A Dorchester Collection Hotel, Ascot, Berkshire
Horses, champagne, and memories that will last a lifetime.
“Extraordinary places where memorable stories continue to be written, and where legendary memories are made.”
— Dorchester Collection
The Stable Suites
As I settled into my two-story suite at Coworth Park, I knew I had made the right choice. The Stable Suites — originally working stables when the property was built — have been transformed into something extraordinary, yet they have never forgotten what they once were. Horse-themed accents fill every corner: artwork on the walls, horseshoe motifs embroidered into the bed linens, the kind of thoughtful detail that tells you this property takes its equestrian identity seriously.
I felt like I was in my own little apartment. Downstairs, a spacious seating area with a window seat and French doors leading to a private mini patio. A writing desk, television both up and down, and upstairs a bedroom that invited you to stay far longer than planned — with a lovely view over a park-like courtyard and a beautifully appointed marble bathroom with a tub you could practically swim in.
Inside the Stable Suites at Coworth Park.
And then there was the red English phone booth just outside my door. In actual working order — though it only called the front desk. You simply have to see it to believe it.
I drew a bath and set my freshly shined riding tall boots near the door, in preparation for the next day’s highly anticipated champagne horse ride at Coworth Park’s on-site Equestrian Centre. The boots, I should mention, had had a small adventure of their own upon arrival — quietly collected, cleaned, shined to perfection, and returned by an impeccably dressed staff member via golf cart, without a word of fuss.
The Gold Chocolate Horse
On the coffee table, in front of a beautiful vase of wildflowers, sat an envelope and a small white box decorated with gold letters: Coworth Park, Ascot. Inside the envelope, a handwritten welcome card from General Manager Zoë Jenkins herself. Inside the box — a gold-dipped chocolate horse.
I had not yet had dinner. I told myself I would simply admire it. Naturally, I had eaten half of it before I reached the bath.
Later, relaxing upstairs in the magnificent square tub — with a centre rainfall shower I had not yet had the presence of mind to fully appreciate — I reached for a small booklet on the bedside table. Our Hotels – Dorchester Collection. I said to myself: just a quick look.
The first page inside the gold cover stopped me. I have been lucky enough to visit many of the Dorchester Collection properties over the years — Le Meurice and the Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris; the Principe di Savoia in Milan, where my mother, sister and I once stayed when I was fifteen; the Hotel Eden in Rome; The Lana in Dubai; The Dorchester in London. Each one entirely its own world, sharing nothing but an absolute commitment to impeccable hospitality. Reading through those pages, thirty years of memories came flooding back, one after another.
Alchemy, the booklet’s first page called it — “a seemingly magical process of transformation.” I had just experienced a version of it downstairs, in the form of an irresistible gold chocolate horse. The hotel, I thought, was on to something.
Coworth Park had just earned its place on that list. And what set it apart, even within such formidable company, was clear: this was a horse lover’s paradise. And I was completely in my element.
The warmth across the property was immediate and completely genuine. Coworth Park’s staff want to be there — and it shows. From the moment I arrived on the gravelled entrance, greeted by the sound of designer wellies and the ivory Georgian manor house framed against the trees, it was clear this was not a place where hospitality was performed. It was lived.
Peter and Blake, who greeted guests at the Manor House in their matching waxed country coats by What To Wear — a company that makes horsewear, of course — managed to be both impeccably professional and genuinely interesting people. That combination, I discovered, held true for every single staff member I encountered. It wasn’t just the property making the impression. The people brought it to life.
Archery 101
Alex had already set up two target circles and a spread of bows and arrows by the time I arrived. I will not describe the exact expression on his face when he saw my outfit — Holland Cooper blazer, four buttons down each cuff — but I sensed a quiet moment of professional recalibration on his part. He said nothing. He attached a blue protective sleeve over the blazer’s left arm, raised both my arms into position, and gently guided me through the draw. His main concern, shared silently, was the blazer’s many buttons. Mine, equally unspoken, was whether I was about to rip the seams of something I was quite fond of.
In the end, neither fear materialised. The buttons held; the seams held, as its was made to, and once we had both quietly let go of our respective concerns, the actual archery turned out to be something else entirely — absorbing, meditative, and genuinely fun in a way I hadn’t anticipated. I have since come home and started looking into where I can continue. Though I will admit it would probably be even more entertaining on horseback.
Archery on the grounds at Coworth Park.
Tired from the day but unwilling to miss it, I called for a golf cart and Tom arrived promptly to take me to The Barn. Christina, one of the restaurant’s managers, looked after me for the entire evening — with Grace helping me navigate a menu full of fresh, seasonal choices that made the decision harder than it should have been.
Whether you’re dining on the patio in summer or under the heated tent as the season turns, the atmosphere is elegant without being stiff — exactly what you’d expect at a countryside manor. The fine dining option is Woven by Adam Smith, the property’s Michelin-starred restaurant; The Barn is the more relaxed brasserie alternative, while The Spatisserie at the spa offers lighter daytime fare. And Coworth Park’s award-winning afternoon tea, served in The Drawing Room, is non-negotiable.
