What Does A £10,000 Exclusive Use Property Look Like?

7 months ago

With 10 ensuite bedrooms, we think Hound Lodge is the UK’s ultimate luxury stay

This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more

Nestled in the heart of the magnificent 12,000 acre Goodwood Estate is Hound Lodge, the UK’s ultimate luxury stay featuring 10 ensuite bedrooms and your very own butler and chef. Everything about it exudes country glamour and charm thanks to interiors meticulously created by Cindy Leveson (Leveson Design). Fancy a peek inside?

Read the C&TH Guide to Responsible Tourism

Inside Hound Lodge, Goodwood Estate

Found deep in the Sussex countryside, Hound Lodge is an absolute sanctuary of opulence and seclusion – in fact, previous Royal guests have said just that. Indeed, discretion is an absolute necessity at such a deluxe property, where guests are inevitably very high net worth and simply looking to retreat from their busy lives.

Traditionally a hunting lodge throughout the winter months (with a history stretching right back to 1697 and the first Duke of Richmond), Hound Lodge is a brilliant spot for a whole-family summer sojourn. A home-from-home, staff can assist with private trips to the beach in vintage Land Rovers, plus organise an array of experiences and events throughout the Summer at Goodwood and in West Sussex. Fancy driving the renowned motor circuit, like the legendary motor racing heroes before you? Exploring the estate off-road in an original 1960s Land Rover? Taking to the skies with a flying experience in a historic aircraft? Playing a round of golf on one of the Championship courses? Spending an afternoon clay-pigeon shooting? You need simply ask, and your wishes will be fulfilled.

Previously The Kennels, Hound Lodge has been recently completely restored for humans to enjoy (though furry friends are, naturally, still very welcome, and treated to exceptional pampering, too). In fact, architect Ptolemy Dean won a Sussex Heritage Trust award in 2017 for his meticulous and sympathetic restoration of the Lodge, including the installation of a biomass boiler which runs on wood chippings from the estate’s forestry management team.

Taking inspiration from the hounds who give the Lodge its name, Cindy Leveson’s expertly designed interiors are all about warmth and guests can rest in one of 10 grand yet cosy bedrooms. Think high ceilings, eiderdown quilts, thick comforting blankets, wool-stuffed mattresses (from the estate’s sheep, no less), piles of books and the comfiest of armchairs to sink into. Each bedroom is individually designed, featuring quirky ornaments and antiques to reflect Goodwood’s sporting history, plus references to Gordon Castle and Glenfiddich lodge in Scotland, where the family would escape every summer to enjoy the partridge and grouse shooting, stalking and salmon fishing. The rooms are named for each of the 10 hounds in the famous 1739 Charlton Hunt, aka the ‘Greatest Chase that ever Was’, spanning 10 hours and 57 miles of Sussex countryside: Dido, Pompey, Rifle, Peggy, Edmund, Ruby, Musick, Ringwood, Walcut and Drummer. Plus, in the ensuite bathrooms, find deep roll-top baths and huge showers accompanied by natural products from Gordon Castle.

The Drawing Room. © Mike Caldwell

At the heart of the property is the Drawing Room, where guests can relax surrounded by original paintings that reflect Goodwood’s sporting heritage and splendid antiques, many of which were reclaimed from the attic of Goodwood House. Exuding country house charm, expect piles of books, board games, a card table and a well-stocked bar to provide plenty of distraction. Tea and homemade cake are served here mid-afternoon, followed by pre-dinner treats. After dinner, relax, play games, dance or simply listen to your favourite music, enjoying your favourite drink, in this sumptuous space.

In the dining room – where the Hound Lodge butler and chef shake off all stuffy formalities, instead favouring country home service – guests are greeted by a Georgian table dating back to the late eighteenth century, previously used for banquets in the Ballroom of Goodwood House. Tuck into good food and excellent wine, with a bespoke seasonal menu crafted by the chef to ensure the utmost enjoyment for all guests. Dishes also make the most of the organic estate-reared and home-grown produce from Goodwood Home Farm.

Outside, the surrounding gardens are worth a nosey around. Delightfully meadow-wild, poppies, lavender, daisies and plenty more flowers and grasses burst from the ground. A flint and brick arch in the courtyard guides guests to Valdoe, an enchanting ‘ancient’ woodland where you can search for The Devil’s Ditch, an entrenchment believed to have been built for defence purposes during the Iron Age. Stumbling across the centre, guests will notice eight radial paths akin to the centre of a maze, which originally provided the perfect gathering point for the start of the day’s hunt.