The Falcon

Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire

Well-being is at the heart of this ‘rather lovely boutique hotel’, a reinvented 16th-century coaching inn, where guests enjoy nature walks, yoga and the run of Castle Ashby's pleasure grounds. More

Good Hotel Guide Review

Well-being is at the heart of this ‘rather lovely boutique hotel’, a reinvented 16th-century coaching inn, where guests enjoy nature walks, yoga and the run of Castle Ashby's pleasure grounds. Lord and Lady Northampton (‘Spenny and Tracy’) have ‘lavished attention on it to reflect their core values and interests’, say our inspectors. The interiors have earthy, mossy tones designed to connect with the surrounding countryside. Some bedrooms have a balcony, some interconnect for a family, all have an espresso machine and organic toiletries. ‘This is a lovely hotel, with excellent staff,’ readers write. In Eyas, Russell Bateman’s ethically sourced tasting menu might feature spring truffles, Orkney scallops, Herdwick lamb. You can eat more casually from a lounge menu, such as bavette steak with peppercorn sauce, hand-rolled pasta, a Caesar salad. ‘Wild swimming in a lake designed by Capability Brown gives you amazing glimpses of Castle Ashby itself’, while the Italian gardens, orangery, arboretum and menagerie await exploration. Unwind even further in monthly classes that include meditation, breathwork and 'sound baths'. (John and Elspeth Gibbon, and others)

Hotel details

Address

Compton Estates
Castle Ashby
Northamptonshire
NN7 1LF
England

Telephone

01604 698005

Bedrooms

21. 13 in adjacent cottages, 1 suitable for disabled.

Open

all year, restaurant closed Mon, Tues.

Facilities

reception, lounge, restaurant, cellar bar, yoga studio, juice bar (vegan menu), in-room TV, civil wedding licence, EV charging, private gardens in 10,500-acre Castle Ashby Estate, public areas wheelchair accessible, adapted toilet.

Background music

ambient, in public spaces.

Children

all ages welcomed, family suite, baby baths, cots.

Dogs

allowed in some bedrooms (£25 a night), on terraces, not in public rooms.

Credit cards

Amex, MC, Visa.

Prices

B&B doubles from £180. Lounge menu (à la carte) £38, tasting menu (Eyas) £75.