Catered exclusive-use country house opens in Leicestershire
A new exclusive-use country house in Leicestershire is looking to forge ties with the UK’s luxury trade.
Keythorpe Hall, near the historic market towns of Stamford, Oakham and Uppingham (not to be confused with nearby Keythorpe Manor), has been restored and decorated – think hand-painted wallpaper and cut flowers from the estate’s walled garden – and prides itself on providing an “extraordinary seasonal gastronomic experience with amazing wine”.
Hired fully staffed and catered, guests get use of the entire house and grounds privately for the duration of their stay. It has seven principal bedrooms and an additional three-bedroom apartment, so can sleep up to 20 adults (children are also welcome).
Owners Giles Godfrey and Barbara van Teeffelen, whose background is in the City but who have been “critical consumers of [related] product for many years”, say they saw a gap in the market for a country house for hire but with full-time chefs and other staff.
“We have taken inspiration from the many places we have visited and created our own concept,” explained van Teeffelen. “We are everything but a hotel, so I feel the product has been better because we went in with an open mind and created something we actually wanted to stay in ourselves.”
After buying the house 10 years ago, they first set about renovating the walled garden (which is still ongoing), before completing the house over five years.
They opened to guests in November last year and saw an “incredibly busy summer”. “We have found bookings this year to be fairly last-minute still, which is luckily something we could accommodate as a fairly new business,” added van Teeffelen.
Fully-catered option
“There are lots of country houses for hire in the UK, [but] most are self-catered, or sometimes they can arrange for a chef to come in to do the cooking. What sets Keythorpe Hall apart is that our chefs have amazing restaurant backgrounds and are full-time on the team,” continued van Teeffelen.
“They work extremely closely with our head gardener [ethnobotanist Claudio Bincoletto] and the surroundings to provide the best sourcing, and really cook truly seasonally, reflecting our local terroir.”
Van Teeffelen added that everything served is carefully sourced – fruit and vegetables are picked moments before use from the walled garden, wild herbs and plants sustainably foraged from the woodlands, and meat, dairy and fish sourced from surrounding farms “and the best artisan producers”.
“We offer a country house service rather than a hotel service,” she continued. This means that we encourage guests to use Keythorpe Hall as their own home.
“The house kitchen for example is for guests to use and stocked with snacks they like. Here they can make their own cup of tea but equally can ask a member of the team to make it for them. Although there is always someone around, the service is very relaxed. At mealtimes however, it feels like a private restaurant.”
Target clientele
Guests of Keythorpe Hall so far have varied from groups of friends and family gatherings staying for a weekend getaway or celebrating a special event, to mid-week bookings for corporate off-site events and away-days, or overseas visitors exploring the UK for a week, attracted by the hall’s central England location.
“This year we have seen a lot of multigenerational families and the house is absolutely perfect for groups like this. Activities can be tailored for everyone,” continued van Teeffelen.
“For one group of guests with six children this summer we put eggs from our chickens in the incubator as a surprise, timed to hatch when they were here. The whole family gathered around when the first egg hatched and it was an unforgettable experience for both the children, parents and grandparents. We still send them photo updates of how the chicks are doing.”
Van Teeffelen said bookings have been going well, and Keythorpe “loves” working with luxury travel agents “as they know their clients extremely well”.
Strengthening trade ties
“The level of detail of the customer experience is incredibly important at Keythorpe so the more information we get about the preferences of our guests before they arrive the more bespoke the experience.
“This is the case for menus, wine but also the smaller personal touches and activities. For example, we had overseas guests who were really into whiskey so we got the best bar chef from London up for an evening of whiskey tasting,” she added.
Rather than just showcasing expensive whiskeys, the team organised a masterclass on comparing English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish whiskeys, “a fun but also education evening for our guests”.
“Everything we do is fully bespoke but we have various sample itineraries which travel agents can use as a starting point or inspiration for their clients.”
How to book it
Prices at Keythorpe Hall start from £7,000 per night for full exclusive use of the house and grounds. This includes meals prepared by Keythorpe's chefs, access to the house manager, housekeeping, waiting staff and use of the wine concierge. Drinks are extra and the hall requires a two-night minimum stay at weekends.
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Place of registration: England and Wales.
Company number 08723341.
Registered address: 6th Floor, 2 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
