WIN A luxury stay at Cliveden
Above: Cliveden
YOU could easily run out of superlatives describing Cliveden. The magnificent hotel, set in a National Trust stately home within 376 acres of landscaped gardens near Taplow, is certainly one of the most splendid hotels in the country, offering unrivalled standards of hospitality in an extraordinary setting.
There is a palpable sense of history here, for this is a house that for more than 300 years has been dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure, power and politics.
Originally built in 1666, it was when William Waldorf Astor, America’s richest citizen, gave the house to his son and daughter-in-law as a wedding gift in 1906 that the house became the hub of a hectic social whirl where notable guests included everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Winston Churchill.
Years later, when Harold Macmillan, a frequent guest, was told that Cliveden was to become a hotel he remarked, ‘But my dear boy, it always has been.’
Today the hotel, which is on the Buckinghamshire/Berkshire border and now one of the von Essen collection of hotels, is loved by visitors from all over the world. International celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Tom Hanks and Brad Pitt have enjoyed total privacy here, while in recent years Steven Gerrard and Ant McPartlin both held their weddings at Cliveden, hiring the whole house for an exclusive event.
The Terrace Dining Room with stunning views of the Parterre and winding Thames beyond is an affordable treat any day of the week. Meanwhile chef Robert Thompson is making headlines with his creative and truly remarkable menu at Waldo’s, the fine dining restaurant which is open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday.
Cliveden’s Pavilion Spa, set in a walled garden, incorporates the outdoor swimming pool built by Lord Astor to deter his wife Nancy from swimming in the Thames and made famous by the scandalous Profumo affair. This and the indoor pool are heated 365 days of the year, and there are outdoor hot tubs, an indoor spa pool and seven treatment rooms offering everything from wraps to massages and manicures.
COMPETITION
You could win a VIP stay at Cliveden.
On the afternoon of your arrival you will be taken on a champagne cruise on one of Cliveden’s Edwardian boats and then in the evening you will dine in the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Waldo’s – the prize including a bottle of wine chosen by the restaurant’s sommelier. After a night in one of Cliveden’s beautiful bedrooms and breakfast in the Terrace Dining Room overlooking the parterre, you can enjoy a day of relaxation in the Pavilion Spa. The prize also includes a one hour treatment of your choice.
For your chance to win simply answer the following question:
What year did William Waldorf Astor give Cliveden to his son and daughter-in-law?
Email your answer along with your name, address and daytime telephone number to competitions@hertfordshirelife.co.uk putting CLIVEDEN in the subject line or send to Cliveden Competition, Hertfordshire Life, PO Box 1322, Widmer End, High Wycombe HP15 6YW. Closing date: 31st July 2008
For more information on Cliveden call the hotel on 01628 668561 or visit www.clivedenhouse.co.uk
Conditions
The prize must be taken Tuesday to Thursday before the end of November 2008, subject to availability, Bank Holidays excluded. The prize may be taken on a Sunday or Monday but Waldo’s restaurant would be closed so dinner would be in The Terrace Dining Room instead.
Rules of entry
The winner will be the first correct entry selected at random from all correct entries received. No purchase necessary. No cash alternative given. No entrant may win more than one prize. Employees (and relatives) of Archant, (the competition prize supplier) and associated companies are not eligible to enter. The winner must be willing to take part in post-event publicity if necessary. Entries that are illegible or not in accordance with the rules will be disqualified. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winners will be notified within 21 days of the closing date. Only one entry per person.