Fodor's Expert Review Heckfield Place

Because this property reflects the owner's precise vision and attention to detail, a stay here is like a stay at a friend's home, if your friend has an exquisitely tasteful but comfortable, eco-friendly Georgian house on a 400-acre estate an hour from London. The decor is all about stealth wealth, eschewing traditional marble and glitz for muted earth colors in rich fabrics and luxuries like underfloor bathroom heating and Bang & Olufsen televisions. The hotel is committed to being as self-sufficient as possible, with 60% of its produce sourced from its biodynamic farm, eggs from its 480 hens, and cheese from its dairy cows (who you can visit). There's a board games room, two restaurants (which have won a Michelin Green Star for sustainability), and a screening room that hosts showings of first-run films as well as lectures. There is also a small spa (a larger spa complex with a pool is in the works) while outdoors there's wild swimming in the lake as well as fishing, horse riding, and falconry.