Luton Hoo is set in 1,065 acres of idyllic parkland, yet offers superb accessibility just 2 miles from the M1 and just 30 minutes by train and less than an hour from central London by car. Approached via a sweeping driveway, the majestic Mansion House stands sentinel over its vast estate, with manicured lawns, formal gardens, rivers, two lakes covering 50 acres, woodland, meadows, nature trails and an 18-hole golf course for guests to enjoy.
This beautiful venue is one of the UK’s most prestigious and luxurious 5 star country house hotels, with a long and illustrious history. Guests can expect the highest standards of service coupled with exquisite cuisine and magnificent accommodation, creating a truly exceptional experience.
The Mansion House
The tranquillity of the grounds is matched only by the opulence of the Mansion House, with the spectacular Great Hall setting the scene for the sumptuous furnishings and lavish décor throughout every room.
The vast ceilings and windows create a feeling of immense splendour, with glittering chandeliers, polished marble and elegant antiques adding to the sense of occasion. Yet the warmth of welcome here belies all the grandeur, with cosy places to relax by the fire and chat long into the night.
The house has a long been place for entertainment, with many eminent guests throughout the years including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip who stayed at the house during their honeymoon and for many subsequent years for anniversary celebrations, and Sir Winston Churchill who used the grounds to test his “Churchill tanks” during the Second World War and gave one of his final address’ to over 110,000 people from the front porch of the house in 1948.
The current house was built for the third Earl of Bute, originally designed by the neoclassical architect Robert Adam. The house was updated and remodelled by Robert Smirke around 1830, and again in early 1900s after Sir Julius Wernher acquired the estate, by the architects of the Ritz Hotel, Charles Mewes and Arthur Davis, who installed the lavish marble-clad dining room and the spectacular curved staircase.
The amazing interiors have been featured in several famous movies, including Four Weddings And A Funeral, The World Is Not Enough, Enigma and Eyes Wide Shut, all shot on location at Luton Hoo.
Today the house has been transformed into a 5 star hotel, and offers a glorious setting for private events, special celebrations and meetings following an extensive £60m restoration, either on an exclusive use basis or with private dining or meeting space. The award-winning cuisine and discrete yet attentive service at Luton Hoo will ensure any event is truly memorable, with superb amenities and luxurious accommodation.
The Wernher Dining Room is one of the most spectacular rooms in the Mansion House, likened to the Palace of Versailles, with beautiful green and cream marble walls, rich fabrics and crystal chandeliers create the perfect setting to enjoy fine dining and exquisite wines.
The Grinling Gibbons Room sits adjacent and offers a lovely light and airy space, with intricate wood carvings and a beautiful original fireplace, along with direct access to the terrace.
The atmospheric Pillared Hall overlooks the front of the house, and features wood panelled walls and plentiful seating, with an elegant cocktail bar. The magnificent Italianate Drawing Room is a truly beautiful room, with gold-gilt detailing, elegant fabrics, and sumptuous seating creating the perfect setting for pre-dinner drinks or afternoon tea. The vast picture windows face south and fill the room with natural light, with direct access to the terrace and formal gardens.
The Library and Sitting Room both lead off the lounge, beautifully decorated with dual aspect views these two rooms are a wonderful choice for private dinners for up to 50 guests or meetings, with the Sitting Room affording access to a private terrace.
The Romanov Suite is another spectacular room, originally a lavish Russian Orthodox Church for Lady Zia, the wife of Julius Wernher, it boasts beautiful stained-glass windows, amazing high ceilings and marble detailing, and can seat 120 guests for dining. The room is split over two levels and there is also a Gallery above the room, perfect for musicians or extra guests for ceremonies.
The Churchill Room overlooks the front of the house, exuding a grand feel with its part wood panelled walls and rich tones it is ideal for meetings or private dining, and the adjacent Pushkin Room is a cosy room perfect for smaller meetings or breakout space. There are various other rooms available for private dining or meetings and corporate events on the lower ground floor, all beautifully decorated with natural light and varying in size from the Faberge Suite to seat 90 for private dining to the Robert Smirke Room to seat 8 boardroom style.
There are varying other meeting/conference, celebration and dining rooms in both the Country Club and Warren Weir, with the largest space being the Lea Suite in Warren Weir which can seat 388 theatre style, 280 for private dining or 340 for receptions. Please refer to the Meetings and Events section for more information.
The striking marble staircase is truly beautiful, curving around a stunning sculpture in the style of Bergonzoli. Ascending the stairs leads to the 35 Mansion House bedrooms, all individually styled and beautifully furnished in keeping with the historic style of the house, yet offering every comfort a discerning guest could need.
The spectacular Mansion State Suites offer an indulgent experience, some include dining rooms, balconies, dressing rooms, ornate ceilings or marble fireplaces, and all boast glorious views over the parkland. The Principle Suites all have separate lounges, whilst the Mansion Master Bedrooms are spacious with a sitting area, and many have interconnecting rooms and space for additional beds for children.
Mansion Junior Suites are slightly smaller but still offer a sitting area, and the Mansion Deluxe Rooms are beautifully decorated and many offer a balcony. The luxurious ensuite bathrooms are all beautifully appointed and many offer a separate shower, double sinks and a whirlpool or freestanding bathtub.
There are a further 109 bedrooms at Luton Hoo located across the Parkland Wing which is adjacent to the Mansion House, and the Country Club and Flower Garden which are next to the spa, a 5 minute walk from the Mansion House. The estate has its own fleet of green taxis which are available to shuttle guests to and from their accommodation if you don’t fancy the walk.
