Cowdray House, West Sussex

Cowdray House on the Cowdray Estate in West Sussex, is an extraordinary place to stay. The estate is home to the Cowdray family, and is world-famous for being the center of British polo. The estate has welcomed royalty from all over the world, including the Queen and Prince Philip. The house is beautifully suited to entertaining of the highest manner, and welcomes both private and corporate guests. There are 22 bedrooms in Cowdray House, all en-suite, and accommodating up to 44 guests. Each room is very well appointed and most overlook the gardens and rolling serenity of the South Downs. The reception rooms include a dining room (seating up to 60), a library, morning room and drawing room. Both the drawing room and library open onto the front terrace – perfect for drinks before dinner. There is also the magnificent Buck Hall, with its lofty vaulted ceiling and minstrels’ gallery – the hall can seat up to 150 guests to dine, and 300 for a cocktail reception. It lends itself to all sorts of occasions, from sporting banquets to weddings to charity evenings. The house also has both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an all-weather tennis court, croquet lawn, and the most fabulous private bowling alley, for high-stakes competition. The house sits in 110 acres of parkland and private gardens. There’s plenty of space for the greatest of splendid marquees, allowing for up to 600 guests.