The Ickworth Hotel

Occupying one wing of the National Trust-owned Ickworth House, this hotel is a grand and imposing Georgian palace that sits among 1,800 gorgeous acres of landscaping and forest. Built in the early 1800s as a private home for the wealthy Hervey family, there are lots of beautiful original features throughout the hotel. Spectacular sweeping staircases, high ceilings, ornate cornicing and ceiling roses, and even the original servant bells can still be seen. Huge sash windows fill every room with natural light and overlook the stunning Capability Brown-designed Italianate gardens. At first glance, this elegant and historic property might not seem like an obvious place to travel with children, but the hotel is actually part of the Luxury Family Hotels group and expertly balances the sumptuous surroundings with excellent family-friendly facilities. It’s thus no surprise that the majority of guests are families -- mostly with toddlers -- who make good use of the hotel’s two large communal lounges as well as all the outside space. A fair amount of couples stay here too -- although they could feel outnumbered by little ones at times. 

Set a five-minute drive outside of the small village of Horringer, the hotel is located within 1,800 acres of land that’s a mix of woodland, farmland, and formal gardens for guests to explore. The large, historic market town of Bury St. Edmunds is a 10-minute drive away and has a huge range of shops, cafes, and restaurants in its pretty center -- from international chains to independent boutiques. There are plenty of attractions for tourists to visit there as well, including the ancient cathedral and abbey, and the popular Greene King Brewery tour. Banham Zoo is another popular area attraction, which is a 45-minute drive from the hotel. The nearest train station is Bury St. Edmunds, which is a 15-minute drive from the hotel, and both London Heathrow and Gatwick International Airports will take around two hours to reach by car. 

The hotel’s 38 rooms come in all shapes and sizes, and are all individually decorated. Most are in the main house, and have traditionally elegant decor, with touches like antique furniture, grand four poster beds, comfortable window seats, and gilt-framed mirrors. Funky contemporary art adds a touch of modernity in many rooms, and accents like bright quilts lend a bit of home-spun style. Colors skew bright and rich, with pops of turquoise, purple velvet, and deep red that vary from room to room, and details like glittering chandeliers provide a bit of class that most family-friendly hotels forego. Unlike many historic hotels, this hotel makes its Old World interiors look impeccably up-to-date and fresh.

Some rooms are located in The Lodge -- a separate annex that's a 10-minute walk from the main building. There are some standard-layout rooms in The Lodge, but the nicest are the multi-room apartments that are a spacious alternative for families. Rooms are all light, and many have generously proportioned modern bathrooms as well. These include double-basin sinks, trendy metro tiling, and rainfall showerheads over large bathtubs with premium toiletries. All rooms have modern amenities like flat-screen TVs with satellite channels and fast, free Wi-Fi. They also provide tea- and coffee-making facilities and free mineral water -- mini-fridges would have been a nice touch. Some rooms can accommodate dogs. 

The features of The Ickworth Hotel are excellent for those traveling with young children. Dotted around on every floor of the hotel are large toy chests filled with books, games, and soft toys. Visitors can help themselves during their stay. On the ground floor is a day care that provides free childcare for two hours a day during a guest's stay (there are hours during which parents can use the facilities with their children as well). The hotel also has a cinema room where kids' movies are shown daily in the early evening. A children’s “High Tea” is served in the cinema room every day as well. 

Outside, the children's facilities are just as extensive. There's a huge Fairy Garden that's filled with cars, tricycles, a sandpit, playhouse, swings, and a slide. Adjacent to this is a large trampoline and a tennis court -- balls and rackets can be borrowed from the hotel. A huge bike shed has bikes of every size, many with child seats on the back, and they can be borrowed free of charge at any time for guests to see the grounds on two wheels. Next to this is the lovely indoor swimming pool which has inflatables and pool toys to keep little ones entertained. 

It's not only about fun for kids here, though, and the hotel has two large lounges -- both with roaring log fires, large comfortable sofas, and huge modern oil paintings on the walls. Hot and cold drinks, light meals, and afternoon tea are served in the lounges daily. Other dining options are Frederick’s, which is an elegant, candlelit fine-dining spot, open daily for dinner. It has a strict adult-only policy. Many guests take advantage of the hotel's baby listening service and dine in Frederick’s after putting the children to bed. The other restaurant in the property is the Conservatory. This bright room, decorated in chic white and soft gray tones, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast is not always included in the room rate, but is available as an excellent buffet with cereals, yogurts, fruit, toast, jams, and fruit juices, or a cooked breakfast with choices such as smoked salmon, waffles, and a full English breakfast option. Children are, again, very well catered for with high chairs, bibs, baby wipes, and plastic crockery and cutlery on hand. There’s a very extensive and health-conscious children’s menu too. 

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and there are also spa treatment rooms in the basement where a range of beauty services can be booked.