A GILDED WINTER IN THE SURREY HILLS
Where whimsy skates, and wellness glows
By Monica Lofstrom
EGW Luxury Magazine | Winter 2025|2026 Feature
As December’s hush settles over the English countryside, one estate in Surrey rises like a snow-kissed dream—wrapped in history, bathed in magic, and quietly inviting us home.
There are places that do not simply decorate for the holidays—they embody them. Beaverbrook, nestled within 470 acres of woodland in the rolling Surrey Hills, is one such place. Once the stately home of Lord Beaverbrook, this grand estate now reimagines winter with a gentle extravagance: wreaths on ancient stone, champagne at the skating rink, cinema screenings beside velvet drapes, and a seasonal joy that feels like a well-kept secret passed down through generations.
At the heart of the holiday offering is the estate’s open-air ice rink—its glistening real-ice surface encircled by garlands and rustic charm. Children twirl in delight, couples steal kisses mid-glide, and beneath the golden light, winter becomes an experience rather than a season. A rink-side cabin serves hot chocolate, mulled wine, and the most welcome glasses of bubbly, while festive melodies drift through the frosty air like a lullaby for the soul.
Indoors, Beaverbrook continues to glow. Private cinema rooms beckon with classic holiday films, roaring fireplaces flicker in corners dressed with traditional décor, and the dining rooms prepare to enchant. On Christmas Day, Santa makes his rounds, delighting little hearts, while adults toast to the season at one of the estate’s two celebrated restaurants. New Year’s Eve unfolds with culinary grandeur—elaborate menus that fuse elegance with celebration, where each course marks not only time’s passing, but it’s savoring.
But Beaverbrook is far more than a festive escape. It is an architectural poem. With interiors by the celebrated Susie Atkinson, the original mansion brims with 19th-century romance: opulent yet deeply livable, grand yet full of laughter. Just steps away, The Garden House—designed by Nicola Harding—offers Anglo-Italian intimacy across eleven sun-drenched bedrooms, while the rurally inspired Coach House Suites exude a softer, pastoral charm. And in its newest enclave, The Village, whimsical sophistication lives across ten enchanting cottages—crafted with families and seekers of storybook weekends in mind.
The estate whispers through time. Hidden treehouses invite children into nature’s embrace, hand-in-hand strolls meander through formal gardens, and the Coach House Spa—designed by stained-glass artist Brian Clarke—offers an iridescent sanctuary. Here, light dances across ceramic-tiled walls as guests float in the indoor pool or surrender to holistic wellness rituals that soothe far more than the skin.
Beaverbrook is not a destination—it’s a reverie. It doesn’t simply host the holidays—it restores them. And in doing so, it restores us, too.
Special thanks
Photography and assets courtesy of Beaverbrook
Follow on Instagram: @beaverbrook
Explore more:
Beaverbrook Hotel
The History of Beaverbrook
