Set in 70 acres of stunning rural Staffordshire, The Tawny is a modern hotel that combines five-star luxury with seclusion and charm, giving guests – young and old – the freedom to just be.
If truly getting away from it all is a top priority for your family, The Tawny offers all the escapism you’re looking for. This luxury hotel, which opened in 2021, has already become much sought-after by families looking to step off-grid and reconnect with one another. Citizen Enfants checked in for a weekend of family time in the gleaming modern hotel and its beautiful estate.
The Vibe
The thing you notice most when you stay at The Tawny is how incredibly peaceful it is – and how immersed in nature you feel. When you enter, it’s as if you’re driving through a portal into another world. At the entrance is the first of the 70-acre site’s miniature lakes, dotted with lush planting and remnants of yesteryear, including grand stone steps to some of the 20 little follies hidden around the gardens (which date back to 1246). This rewilded estate is a nature-lover’s dream. There are more than 30 species of bird (with bird boxes to encourage migrating birds to visit), plus little treehouses and Shepherd’s Huts hidden within the trees, promising a magical stay in the heart of nature.
The Tawny Hotel
Even on a fully-booked weekend (the hotel often has large wedding parties), you can feel as if you’re the only people here – thanks to large grounds planted in a luxuriant overgrown style, and individual huts or treehouses that make it feel more like a woodland retreat than a hotel. Glamorous yet laid back, this is a stylish place to step away from the busy day-to-day of family life.
While dinner is fine dining, you could rock up wearing wellies (in fact, you might have to). The outdoor heated pool lends another chic touch – especially as you can ring for service. There’s also a small, thatched hut – a former writers’ retreat – which offers GAIA facials and massages, and you can book private yoga sessions too. The hotel’s raison d’être is to be ‘deconstructed’ and the plan is to feel that you have all the services and facilities you’d expect from a five-star property, but with the feeling of escapism. And it works.
The Rooms
Accommodation is varied and well considered. There are 34 individual rooms, set apart from each other for maximum privacy. They range from cute Shepherd’s huts for couples, treehouses which can accommodate families (cots and high chairs can be provided), and the newest offering, Falcon Farmhouse – the second of their luxury serviced rentals located on the nearby Basford Estate.
If you’re travelling with a party, some of the larger rooms can interconnect, and with twin and bunk beds available they’re perfect for large families. A couple of the rooms are also dog friendly (caveat being the dog is older than one, medium sized or smaller and well-behaved).
As befits the estate, nature takes centre stage, even in the bedrooms. Many have huge wall-to-wall windows providing a vista out onto the lake or the grounds. Bathtubs set in front of them ensure you can really soak up the atmosphere. Each room has an outdoor spa bath, complete with jacuzzi function (and there’s more bubbles to be found in the complementary mini bar). Beds are supremely comfy and rooms have fluffy robes, tea and coffee-making facilities and flat screen TVs – not that you need them; the view outside is captivating.
The Food + Drink
The Plumicorn is the on-site restaurant, housed in a huge glass barn overlooking the estate. Yet, for all its ultra-modern appearance, it blends well with the ancient surroundings. Within its gleaming walls, food ranges from salads and hearty filled flatbreads at lunch to fine dining in the evening, with most of what’s being served sourced within 30 miles of the hotel, using seasonal produce. And you can tell: dishes such as Dunwood Farm beef fillet or Staffordshire pork are prepared with panache. There’s a child-pleasing menu for lunch and dinner, consisting of kid classics like burgers and pizzas to keep little ones happy. Breakfast includes a generous buffet of yoghurt, fruit and pastries, combined with à la carte offerings including Staffordshire oat cakes, a full English, or a hearty bowl of porridge topped with local honey.
For those less keen to leave the comfort of their rooms, a limited room service menu is also available – as are glasses of wine, which arrive in cute thermos tumblers keeping them at perfect temperature. Breakfast hampers can also be delivered to the rooms, as can picnic hampers, complete with prosecco.
The Child’s Play
On the face of it The Tawny is quite a grown-up hotel. There’s no kids’ club, for example, but that doesn’t mean it’s not super child-friendly. Along with the outdoor swimming pool, there are bikes available to borrow, including children’s bikes and child bike seats. The restaurant is truly welcoming of little ones too, with colouring and games printed on its kids’ menus. But it’s the outdoor space, and the freedom to roam that truly speaks to families; the fresh air and abundance of woodland invite you to switch off and reconnect. One of the nicest touches are the treasure-hunt activities that cleverly lure kids on a walk around the grounds to seek out the 20 follies or animal footprints; when they answer all the questions, they can take their forms to reception to collect their bounty. This is a place to hang out as a family and enjoy spending time together, whether playing games, reading, swimming or exploring.
The To-Do List
While you could be content on the grounds for a couple of days, there’s also lots to explore nearby in this picturesque part of the country. The hotel borders the Consall Nature Park, a conservation area and nature reserve featuring 740 acres of woodland, heath and moor. The Churnet Valley Railway, a preserved heritage railway in the Staffordshire Moorlands, is a fun visit for little ones. For more walks, the edge of Peak District National Park is a 20 minute drive, and the historic Chatsworth House in Derbyshire is an hour’s drive, but well worth a day trip. For thrill seekers, Alton Towers is a 25-minute drive away.
We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site.
Any Questions or Tips to add?