De Vere Beaumont Estate

De Vere Beaumont Estate is a countryside retreat surrounded by a beautiful landscape of vast grounds, paths, and gardens. It attracts mostly couples and families seeking relaxing getaways, but its extensive meeting facilities bring in plenty of business travelers too. The main building of the hotel is a historic Victorian mansion that was once a private boys’ school and is now known as the White House. The beautiful structure is home to the Deluxe Rooms and Suites, as well as some public spaces. The rest of the guest rooms are housed in other buildings situated across the estate -- though some can be quite far away and are not as attractive as the grand main house. The estate features other notable spots, like a 14th-century chapel with gorgeously painted high ceilings and walls, as well as a war memorial. Guests are greeted in the main building, which showcases Victorian decor, old-fashioned furnishings, elegant prints, and lovely masonry. Though the hotel tries to maintain an elegant design throughout, some of the spaces look a bit tired, such as the bar area with its faded red leather chairs and carpeting. The restaurant looks more like a conference room than a sophisticated dining space, with patterned carpeting, gray chairs, blond wood tables, and framed photography on the walls. De Vere Beaumont Estate is planning an overhaul on the design in 2017, which will include public spaces and guest rooms, and will hopefully raise the bar to its advertised four-pearl status. 

De Vere Beaumont Estate is situated in Windsor, west of Wraysbury Reservoir, and just a 10-minute drive from Heathrow Airport. The hotel is located in the countryside and is a good spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of London, which is approximately an hour away by car or train. Windsor’s city center, which has a shopping mall, is about a 15-minute drive away. The Magna Carta Monument is about a 20-minute walk away, while the banks of the River Thames can be reached in six minutes. Other area attractions include Windsor Castle (an 11-minute drive) and LEGOLAND (13-minute drive). Local public transportation is virtually non-existent, so a car is strongly recommended. On-site parking is free, though spaces can fill up.

Rooms at De Vere Beaumont Estate differ from the Victorian decor of the main house and lean toward contemporary in design -- and are currently in varying stages of refurbishment. Beyond carpeting, the rooms differ in decor, with either light or dark wood furnishings, headboards with graphic designs or with leather padding, and varying color schemes; some are warmer with brown and green tones, while others have a darker black-and-red color scheme. Some rooms are far more dated than others, with older bedding and furnishings, which may be why there have been so many complaints about cleanliness and maintenance issues. The hotel plans to overhaul the rooms and public spaces with a refurbishment project in 2017. Guests also complain of bothersome noise from thin walls, loud ventilation or pipes, on-site events, and airplanes departing/arriving at nearby Heathrow Airport.Standard amenities include free Wi-Fi, kettles, flat-screen TVs, safes, and irons and ironing boards, but the spaces lack minibars and air-conditioning (apart from Suites, which have AC). Bathroom styles also range from sleek, clean spaces with vessel sinks and large mirrors, to dated and cramped ones, plus many past guests have complained of broken showers and either scorching or freezing water. Shower/tub combos, Eco-Boutique toiletries, and hairdryers are provided. Guests should note that some of the rooms are situated in buildings that are a bit far from the main public spaces and can be quite a trek across the expansive grounds.

De Vere Beaumont Estate has a wide-range of facilities, but it’s probably best equipped as a conference and event center. It has a whopping 75 fully equipped meeting rooms that host business meetings and events, plus a remarkable 14th-century chapel and event spaces for weddings. Travelers on a leisure vacation can make use of an indoor lap pool, tennis courts, and a spacious gym with cardio and weight equipment as well as free weights -- however, some of the equipment is a bit dated. There’s no spa on-site, a definite drawback for those seeking a bit of pampering. There are two dining options on-site -- the Beaumont Restaurant, which serves steak and seafood, and the more laid-back Tempus Restaurant. Room service is limited and strangely is not delivered to rooms but must be picked in the restaurant, plus it costs a fee. Reports on food quality varies here, even for breakfast, which includes some hot items as well as continental breakfast selections for a fee. With few dining options nearby, these restaurants are quite busy all day. There’s a public computer in the lobby. Both Wi-Fi and parking are free, though parking can fill up quite quickly.