Parterre and gardens towards the River Thames. There is a table for six outside, as well as sun loungers. The suite covers 75 square metres and has a king bed. High ceilings, antiques and original art give the main room its character, with a writing desk among the furnishings.
The en suite bathroom has a bath and a separate shower, along with a dedicated place to get ready. Noble Isle toiletries, bathrobes and slippers are provided. Guests have access to the honesty bar and can sit out on the terrace with a drink.
From the first floor of the mansion, the private terrace looks across the Parterre and gardens towards the River Thames. There is a table for...
On the main mansion’s second floor, this suite has high ceilings, antiques and original works of art. A large hall and dressing area sit beside the bedroom and separate living room. Views look over Fleming’s nineteenth-century Parterre and the wider estate.
A bath and separate walk-in shower are fitted in the en suite bathroom. A writing desk provides a work surface, and a sofa bed can accommodate an additional guest for an extra charge. The Butler’s Pantry supplies wine, beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee.
On the main mansion’s second floor, this suite has high ceilings, antiques and original works of art. A large hall and dressing area sit beside...
Set on the Thames, this cottage began as a summerhouse and tea room for the Countess of Orkney in 1813. Queen Victoria and the Duchess of Sutherland later took tea here. The rear garden still contains the original spring and a small lake, with outdoor tables and seating beside the tea-room veranda.
An Aga stove and large wooden dining table furnish the country kitchen, with a dishwasher, coffee machine and microwave among its fittings. The children’s room sits apart from the two main bedrooms. A lounge can become another sleeping area through its sofa bed.
Set on the Thames, this cottage began as a summerhouse and tea room for the Countess of Orkney in 1813. Queen Victoria and the Duchess...
Cliveden's south-facing Parterre unfolds below the house, while woodland and other gardens occupy the wider estate. The formal layout makes the terrace an architectural viewpoint as well as a place to walk. From parts of the grounds, the river is visible far below the height of the mansion.
The gardens have several distinct histories. The Earl of Orkney developed an earlier Parterre; later, John Fleming created innovative planting beds for the Sutherlands. William Waldorf Astor added the Long Garden and the East Asian-inspired Water Garden. Sculpture acquired across different ownerships gives the paths and garden spaces more to discover than planting alone.
The estate is owned by the National Trust, while the house operates as a hotel. Hotel guests and public visitors share the historic property, with access arrangements applying to the grounds.
Cliveden's rooms are individually styled. First-floor Classic Rooms have courtyard views, handmade king or twin beds and period bathrooms. Deluxe Suites add high ceilings, antiques, original art and spacious lounge areas; all of those suites have fireplaces, while only some overlook the Parterre.
The Lady Astor Suite has a more specific setting on the first floor of the main mansion. Its private terrace overlooks the Parterre, with views across the gardens toward the Thames. Antique furniture and original art sit alongside a large bathroom with a separate bath and shower. The terrace has a table for six and sun loungers.
Hot Tub Rooms have private terraces with their own hot tubs.
Spring Cottage is separate from the mansion, on the banks of the Thames. Built in 1813 as a summerhouse and tea room for the Countess of Orkney, it now has three bedrooms, a country kitchen with an Aga, lounges with a real fireplace and a private rear garden. A boat-launch mooring connects the cottage directly to the river.
Its garden retains the original spring and a small lake, while a veranda recalls the cottage's earlier use for tea. Queen Victoria and the Duchess of Sutherland once took afternoon tea here.
The Cliveden Dining Room was once the mansion's drawing room. It faces south toward the nineteenth-century Parterre, the gardens and the Thames, with artwork and classical detailing still part of the room. Modern British cooking is served here, with a la carte and tasting-menu formats built around seasonal British produce.
Afternoon tea is served in the Cliveden Dining Room, with Sunday tea in the French Dining Room or the Great Hall, where there is lounge seating.
The Astor Grill occupies the former stables, where Lord Astor once kept his prized fillies. Equestrian details shape the interior, and the menu brings American influences into familiar British dishes. It is a different physical setting from the Dining Room: the stable building gives an informal meal its own connection to Cliveden's past.
Cliveden also has a French Dining Room whose mid-eighteenth-century wall panels came from the Chateau d'Asnieres near Paris. William Waldorf Astor brought them to the house in the 1890s. The panels are a reminder that the interiors were assembled and altered by successive owners, not preserved unchanged from the original mansion.
