WHAT/WHERE?

The Five Arrows has recently added another string to its bow – a self catering cottage for guests after a little more space or privacy or those who want to bunk up with family or friends. The two-bedroom Dairy Cottage is a seven-minute walk away from the hotel and restaurant (there’s a footpath across Waddesdon parkland that takes you straight there if you want to avoid the road). It’s next to a courtyard of striking red brick buildings – also called The Dairy – and surrounded by a lake, art installations and gardens that are coiffed to perfection. The courtyard is used for events, including weddings (but don’t worry about being besieged on your weekend away – the cottage is only rented out when there isn’t an event going on next door). Which means you have this whole blissful corner of the Rothschild family’s Waddesdon estate all to yourself.

THE VIBE

Eclectic! Much like the manor itself, the Grade II Listed cottage is beautiful but quirky. Designed by the same architect who created the charismatic Five Arrow hotel building for Ferdinand de Rothschild, W. Taylor of Bierton, the red brick and red timbered cottage has a patterned tile roof, elaborate tilework, cute verandahs and cream and maroon-framed bay windows. It’s bookended by a pair of willow trees on two sides and it’s own garden with bistro table and chairs on another. The view out of the kitchen window looks across exquisitely maintained gardens – brick-lined paths, yew topiary, espaliered fruit trees and a soon-to-be-complete vast art installation which will only add to the uniqueness of this place. Called Wedding Cake, the 12-metre-tall ceramic sculptural pavilion in the form of a three-tiered cake, is the work of Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, and the latest commission by the Rothschild Foundation. Once finished you’ll be able to go inside it and climb to the top. It’ll no doubt be a hit for wedding photoshoots with couples getting hitched at the Dairy but guests of the cottage will have an exclusive view.

Inside the vibe is equally idiomatic and said to be very much Lord Rothchild’s taste – in fact much of the artwork comes from the Rothschild archive and includes portraits of family members as well as some gorgeous pastoral English oils. The rooms are all a riot of fabulous wallpaper patterns from the likes of William Morris and Jean Monro – statement naturalistic prints in sweetshop shades that go from bold florals downstairs to more calming leafy patterns upstairs. Upholstery and soft furnishings don’t hold back either, from the raspberry pink armchair in the living room to the chequered matching blinds and upholstery. It works though and has a sort of wholesome post-war English feel to it – pastoral, chintzy but tasteful and, pristinely clean.

STAY

The cottage has two large double bedrooms with rattan head-boarded bed, crisp linens, generous dressing table/desk and hanging space for clothes. It’s hard to decide which is the master – one has views of rolling fields and the other overlooks the courtyard so it’s more a point of preference. They both have space for cots so it could work for two couples with babies or toddlers.

They share one large bathroom with swanky Lefroy Brooks sanitaryware – a large bath and a walk-in shower plus White Company toiletries. Downstairs the dining room is spartan and seats six, then there’s the cute living room with log burner, another toilet (handily with shower) and a well equipped kitchen with hob, oven, microwave, coffee machine and everything you’d need for a simple meal including, naturally, every sort of wine glass you’d need for every sort of wine (this is on the Rothschild estate afterall).

Alongside the statement wallpapers, soft furnishings also spared no expense with double lines curtains and blinds on every single window and door – complete privacy and a lie-in guaranteed. My only niggles – small things but there wasn’t a single bin upstairs, just the one in the kitchen, and also we had to find the wifi router to find the code – but then perhaps the idea is to kick back and enjoy the topiary, not log on?

