Langar Hall

A sublime country house set in private parkland where the England of old lives on

Langar is a true original – stubbornly English, deliciously stylish, quietly eccentric. It ticks to its own beat, a place of gentle ritual and timeless beauty. Most wonderful among its endless bounties is its instinct for self-deprecation: this is not a brash, arrogant country house keen to blow its trumpet, but one that blushes slightly if you mention its beauty. At the helm is the indomitable Imogen. Her family came here 150 years ago and she has kept the place much as it was. The same paintings hang where they always have and the clipped approach of footsteps still rings from the original stone-flagged floors. Remarkably, it retains the feel of a home. Follow your nose and you will come across marble busts and statues, a proper library, an open fire in the drawing room and a pillared dining room that is candle-lit at night. Nothing is done to impress which is why so much does, and those in search of smart country-house hospitality will be in heaven.

Half a mile up a gracious drive, the house stands on a slight hill in imperious parkland, bang next door to the church. If you have ever doubted the loveliness of the Nottinghamshire countryside, come and prove yourself wrong. Many people shy away for this very reason, making Langar all the more attractive as it remains ‘undiscovered’. Those who frequent it tend to be a friendly, eclectic bunch and they return again and again. Pre-dinner drinks, which Imogen orchestrates with infectious charm, is like a drinks party.

Highs

• A terrifically stylish country house
• A place to come and step back in time
• Superb bedrooms full of beautiful things
• Exceptional food

Lows

• Nottinghamshire is not England’s Number One tourist destination (but it’s lovely, and you’ll have it to yourself)
• This is a quiet place: night life at Langar is hushed