Above: Image by Matthew Shaw Photography
My youngest was a child actor, although not quite as high profile as festive stalwart Macaulay Culkin. OK, in fact he was just an extra, but he did get to appear in some quite decent films and on some great sets. And on my journey to The Langley in deepest Buckinghamshire, I suddenly realised why the local landmarks looked familiar: I had been in these parts before when I had taken Price Jnr to Pinewood Studios back in the day.
So without doubt, this luxury 5-star hotel, housed in the Georgian former home of the third Duke of Marlborough and clearly the most prestigious for many miles, is perfectly positioned to host high-profile stars of the silver screen who might be working close by, and it fits the bill well.
The lobby at The Langley. Photo: Matthew Shaw
The Langley, A Luxury Collection Hotel, lies within Buckinghamshire’s spectacular Langley Park, 150 acres of formal gardens and parklands originally designed by ‘Capability’ Brown, and underwent a multi-million-pound renovation in 2019. Elegant and stylish it combines the kind of grandeur of the period that would make any Hollywood A-lister swoon, with all the modern facilities including an absolutely immaculate, contemporary underground spa.
The Spa
The reception The Langley’s absolutely immaculate, contemporary underground spa. Photo: Matthew Shaw.
I visited The Langley in the lead-up to Premier Magazine’s press week; always a frantically busy time with long hours hunched over a computer screen, so a visit to this, one of Europe’s largest indoor spas, was a very welcoming first stop.
a visit to this, one of Europe’s largest indoor spas, was a very welcoming first stop
It offers a bespoke wellness experience tailored to individual needs. Guests can enjoy spacious treatment rooms, a ladies-only thermal area, a private VIP suite, and authentic hammam rituals. Beauty, grooming, and a 16-metre marble-lined swimming pool complete this tranquil retreat for relaxation and rejuvenation where, under the skilful hands of my therapist Revekka, I experienced a ‘shea massage’.
One of the treatment rooms. Photo: Matthew Shaw
This bespoke massage combines flowing, rhythmic techniques and targeted care, tailored with my chosen oil and blended with shea butter. Just what the doctor ordered. I left feeling relaxed, silky smooth and sophisticatedly fragranced, ready to check into our room and dress for dinner.
Rooms
There are 41 rooms and suites here, tastefully designed by The Dennis Irvine studio whose portfolio includes The Estate House at Jumby Bay, the Dorchester and Guerlain Spas and other properties in the same Luxury Collection Hotel Group, such as Knightbridge’s ‘The Wellesley’. At The Langley, modern elegance meets rich history. From grand windows framing picturesque grounds to restored baroque fireplaces, every detail reflects timeless charm, including the character of this Palladian-style manor house. Our bed was vast, the ceilings tall and the marble walk-in rainforest-style shower was invigorating. And while whimsical period art and suitably decorative Regency plasterwork adorned the walls, high-tech control panels are also on hand to ensure that the room still offers all the trappings and conveniences that demanding film stars would expect from a 21st-century luxury hotel room.
Photo: Matthew Shaw
Dinner
The Cedar is the hotel’s main restaurant. It is furnished in a relatively contemporary style as well as being light and airy with views out over a large summer terrace and the grounds beyond. Menus bring the essence of European cuisine to life, blending Spanish, French, and Italian influences with locally sourced ingredients from Buckinghamshire.
The Cedar Restaurant. Photo: Matthew Shaw
For example, starters included slow-cooked octopus, 28-day dry-aged carpaccio with truffle shaving and baked potato cake with porcini mushrooms. Homemade tagliatelle with lobster, pappardelle with white-duck ragout, and pan-fried veal and red snapper were among the main-course options. There is a grill menu too, featuring aged beef fillet and rib-eye as well as wild sea bass.
The menu changes to showcase the best of each season’s produce and my delicate pan-fried scallop starter came on a delectable bed of pumpkin cream while a salmon caviar adornment added the merest hint of salt. Mrs P enjoyed the richness that 75% chocolate added to the blackberry sauce surrounding her duck-liver pâté.
My herb-flavoured rack of lamb that followed was perfectly cooked and beautifully presented with a fresh, smooth pea cream, potato terrine, parmesan cheese and an intense rosemary lamb jus. Meanwhile across the other side of the starched white tablecloth, a ‘very agreeable’ pan-fried cod was consumed with accompanying parsley potato, sweet rich datterini tomatoes, olive sauce and fresh oregano.
To finish we enjoyed tiramisu and a very clever Wigmore Brie cheesecake: looking nothing like what one would expect, this deconstructed version with exotic fruits, pistachio crumble and crémeux provided variety with every spoonful. Definitely a triumph for the dessert chef.
I resisted the urge to try a £990 Hermitage Paradis Champagne Cognac from 1893
Besides the Cedar, the hotel also offers other light dining in areas such as the drawing room, the spa lounge and my favourite, when we discovered it in the search for a post-dinner digestif, the Churchill Bar. Dark walls, subtle lighting, tall bookcases and an oak fireplace give it the feel of a private club. A perfect setting to enjoy the curated selection of fine spirits, vintage cognac, cocktails, and rare cigars. I resisted the urge to try a £990 Hermitage Paradis Champagne Cognac from 1893.
As we enjoyed breakfast in the Cedar the following day, our outlook in the light of morning could hardly have been more serene with the gardens stretching out down to the lake. It is crazy to then consider that Langley station is only 10 stops on the Elizabeth Line from Bond Street.
The Drawing Room. Photo: Matthew Shaw
Tucking into our eggs royale and French toast we observed the constant activity of bright green parakeets soaring from tree to tree. I would love to believe the myth that the settlement of this unusually exotic species to Buckinghamshire dates back to the Hepburn and Bogart era when they were used in Pinewood’s production of ‘The African Queen’. I’m sure that Hollywood royalty would have approved of The Langley. Just like themselves, it has brought touch of glamour to a Slough postcode.
The Langley a Luxury Collection Hotel, Buckinghamshire is part of Marriott Bonvoy. It is located at Avenue Drive, Uxbridge Road, Iver SL3 6DU Tel: 0207-2787878
Hotel, spa and restaurant reviews are a regular feature in Premier Magazine. You can browse our archive of previous reviews HERE
