Located in the heart of East Sussex close to the towns of Lewes and Brighton, and just ten minutes from Glyndebourne, home of the annual Opera Festival, this Grade II-listed Georgian Manor house is an idyllic country retreat. It offers boutique-style bed and breakfast accommodation with the option of dinner in the evenings, but larger parties can choose to have Old Whyly to themselves for an entire weekend. The owner, Sarah, and her team will be there to tend to your every whim, whether it be another bottle of champagne or a scrumptious Sunday Lunch.
In spring the grounds comes to life, with rhododendrons, azaleas, daffodils and tulips creating a blaze of colour. During the summer months you’ll be hard pushed to find a dreamier spot than the lily-scented terrace with its rose covered pergola. Guests can enjoy walks through the adjoining private estate, stud farm and woodlands; play tennis on the new hard court; or laze by the secluded swimming pool with its wisteria-covered pool house.
A host of attractions can be found nearby, including Batemans, which was once the home of Rudyard Kipling; The Bluebell Railway, which offers steam train rides; Bodiam Castle and the National Trust-owned Sheffield Park.
The long and illustrious history of Old Whyly dates back to 1100 and the kitchen still retains some of its original medieval characteristics. The property has fascinating connections with America and the English Civil War.
This picture perfect house is decorated in a classic English country style, complete with antique furniture and original artwork. There’s a large, elegant drawing room, where guests can enjoy tea and cake in the afternoons or pre-dinner drinks. On warm summer days, tea is served on the terrace and dinner under the vine-covered pergola.
The garden was redesigned in 1985 and is now well established, with a large flower garden, orchard and lake.
Old Whyly has four beautifully appointed guest bedrooms, which each offer a choice of double or twin beds. One room has an en suite bathroom, another has an en suite shower room, the third a large, private bathroom and the fourth a private shower room. All of the rooms offer lovely views and are individually decorated. We’re huge fans of this quintessentially English look and really struggled to choose our favourite! The comfortable beds are dressed in exquisite Irish linen and Egyptian cotton sheets, as well as snug wool blankets.
Bed and breakfast prices range from £95 to £145 per night for a double room, depending on the time of year. Single occupancy is available from £85, but not when the Glyndebourne Opera Festival takes place. Dinner is priced at £35 per person per night and luxurious picnic hampers, priced at £38 per person, can be provided for guests attending the Opera Festival.
Food is one of the highlights of a visit to Old Whyly. Sarah is a passionate cook, who trained in Paris and has continued to adapt and modernise her style over the years. Produce is either home grown or sourced locally; eggs are supplied by Sarah’s free-ranging hens and ducks, and honey is from the bees in the orchard.
Sarah’s delicious menus change with the seasons to make the most of the abundance of fresh produce available. Luxurious hampers can also be supplied.
You have found a wonderful place to stay and Boutique and Breakfast is committed to giving you a personalised service so that you can find the right room at the right price. Simply fill in our enquiry form and within 24 hours you will receive a response from Old Whyly tailored to your needs. This will be in the form of either a telephone call or an email.