Tom returned after dinner, right on cue, to take me back to the suite. As I disappeared into the king-size bed, I thought back through the day: my first archery lesson; time at the newly reimagined spa, where Shevon — one of the originals, fifteen years at Coworth Park — gave me a pedicure with the care of someone who genuinely loves what she does; the ishga personalised massage I was still feeling in the best possible way; and a pre-dinner drink at the Manor House, where I had ordered a cocktail called Sport of Kings, named after the property’s polo partnerships. Giddy with anticipation for what was coming the next morning, I was asleep almost immediately.
I took the morning slowly — intentionally, gratefully. Late morning, I called to be taken to the Manor House for breakfast. Otto arrived with a golf cart, and on the short trip over, a brief conversation and one simple question — what had brought him to Coworth Park? — led to the discovery that he had his own polo team and played with the Guards Polo Academy, which uses Coworth’s two polo fields. Of course he did.
Later, touring the property with guest relations manager Sergio, I learned that the house was built in 1776 for William Shepheard, a prosperous East India merchant — the estate passing through several distinguished hands over the following two centuries, including the 17th Earl of Derby, a keen horseman after whom the famous race is named. In the mid-1980s, Galen Weston, owner of Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason, acquired the property and developed its first polo field. In 2001 it was purchased by the Dorchester Collection and, after an extensive renovation, reopened as the five-star resort you see today in 2010. History layered upon history, all of it pointing in the same direction.
The Champagne Ride
Already excited and about to head over to the Equestrian Centre, I was even more so after learning the full scope of equestrian activity that takes place on this estate. What followed was an hour I won’t forget.
The Champagne Celebration Ride is a one-hour guided ride through the estate for riders of all levels, finishing with a glass of Veuve Clicquot — raised in a toast once you’re safely back on solid ground, with a photo opportunity on horseback to mark the occasion. It is one of the most memorable equestrian experiences in the UK, and one I would unhesitatingly recommend to anyone looking for a luxury horseback riding experience in the English countryside.
My guide for the ride was Piper — and from the moment I was in the saddle, the estate revealed itself differently.
The rolling grounds, the meadows, the quiet of Berkshire countryside seen from somewhere above it all.
There is something about experiencing a place on horseback that no walking tour can replicate. You slow down. You notice.
The property, already beautiful, becomes something else entirely.
As we rode past the polo fields — the very grounds used by Prince William and Prince Harry — Piper asked if I fancied a canter on the training track. How could I say no? A beautiful, crisp autumn day, comfortable in the saddle, the track ahead of us. Off we went. Piper was kind enough to capture a short video of the moment, which I will treasure considerably more than I’ll admit.
We continued through the grounds, past Alex mid-way through a new archery lesson. I caught his eye, nodded, and smiled — a wordless thank you for the day before. He returned it with the quiet satisfaction of someone who had seen this coming all along.
Up and over the little bridge, and there it was: The Barn, aptly named, waiting for us. Right on cue, a tray appeared with a glass of Veuve Clicquot. Still on horseback, the autumn light soft behind us — it was one of those moments that is simply impossible to improve upon.
The champagne toast on horseback outside The Barn. Photo credit: Coworth Park, Dorchester Collection.
The Equestrian Centre
Coworth Park’s Equestrian Centre welcomes riders of all ages and abilities — from complete beginners to seasoned equestrians looking for a guided hack across the Berkshire estate. Guests are also welcome to bring their own horses for the duration of their stay, a detail I found enormously charming, even if my own gelding wasn’t quite up for the journey this time. Next visit.
Younger guests are equally well looked after: children can own a pony for two hours at the stables, enjoy all levels of pony rides, or spend time learning the art of grooming from the ground up. The family activities here are far more extensive than the property’s quiet elegance might first suggest.
Polo: The Sport of Kings
Coworth Park is the only hotel in the UK with its own polo fields — two of them. The Guards Polo Academy offers guests everything from introductory lessons to full bespoke polo days alongside playing members. No experience required. For those who prefer watching to participating, the hotel can arrange attendance at premier events like Chesterton’s Polo in the Park — sporting excellence and old-world glamour in equal measure.
Beyond the Horses
The equestrian offering alone would justify a visit, but Coworth Park keeps going. Tennis, laser clay shooting, segway tours of the grounds, falconry, duck herding, a sustainable spa with pool, gym, and a treatment menu as considered as the food. There is genuinely something for everyone — which, at a property this quietly assured, is a harder thing to pull off than it sounds.
The grounds in summer, surrounded by a carpet of wildflowers.
Long walks or long baths. Horse rides by the meadow or hot chocolate by the fire. Mornings taken slowly and evenings that linger. Whatever you choose at Coworth Park, it will be wonderful. That is not a promise I make lightly — but the property makes it effortlessly.
Moments of equestrian beauty await at every turn. And somewhere in the middle of it all, if you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself sitting on horseback with a glass of champagne in hand, looking out over 240 acres of Berkshire countryside, wondering how you went this long without knowing this place existed. Coworth Park is, without question, one of the finest luxury equestrian hotels in England — and one of the most special properties we have had the pleasure of featuring on Equestrian Destinations.
Getting There
Just 45 minutes from London and 20 minutes from Heathrow Airport, Coworth Park sits on a 240-acre estate in Ascot, Berkshire — close enough to the city that you can slip back to reality if you must, but immersive enough that you won’t want to. It is rightfully considered one of the UK’s most iconic five-star countryside hotels, and for those seeking a luxury horseback riding holiday in the UK, it is in a class of its own.
In collaboration with Coworth Park, a Dorchester Collection Hotel.