King Charles' Room, Harlington, Beds

Luxury accommodation, only 12 minutes by train from Luton Airport, in beautiful medieval manor house, the earliest parts of which date from the late 14th century, with royal and literary connections, in conservation village brilliantly located for London, Oxford, Cambridge and Stratford-upon-Avon. Charles II slept in the house and John Bunyan was interrogated and briefly imprisoned here in 1660. This is a magnificent double bedroom, with upholstered early 19th century state bed, complete with ultra luxurious Vi-Spring bed mattress. The room, which was slept in by Charles II, King of England, benefits from magnificent rich crimson damask wallpaper, wonderful 17th to early 19th century antiques, Persian rugs and a superb en suite, with enormous bath and integral shower. The bathroom has heated towelrail and underfloor heating. There are views over the garden and the adjoining village common, Bury Orchard. There are coffee and tea-making facilities in the room. We supply high quality bedlinen, towels and bath products. You benefit from access to the room via the main staircase of the house-a 17th century oak masterpiece. You will use the main hallway of the house-which is a 17th century half timbered room, filled with antiques and a number of our artworks and curiosities. We offer a sumptuous breakfast, consisting of fresh fruit salad, home-made yoghurt and granola, tea/coffee and juices, together with your choice of cooked breakfast, in the Great Parlour, a magnificent room dating from 1590 and panelled with extraordinary late 17th century panelling. We meet and greet all our guests. We always love to hear what our guests are doing and will gladly suggest itineraries-whether they be trips to London, walks in the adjoining beautiful countryside, fine dining at Luton Hoo or Woburn Abbey, day trips to Oxford, Cambridge or the Shakespeare museums in and around Stratford on Avon. If requested, we can generally (subject to the school run and other commitments) arrange an evening meal. Harlington is a pretty mediaeval village. It has a 13th century church and numerous half timbered houses and cottages. There are two pubs and a range of village shops, including an excellent cafe. Best of all, we are only two minutes walk from Harlington mainline station – and you can get to London, door to door, in only 50 minutes. In one hour you can be at Tate Modern. We are brilliantly located for all forms of transport. The M1 motorway is only 1 1/2 miles away, the railway takes you to London, Brighton and further north to Nottingham. Luton airport is 10 minutes train journey away and the M25 is 20 minutes drive. The house is on the edge of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – the Chilterns National Park. Wonderful walking can be had from the doorstep of the House. There are lots of quaint local towns and villages (Ampthill and Woburn being prime examples) and endless leisure activities – such as nearby CenterParcs, Woburn golf course (an international venue) and indoor skiing and water skiing at Milton Keynes, 13 miles away. There really is no better touring base for viewing the principal tourist sites of south east England than Harlington. Public transport is brilliant. There is the mainline rail service direct into London St Pancras International (with onward connections to the Eurostar from the same station). The line runs directly to Brighton and Gatwick airports, running through the middle of London. In under an hour one can be in hyper-trendy Shoreditch or at Blackfriars – the station adjacent to the Tate Modern. The line also runs north to the county town of Bedford – with onward connections to Nottingham. The M1 motorway is only a mile and a half away. This makes it extremely easy to travel further north in the country. In the other direction, the M25 is 20 minutes drive away – allowing one to circumnavigate London in order to visit Oxford. Cambridge is under one hour's drive away. If travelling by air, Luton International Airport is only 10 minutes train ride away. Heathrow airport is one hour's distance by car. The train line takes you direct to Gatwick airport as well, in about one hour and three quarters. Stansted airport is one hour's drive away. There is a free parking space in our courtyard. Do feel free, in any event, to wander the grounds. We are fully licensed and can also offer 6-8 course dinners for up to 12 guests. We can, for additional fees, host small conferences and undertake house tours. The house can, by agreement, be used as a photographic and film location