The estate sits on 7 acres on an island on the River Thames. With heritage status comes a lot of responsibility to maintain the history of the property, which has resulted in a beautiful restoration of the estate. It is this long line of history that has warranted the property to become heritage listed. In 1723 the Duke of Marlborough commissioned the estate to become a fishing retreat. Now it is one of the newest luxury hotels in the countryside. It has long been a home away from home for aristocrats, artists and writers. Monkey Island Estate has an impressive history centuries old. This makes for the perfect weekend escape from the city or short stopover for those who would prefer the countryside to the city lifestyle. Despite being so close to the airport, the estate feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of London. The hotel is located on an island on the River Thames which can be accessed by a footbridge. The nearest city is popular Windsor, just a further 20 minutes drive from Bray and home to the famous Windsor castle, official residence of the Queen. Monkey Island Estate is located near the town of Bray, a small village with a lot of character. I arrived in London on a Saturday evening and would spend the Sunday and Monday enjoying the English countryside.
Having visited London more times than I can count, I wanted to find a countryside escape for my weekend visit as I had just 48 hours between flights. Perhaps the best-kept secret of the English countryside, Monkey Island Estate can be reached in just 20 minutes car ride from London Heathrow airport.