Hotel
Wotton House
A 400-year-old country estate hotel near Dorking, once home to the Evelyn family, set in 13 acres with England's first Italian gardens and walks out towards Leith Hill.
The story
For four centuries Wotton House has been tied to the Evelyn family. John Evelyn, a botanist and tree expert who lived as a vegetarian and championed plants in the diet, left a streak of eccentricity that still runs through the house. Its 17th-century Italian gardens, the first in England, are Grade II listed, and inside there is a pillared library among the period detailing. Today it is a hotel in 13 acres of Surrey Hills countryside, with individually designed rooms, many looking over the gardens. The 1877 restaurant serves modern classics with a twist, the bar pours sparkling English wines, and afternoon tea is served too. A leisure club adds a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, gym and tennis court, and the estate is a regular wedding venue.
Good to know
TAGGG AI- ✦Weddings are often held here, so expect the hotel to be busy with a celebration during weekend stays.
- ✦Leave room for dessert at the 1877 restaurant; the barbecued pineapple is the one to order.
- ✦Dogs are welcome in the rooms and on the grounds, which suit morning walks towards Leith Hill.