There are a range of Deluxe Rooms, Executive Rooms and Suites, all offering air-conditioning, double or twin beds, and the Executive Rooms and Suites can take an additional bed for children. Some of the Suites are pet-friendly, with direct access to their own terrace, and all bedrooms have luxurious ensuite bathrooms.
The Country Club
The Country Club is housed in the historic former stables designed by Robert Adam, set around a beautiful courtyard with its own bar and brasserie it is a charming area which also contains the spa, gym and golf club house.
The spa is one of the finest in England, creating a sanctuary of calm, with a stunning indoor infinity pool with vaulted ceilings and glass walls affording lovely garden views, along with a vitality pool, sauna, steam room and solarium, and a relaxation lounge. There are six luxurious treatment rooms available with skilled therapists offering a range of treatments from ESPA, Opi and Camellia Tea for both men and women.
The gym contains the latest gym apparatus “Technogym Wellness System”, and there are two outdoor all-weather tennis courts along with the beautiful restored Victorian grass court.
The Country Club also contains the Pro Shop with golf club hire, equipment, clothing, drinks and snacks, ensuring you are ready for teeing off on the 73-par championship golf course, one of the longest 18 hole courses in the country, and there are luxurious changing rooms to shower and refresh after the game. Lessons are available, along with a putting green, chipping green and a picturesque eight bay driving range. The beautiful course and 5 star hotel amenities make Luton Hoo ideal for corporate golf days, with a number of packages and bespoke options available, including scoring management, welcome gifts, hospitality, buggies, clubs, trolleys and tuition.
Adam’s Brasserie overlooks the courtyard with a range of imaginative dishes in a relaxed setting, along with Adam’s Bar with its equestrian theme, dedicated to the family’s prized horses, along with the 19th Bar which offers al fresco seating and dining with light bites.
The Estate Activities
The 1,065 acre estate offers many opportunities for leisure and activities, with mapped walks and jogging trails, bird watching and horse riding through the idyllic meadows and woodland. Luton Hoo has 8 clay pigeon shooting stands with a resident coach, and also offers archery, air target and crossbow shooting.
The wider estate affords endless activity opportunities, from falconry and treasure hunts to quad biking and grass karting. The 50 acre lake is ideal for water-based activities such as water zorbing, dragon boat racing and raft building, and there is ample space for team building activities such as Crystal Maze and Olympics Challenge as well as indoor activities should the weather turn.
The Bear Grylls Survival Academy is a popular choice for an activity with a twist, taking you and your compatriots on an amazing survival skill journey, and there is a Land Rover Experience Centre within the estate with challenging and exhilarating courses to put even seasoned off-road drivers through their paces.
Warren Weir
Around one mile from the Mansion House lies Warren Weir, approached via a long sweeping driveway and nestling on the banks of the River Lea. The setting is truly idyllic, with views over the river and weir and onto the lake, with an abundance of wildlife and tranquil gardens.
Warren Weir is much more contemporary but to the same high standard as the rest of the estate, recently constructed in the Arts and Crafts style it has the appearance of a charming village, with five dedicated function rooms, a hospitality lounge, 84 suites and bedrooms and its own leisure amenities.
Warren Weir is very private and self-contained and can be rented as an exclusive use venue (which can be on a dry-hire basis if preferred) or for private meetings and dining, and can be combined with the rest of the estate if more accommodation is required. With its beautiful views and impressive amenities it is a popular choice for conferences, product launches, exhibitions, meetings and weddings for those looking for completely privacy and exclusivity.
The beautiful Lea Suite can seat up to 388 theatre style or 280 for private dining, with the Ravensbourne Suite accommodating 330 theatre style or 240 for private dining. There are three other smaller function rooms and the lounge area with a bar. All of the function rooms are furnished to the highest of standards, flooded with natural light and with quality furnishings the venue certainly lives up to its 5 star status, with equally impressive service.
Cuisine here is a highlight, with a team of expert chefs ready to create your perfect menu, from fine dining to BBQs and hog roasts. The team here also have excellent links with specialist caterers for Asian, Kosher, Greek and Jewish celebrations and events, so if you have any particular requirements these can of course be catered for.
Unusual and unique events are a speciality, with Warren Weir and its grounds previously being transformed into an ice skating rink, winter wonderland, funfair with carousels and bumper cars and a summer fete, along with various charity events and triathlons. Whatever your ideal, the team can help you create your perfect vision, with lots of experience in arranging bespoke events.
Warren Weir also offers a hospitality lounge with a drinks station and can include breakfast to go, along with superb leisure amenities including its own 18 metre indoor pool, whirlpool, fitness studio and a snooker room.
The 84 bedrooms and suites all feature air conditioning, luxurious ensuite bathrooms with a separate shower and bath and Molton Brown toiletries, and all bedrooms have beds that can be arranged as either super king or twin beds. Many of the bedrooms have lake views or balconies, the Deluxe Rooms have a small seating area whilst Junior Suites have a larger sitting area, and the two Suites are very spacious rooms with a separate lounge, the Kingfisher Suite has a four poster bed and the Heron Suite has a 7ft double bed.
Luton Hoo is both beautiful and versatile, from the regal splendour of the Mansion House to the contemporary luxury of Warren Weir, coupled with superb service, excellent cuisine and unrivalled leisure and activity opportunities, it’s easy to see why Luton Hoo is one of England’s most prestigious venues.