The Cliveden Spa has an indoor pool and an outdoor pool in the garden, with hot tubs, a sauna and steam facilities. Its gym looks toward the outdoor pool, and the fitness studio is another dedicated space.
The outdoor pool has a particular place in Cliveden's history. Bill Astor installed it in 1961, and it was beside this pool that Christine Keeler and John Profumo met. The present spa was opened later, in 2017, so the pool's story and the current spa facilities belong to different periods of the estate.
The indoor and outdoor water spaces offer contrasting views of the property: one is enclosed within the spa, while the other opens to the garden. Tennis is available on an indoor court and two outdoor courts, with pickleball also available. The spa is accessible to hotel guests and Cliveden Club members.
Cliveden's boathouse holds restored vintage launches for private trips on the Thames. The river is more than a distant view from the terrace: a cruise brings the wooded bank and the high house into a different perspective. The hotel's boat program also offers picnic arrangements, with dietary needs handled on advance notice.
Named river destinations include Marlow, Henley, Windsor and Bray, and all destination trips are one-way. Boarding arrangements make the boat trips unsuitable for people with limited mobility.
William Waldorf Astor bought Cliveden in 1893 and reshaped parts of its interiors and grounds. He later gave the estate to his son Waldorf and daughter-in-law Nancy. Nancy Astor became the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons in 1919, and Cliveden became associated with political and literary gatherings.
The estate also served as a Canadian Red Cross hospital during the world wars. A memorial garden contains the graves of soldiers and nursing staff who died here. In 1942 the Astors decided to leave Cliveden to the National Trust, though they continued living in the house for years afterward.
Another episode entered public memory in 1961, when Profumo met Keeler at Cliveden. Stanford University later leased the mansion, before it became a hotel in the 1980s. These changes did not erase the older estate: the South Terrace, Barry's mansion, Astor-era interiors and the gardens remain legible as different layers of one place.
The Cliveden Dining Room occupies the former drawing room, so you can dine with the Parterre and River Thames in view.
The outdoor pool sits inside the walled garden, giving you a place to swim away from the open lawns around the house.
The Astor Grill gives families a relaxed place for dinner after exploring the estate together, without having to leave Cliveden’s grounds.
Cliveden House, Taplow, Maidenhead, SL6 0JF, United Kingdom
Yes. Cliveden House is one of England's most famous country house hotels, with a grand historic setting, formal gardens, river access, and strong service. It is a Grade I-listed stately home set in 376 acres of National Trust grounds near Taplow. The hotel works best for travelers who want history, romance, gardens, spa time, and a special-occasion mood close to London. It feels more like staying inside a grand private estate than booking a standard countryside hotel.
Cliveden House is in Taplow, near Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. The estate sits above the River Thames and is close to Windsor, Bray, Marlow, and the western edge of London. The location is practical for guests flying into London Heathrow, planning a London-and-countryside trip, or adding a stately home stay before or after the city. A car or private transfer is the easiest way to handle arrivals, dinners outside the estate, and nearby sightseeing.
Cliveden House has 47 spacious rooms and suites in the main mansion and wings, plus Spring Cottage on the banks of the River Thames. Room categories range from more contemporary Club rooms to grand mansion rooms, suites, and private cottage accommodation. This is a small hotel by resort standards, so the exact room choice matters. Book early for weekends, summer garden season, holidays, and special occasions, because the most characterful rooms and suites are limited.
Book a Club Room if you want a more contemporary room and easier value within the estate. Choose a mansion room if you want the historic-house feeling, period details, and a stronger sense of staying in Cliveden itself. Suites are best for anniversaries, honeymoons, and guests who want more space, garden views, or a grander layout. Spring Cottage is the choice for privacy, a river setting, and a more residential stay.
Spring Cottage is Cliveden's private riverside cottage on the banks of the River Thames. It has three bedrooms and is often chosen by families, friends, or guests who want more privacy than a room in the main house. It is a strong option for a special gathering or longer countryside stay. Choose it when you want the estate's service and facilities, but also want your own cottage setting away from the main hotel flow.
More amenities
The Langley is a Luxury Collection country house hotel in Iver, Buckinghamshire, set within the former estate of the third Du...
More amenities
Fairmont Windsor Park is a large country hotel on the edge of Windsor Great Park, close to Egham, Windsor, and Heathrow Airpo...
More amenities
Coworth Park spreads its country-house life across 240 acres of Berkshire parkland near Ascot. Polo fields and riding trails...