The Gardens and Grand Homes of England

After you touchdown at any of London's many airports, hop into a famous London cab and head to the Coach & Horses Hotel, a cozy renovated Inn dating back to the 17th century. It's perfectly situated on the edge of Kew Gardens, making it the ideal spot for our short time in London. 

Get yourself settled in before we meet for drinks in their pub and beer garden around 6 pm. We’ll be having dinner at their buzzing gastropub, a cozy eatery serving traditional English pub fare such as fish and chips, Cumberland sausage, chicken pie with mash, or locally raised lamb.  

After getting to know one another tonight, let's head to bed early to prepare for an exciting day tomorrow.

Indulge in the first full English breakfast of the trip; it certainly won't be your last. We'll check out and set off to visit one of the world's most renowned botanical gardens, and the largest, located just across the street. Kew Gardens has achieved UNESCO World Heritage status, covering 500 acres and housing the world's largest seedbank. We’ll be led around the lush grounds by an expert on a private tour. 

Lunch will be at Bill's, a friendly local spot en route to our next stop, which is about an hour-and-a-half drive away. We're headed to Down House, Charles Darwin’s Georgian manor home, where he lived for 40 years and wrote On the Origin of Species. The house feels like it's been frozen in time, offering a glimpse into the spectacular work Darwin contributed to the scientific world. We'll even walk around his "outdoor laboratory", a series of extensive gardens where he performed some of his experiments. 

From there, it's just over a 30-minute drive to our historic home for the night, Hever Castle. This opulent property dates back to 1270 and served as the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the second queen consort of King Henry VIII, and was once owned by the King himself. For most of the 1900s, it was owned by American millionaire William Waldorf Astor. 

We'll check in and take some time to freshen up before tucking into a simple, yet classic, meal at the cozy King Henry VIII pub before we each drift off to sleep like princesses in our castle. 

Head down to the castle's dining room for a filling breakfast before joining a private tour of the castle house and its 125 acres of surrounding gardens. 

Next we'll head south to the historic spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells. Known for its quintessential English charm, this countryside Kent village will steal your heart. 

Once in town, we’ll pause for lunch at Sankey's Fish Market and pay a visit to the historic Pantiles Arcade for a little bit of boutique shopping. 

Next, we’ll move on to a visit to Scotney Castle, which is actually two properties in one! The moated Old Castle ruins date back to the 14th century, and make you feel like you've been transported into an historical novel. The newer 19th-century Victorian house is as beautiful as it is charming. We'll tour both, as well as the grounds, which have been ranked among the Top 10 Formal Gardens in England. 

What a day we've had! We have one more treat in store for you today: an exclusive stay at Fairlight Hall – our home for the next three nights. Fairlight is a private mansion designed in the Gothic style from the Victorian era. Fortunately, Girls’ Guide Founder Doni Belau is friends with the current owners, who have cultivated almost all of the surrounding 90 acres and refreshed the interior with an excellent mix of antique and modern art. 

After we drop our bags in our lovely rooms, we’ll carry an aperitif in hand as we tour the family’s extensive art collection with a knowledgeable curator.

We’ll make the most of our private castle stay by fully immersing ourselves in the experience, with attentive butler service and elegant dining in truly grand surroundings. It’s a rare chance to be treated as castle guests, not just visitors, and to indulge in Downton Abbey-style living.

Wake slowly and take a peek out the windows. On clear mornings, the view stretches all the way to the English Channel, shimmering in the distance near Hastings. Before long, the scent of a traditional English breakfast drifts up from the kitchen, drawing you downstairs to a generous morning spread.

Next we'll step outside to explore the estate in depth, guided by the head gardener. From wildflower meadows to the walled kitchen garden, exotic plantings to sweeping perennial borders and the greenhouse beyond, the grounds are a carefully cultivated world of their own.

Later, we'll make our way to Hastings, a coastal town teeming with history, best known for the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Today, it’s home to the UK’s largest beach-launched fishing fleet, and many of the boats that went to Dunkirk to fetch the stranded English Military left from here.

While here, we’ll glide between the upper and lower town on the historic funicular, wander through the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, and sit down to a classic seaside lunch of perfectly crisp fish and chips at Maggie's.

From the coast, we continue to the medieval town of Rye, a place that feels suspended in time. Dating back to the 12th century, its cobbled streets and crooked timbered houses have made it one of Sussex’s most sought-after addresses.

While in Rye, we’ll visit Lamb House, the former residence of Henry James. This elegant 18th-century Georgian home once welcomed King George I, and still carries the subtle charm of its literary past. 

Afterward, take time to wander at your own pace, perhaps browsing independent shops, slipping into tucked-away cafés, or simply soaking in the atmosphere from a quiet park bench.

In the evening, we'll return to the countryside for an early dinner at Tillingham, a biodynamic vineyard set among rolling fields. Awarded a Michelin Green Star, its menu is shaped almost entirely by what’s grown on-site, striking the perfect balance between grounded and refined.

Today is devoted to two of England’s most celebrated gardens, places where landscape transforms into art, and each path is carefully designed to instill a serene sense of wonder.

Let's begin at Sissinghurst Castle Garden, a 16th-century estate in Kent best known for its extraordinary gardens, unfolding across 450 acres. Created by poet and writer Vita Sackville-West and her partner Harold Nicolson, the space is structured and romantic with an intricate series of garden “rooms,” each with its own mood and color scheme.

From there, we continue to Great Dixter, where a fresh, seasonal lunch awaits us before we explore its world-renowned grounds. Originally shaped by the visionary Christopher Lloyd and now guided by head gardener Fergus Garrett, the gardens are often described as a “cultivated chaos” of vibrant, ever-changing color, texture, and form. We also have time to step inside the 15th-century manor house.

After a day inundated with beauty, we'll return to the calm of our private estate in Fairlight. There’s time to unwind as you please, maybe with a swim in the indoor pool, a moment in the steam room, or a soak in the jacuzzi. 

We'll gather in the walled garden for a relaxed picnic supper accompanied by crisp English sparkling wine as the evening settles in.

We’ll ease into the morning with a slow start and a simple breakfast before setting off north for a journey that feels like we're stepping into another era.

Boarding a beautifully restored Pullman train dating back to 1923, we’ll be transported to the golden age of rail travel. Originally part of the renowned Golden Arrow train that carried passengers between London and Paris via the boat train, these first-class carriages continue to radiate unmatched elegance. 

As the countryside rolls by, we’ll settle in to enjoy a leisurely three-course lunch paired with wine, savoring both the journey and the setting.

Returning to the station, we continue on toward London, arriving in the stylish Marylebone district in the evening. We’ll check into the boutique The Mandeville Hotel, with time to freshen up before one final evening together.

Our farewell dinner takes us just a short walk away to Dishoom Carnaby, where we’ll imbibe in a vibrant Indian feast. What a fitting close to this wonderful adventure we've shared this week.

The Mandeville Hotel puts on a lovely breakfast, so make your way down to eat at your leisure before you pack up and check out. Grab a taxi to the airport according to your onward travel times. 

We hope you hold onto the fond memories and friendships from this trip for years to come. Until we meet again...