LOCATION: A grand Victorian country pile, Tylney Hall is in Rotherwick, a small village within walking distance of Hook in Hampshire.FIRST IMPRESSION: Approached via a wide tree-lined avenue, this sprawling hotel makes a striking first impression. Inside, the walnut-panelled staircase, grand pillars and grandfather clock leave you in no doubt that this is a country house hotel that’s proud of its roots. The surroundings make you feel as if you have stepped back in time to the days when former owners Lord and Lady Rotherwick strolled through the beautiful rose garden and sipped tea under its gold-leaf ceilings. THE FACTS: Tylney Hall was first built as a private home and then served as a school from 1948-1994. During that time, this imposing Victorian pile lost some of its grandeur, but its current owner has ploughed millions into restoring its original character. Now part of the Elite Hotels group, the grade II-listed building has 66 acres of beautiful grounds, a walled outdoor pool and the longest vista in Hampshire. It also has a pleasant indoor pool, gym and small spa, housed in what used to be the stables when Tylney was a private home. Our garden suite was spacious and in a lovely secluded spot, albeit a long way from the main building, but the chintzy floral decor was in need of a revamp. The main building has a few much more fresh and modern rooms, so it’s worth requesting one of those. Lazy Sundays are well spent here relaxing by the fire in one of the hotel’s several cosy lounges, with a newspaper in one hand and a home-made scone in the other. A GOOD BASE FOR: f your clients can drag themselves away from the fire, the home of author Jane Austen is a 40 minute drive away. Also nearby are Windsor Castle and the historic town of Winchester. WOW: What the hotel does best is food – our meal in the Oak Room more than lived up to its grand surroundings. HOW MUCH: From £220 for a double room tylneyhall.co.uk