SCOFF & QUAFF

Guests at the Dairy Cottage get breakfast at The Five Arrows and it’s an obvious option for dinner too given it’s only a short walk – who wants to wash up on holiday? This place has come a long way from the formal and rather old fashioned hotel restaurant it once was – out with carpets and in with wood floors, simple chunky furniture, modern wine memorabilia on the walls and plenty of nooks for table so you never feel overheard (grab the window seat if you can). That said, the staff waistcoats are a little old fashioned – perhaps these will be next for a onceover? But the service was old school in a good way – polite, efficient and just attentive enough. The evening menu here should please most palates – fish and chips, chicken and ham hock pie and steak are there for the less adventurous, meanwhile there’s an Asian influence to some of the bolder dishes, much of it sourced within the county, and as the seasons change, from Waddesdon’s own gardens down the road at Eythrope.

We started with chargrilled red pepper and cashew nut wonton and confit duck with smoked bacon waffle, maple glaze and smoked cheddar crackling (goodness knows how they did it but the waffle really did taste of bacon). Both were beautifully presented, fresh, tasty and each element cooked perfectly.

We followed with the chicken and ham hock pie and roasted pollack, smoked mash potato, stout braised ox cheek and pak choi. Again, couldn’t fault either dish. The pie top was crisp and the filling generous. My fish was fresh, just tender enough and worked superbly with the accompaniments.

The kids menu came with crudities, garlic bread or roast tomato soup to start then ours opted for the fish and chips and sausage and mash to follow. Again, no skimping on the effort – their food was equally artful and well cooked (my daughter loved that her gravy came in a little jug).

Puds were apple and raisin chibaust tartlet with caramel ice cream and ginger crunch and spiced kraken rum baba, griottine cherry cream and caramelised white chocolate. Both were light and a real riot of flavours – clearly the pastry chef draws widely in his or her inspo. Overall, really impressed and it’s easy to see why this restaurant holds onto its two AA rosettes.

As you’d expect the wine menu was decent – and went beyond the Rothschild cellar. There were 16 by the glass and five sparkling or champagne to choose from plus an impressive three sweet wines and four ports, hinting that this is an occasion sort of place – certainly the evening we went people were smartly dressed for an occasion but it still felt buzzy and not stuffy..

You order breakfast the night before so it can be ordered in and – somewhat quaintly we were all seated at the same table for breakfast as we’d been for dinner. Toast came in racks (to the delight of the kids who thought they were breakfasting like queens) and the meals came on vast gold-rimmed plates with the hotel crest. My scrambled egg and smoked salmon was superb – fresh cooked and Goldilocks perfect – not too firm or too runny. The juice wasn’t freshly squeezed, which really was the only element of breakfast to let the side down.

OUT & ABOUT

Guests at the cottage have free rein of the gardens and the manor when it’s open, just wave your keys and roll on through. There’s so much to do, from the impressive adventure playground on three levels through the woods, to the aviary and the seasonal floral highlights – daffodil valley is having a moment now, then it’ll be the turn of the tulips and then the parterre coming to life.

There’s also rotating art exhibitions in the stables, countless walks around the grounds, a wine and gift shop, cafes and the house itself – a neo-renaissance French chateau with a vast collection of art and furniture. Keep an eye on the website for events like the upcoming water colour course, spring floristry, cellar tours, chilli fair and more.

THE DAMAGE

It is a minimum two night stay at the cottage and the cost is £500 a night.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

GOOD FOR: If you’re after a calm, quiet cottage stay with a weekend’s worth of entertainment in walking distance, then this is your place. Plus, art lovers (and littlies) will enjoy the animal sculptures adorning this part of the park and the soon-to-be-complete Wedding Cake, meanwhile keen gardeners will find inspo in the manicured surroundings. The option of eating at the Five Arrows takes the pressure off self-catering and you could easily avoid having to get back in the car until it’s time to go home.

NOT FOR: The party crowd. Waddesdon village is not awash with nightlife and while drinkers are welcome at the Five Arrows, it’s not the kind of place where you prop up the bar til the early hours.

The Dairy Cottage; The Five Arrows; Waddesdon, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP18 0JE.

Want to find out more? Here’s Six reasons to visit Waddesdon this spring.

Muddy reviews: The Dairy Cottage, Five Arrows, Waddesdon

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