Whatley Manor

Whatley Manor

Company type	Private
Industry	Hospitality
Founded	1987
Headquarters	Easton Grey, Wiltshire , England
Products	Hotel, restaurant, spa and wellness facilities

Whatley Manor is a combined hotel, dining establishment, and spa situated within converted agricultural and estate structures near Easton Grey in the southern region of the Cotswolds, approximately west of Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England. The principal building holds a Grade II listing.

History

Initially known as Twatley Manor, the property originated as an 18th-century farmhouse documented on the 1840 Malmesbury Tithe Map. In 1857, Mr T G Smith—who became lord of the adjacent Easton Grey manor in 1871—acquired the estate and expanded it by adding various outbuildings.

By 1910, ownership transferred to Smith’s sister Honora Wilder and her spouse Reverend George Wilder. From 1899 until 1924, Rear Admiral Reginald Neeld and his family lived on the premises. During the First World War, the hall functioned as a packing depot for military equipment.

The estate was purchased in 1925 by Canadian Herbert Choplin Cox from Graham Wilder. Cox, who served as Deputy Master of the Beaufort Hunt, enlarged the grounds and engaged architect Septimus Warwick between 1925 and 1927 to construct a Cotswold-style west wing (currently known as the Tudor wing), expand the stable courtyard, and build a coach house. He incorporated architectural features salvaged from older buildings and developed ornamental gardens, a small park area, and supplementary structures including the Tower House.

Following Cox’s passing in 1945, Harold Issac Coriat and his wife Priscilla acquired the estate, maintaining ownership until 1957. The house received its Grade II listing status in 1951. In 1961, R.J. Rennie bought and partitioned the property; it was renamed Whatley Manor while Twatley Farm was separated as an independent holding.

The transformation of Whatley Manor into a hotel occurred in 1987. Additionally, the former stables at Twatley Manor Farm were converted for accommodation purposes but remain under different ownership.

Hotel and restaurant

Marco and Alix Landolt became owners of Whatley Manor in 2000 after visiting during their son’s participation in the Badminton Horse Trials. They undertook extensive restoration work, creating 26 unique gardens across 12 acres, many drawing inspiration from original designs dating back to the 1930s.

Between 2001 and 2003, the David Brain Partnership led refurbishment and expansion efforts that preserved the estate’s characteristic 1920s Cotswold architectural style. The hotel includes a restaurant accessible to both guests and external visitors, alongside a spa and wellness facility named Aquarias Spa covering 12,000 square feet.

Awards

By October 2007, Whatley Manor featured 23 bedrooms and was affiliated with Relais & Chateaux. At that time, it ranked ninth globally as "Best Holiday and Wellness Hotel" and topped UK listings according to Swiss business publication Bilanz. Since 2017, it has been promoted through the Pride of Britain Hotels network.

The establishment operates three dining venues: The Dining Room, Grey's Brasserie, and The Green Room. Under head chef Martin Burge, The Dining Room secured its initial Michelin star in 2005 and achieved a second star by 2010. Following Burge's departure in 2016, Niall Keating assumed leadership; he earned his first Michelin star in 2017 and was honored as European Young Chef of the Year in 2018. In October 2019, Keating reinstated The Dining Room’s second Michelin star. He also won regional rounds and the fish course on BBC's Great British Menu, ultimately being declared "champion of champions." After Keating left at the close of 2021, Ricki Weston was promoted to executive chef; as of 2022, The Dining Room maintains one Michelin star.

Whatley Manor additionally received the South West Tourism ‘Small Hotel of the Year Award’ for 2020/21.