A LUXURY STAY FOR TWO IN BERKSHIRE

National Geographic Traveller (UK) has teamed up with The Retreat at Elcot Park to offer a sumptuous two-night stay at the country hotel

THE DESTINATION

In the heart of the rolling North Wessex Downs, The Retreat at Elcot Park is an 18th-century manor with an illustrious past, including a life as the former home of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The 55-room hotel opened earlier in 2022 and has been gloriously restored with a clutch of restaurants and bars, as well as a spa, tennis courts and cosy nooks in which to curl up by the fire. Situated between the historic towns of Newbury and Hungerford, it’s the ultimate base for exploring the region, with plenty of activities within easy reach: walking in the Vale of Pewsey; boating on the Kennet and Avon canal; visiting Highclere Castle (of Downton Abbey fame); or the dreaming spires of Oxford, just a 40-minute drive north.

THE PRIZE

Courtesy of The Signet Collection, the winner and a guest will enjoy a two-night stay at

The Retreat at Elcot Park on a B&B basis. A complimentary dinner at either Yü or The 1772 Brasserie is also included, as well as one treatment per person at the hotel spa0. Also included are return transfers by taxi from Newbury or Kintbury station. Blackout dates apply. retreatelcotpark.com

From top: The Retreat at Elcot Park and grounds; bedroom at The Retreat