Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa, tucked away in the quiet village of Climping, West Sussex, is a place where time seems to fold in on itself. It has a fascinating history and a reputation that travels far beyond the rolling hills that surround it.
The hotel is a captivating fusion of medieval fantasy and 20th-century innovation. Conceived in the 1920s by Lord Moyne, a member of the Guinness family, Bailiffscourt was crafted to fulfil his wife Evelyn’s dream of living in a medieval manor. To achieve this, the couple embarked on an extraordinary journey, sourcing genuine artefacts and architectural elements from across England, including ancient doorways, stained glass, and stonework, to create a home that felt like it had stood for centuries. This romantic vision resulted in a stunning estate that seems plucked from the pages of history, surrounded by 30 acres of idyllic parkland and just a stone’s throw from Climping Beach. Today, Bailiffscourt serves as a luxury hotel, where guests can immerse themselves in the enchanting atmosphere of a bygone era, all while enjoying the finest modern comforts.
Rewild Your Family
Intriguing history aside, however, the real reason we were at Bailiffscourt was for their Rewild Your Family experience, where guests are invited to “Switch off and reconnect with your family – enjoy old fashioned games, plenty of fresh air and delicious food in beautiful surroundings.”
I cannot tell you what a delight it was to be in comfortable, luxurious, beautiful surroundings and feel completely relaxed about the fact that my spirited 3.5 year old (we’ll call her the Tiny Tyrant or TT for short) was…well..living up to her nickname.
Sleep
From the very moment we arrived we were all made to feel so very welcome. We stayed in the opulent Baylies Suite; complete with an outrageously comfortable 4 poster bed for the adults, and perfectly lovely camp-style bed for TT, sofas, twin baths in the bathroom (and more Templespa products than a family of three could ever possibly use in 24hrs), tea and coffee making facilities, homemade shortbread biscuits, and a huge dose of luxury.
TT was delighted to find a “Scrunch Bucket” full of sweeties, her own mini robe for the pool, and towels artfully twisted into the shape of elephants.
Play
A touchingly sweet element to the Rewild Your Family offering is that each family receives their own Jacques of London toy to enjoy during the stay and take home with them after. TT couldn’t believe her luck – and as parents we were so grateful for this attention to little people, making them feel included and special. We chose the rocket launcher (highly recommended for hours of fun, and also a great way to burn off some energy chasing after the rockets).
Blessed with good weather, we spent most of the afternoon firing foam rockets, playing croquet, flying our kite and swinging on the beautiful natural rope swings in the grounds. There is a big chest of toys and buckets and spades in Reception for borrowing and enjoying on the vast lawns surrounding the hotel which is another thoughtful touch. Lavender lined walkways are alive with bees and the many many ancient trees in the grounds gave the whole thing a thoroughly whimsical atmosphere.
Again, as a parent, it’s hard to describe the sort of relief you feel when you don’t constantly have to be telling your volume-challenged youngling to be quiet. Usually the places we are relegated to to let our children run off steam are hideous indoor play centres and lovely but lacking in finesse local parks, so to be surrounded by beauty, style and nature while simultaneously getting to spend time together as a family was a real treat.
We loved the fact that there were two designated family swim sessions per day at the (award winning) Spa and it was delightful to see parents, grandparents and children of all ages enjoying the two (heated) pools. The grounds were full of happy laughter and there was just such a lovely sense of freedom and a taste of idyllic childhoods that I associate with days gone by.
TT beamed throughout our swim session: splashing about in her armbands and (unsuccessfully) trying her hardest to convince Archie the resident peacock to come swimming with her. I spent plenty of time in the jacuzzi and my husband got a couple of sauna sessions in. Thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Before dinner there was time for a jaunt down to Climping Beach (just a 5 minute meander straight from the grounds via a magical woodland path) where we enjoyed being blown about and shell hunting.
Dining
We opted for an early dinner, seated in the charming courtyard as the evening light softened. The menu was a testament to the creativity of the kitchen, with artful plates that tasted as good as they looked. After (pre) starters of extremely moreish walnut and raisin bread slathered in butter, I savoured the Charred Peach and Burrata, followed by a rich Squash Wellington with Roasted Walnut and Chimichurri Stuffing. My husband enjoyed the Heritage Beetroot with Whipped Goat’s Curd very much and was blown away by the perfectly cooked Fillet of Beef that followed. TT had sausages, beans and mash, which was perfect for her.
We drank zingy refreshing Elderflower Fizz mocktails, (but I should also mention that there is an impressive wine and alcoholic cocktail list including plenty of local and seasonal wines, champagnes, and bottled beers and ciders).
I would have liked to linger over dinner a little longer and enjoy the beautiful ambience of the courtyard, but by then TT was beginning to get fractious. Again, we were treated with nothing but patience, kindness and understanding by the restaurant staff – who magicked colouring pencils and an activity book out of nowhere and didn’t bat an eyelid when TT shouted that she ‘DIDN’T WANT BEANS TOUCHING HER SAUSAGE’.
When we declined pudding due to needing to get TT to bed, we were offered that it could be brought up to our room. I almost cried. I am 4 months pregnant and exceptionally emotional, but I also really love pudding and just felt so looked after by the staff’s attentiveness and family-related flexibility. We got TT to bed and then enjoyed a sumptuous Fruit Tulip apiece (wafer-thin fruits arranged beautifully around creamy vanilla ice cream, inside an edible flower-shaped bowl. All with my feet up on the coffee table nestled into a comfortable sofa in my pyjamas. Bliss.
The Best Part
It’s impossible to choose just one highlight. The welcoming nature of the staff, the character of the architecture, the stunning surroundings—all of it combined to create a perfect family getaway. None of us wanted our stay to come to an end. I could have easily spent the entire summer at Bailiffscourt, basking in its timeless charm and luxury. Anyone looking for a summer holiday getaway should book the Rewild Your Family experience immediately, I honestly cannot recommend it highly enough. A true highlight of our family summer adventures this year.
The Worst Part
I’ve racked my brains and tried my hardest, but there isn’t a bad word I could say about our experience at Bailiffscourt. It was utterly perfect.
The Details
Rewild Your Family at Bailiffscourt, from £598
