The Ickworth Hotel review: spectacular surroundings and genuinely luxurious family-friendly style

Our verdict

The first thing to say about The Ickworth is that the house and its surroundings are nothing short of spectacular. The hotel occupies the East Wing of Ickworth House, an extraordinary Italianate mansion set in 1,800 acres of National Trust parkland near Bury St Edmunds. You arrive up a long drive with the great Rotunda looming into view, and it is hard not to feel that your weekend has started rather well.

Inside, the scale is just as impressive. The ceilings are extraordinarily high, the cornicing is exquisite and the public rooms have been beautifully furnished in a relaxed mid-century style. The 2026 refurbishment has brought colour and comfort to the hotel without making it feel blandly new. It is smart and luxurious, but not so precious that everyone starts shushing the children.

Crucially, it works for adults as well as children. Like the other hotels in the Luxury Family Hotels group, it has been designed around families rather than reluctantly adapted for them. There is a great deal for babies, younger children and tweens to do, but also good food and wine, handsome rooms and an excellent spa.

The staff could not have been more helpful, and children were welcomed everywhere rather than merely tolerated.

How we tested

I stayed at The Ickworth with my partner and family for two nights during its launch weekend in September 2026. We ate breakfast and dinner at the hotel, used the swimming pool and spa, explored the games rooms and library, visited the National Trust house and grounds, and tested just about every form of indoor entertainment available to children.

The weekend included some special launch activities, but this review focuses on the facilities and experiences available to regular hotel guests.

What are the rooms like?

All 37 bedrooms in the main hotel have been refurbished, along with the public rooms, restaurants and wellness areas. They retain the proportions and character of the historic building, with a mixture of colour, pattern and vintage furniture rather than a single identikit hotel look.

Our bedroom was comfortable, distinctive and properly relaxing. The bed and bedding were excellent, and the room came with a coffee machine, bottled water and fresh milk in a mini fridge. Air-conditioning units have also been added, which will be essential in hot weather. Enormous historic windows and soaring ceilings are glorious, but they are not generally known for their efficient temperature control.

Rooms range from Cosy and Classic rooms to larger family rooms and the two-bedroom Hervey Suite. Families wanting more space can also stay in the Butler's Quarters or in Dower House, which offers rooms and multi-bedroom accommodation that could work particularly well for larger or multigenerational groups.

My one complaint about our room was the water pressure. The bath took an extremely long time to fill, which is not ideal at the end of a busy day, particularly with impatient children hovering nearby. It was a relatively small gripe in an otherwise excellent room, but one worth fixing.

What activities are there for children?

Children would have to put in a determined effort to be bored here. The Ofsted-registered Four Bears Den looks after children aged from three months to eight years, with one complimentary two-hour session included per night's stay. Places need to be booked in advance and are subject to availability. For families with babies, the hotel can also provide a formidable amount of useful kit, including cots, changing mats, nappy bins, bottle warmers, sterilisers, bed guards and potties. Complimentary video baby monitors are available, and babysitting can be booked for an additional charge.

Older children are well served too. The indoor games room has a PS5, a pool table, table football and table tennis. There are chess and backgammon sets in the lounges, daily films with popcorn in the cinema room, and a lovely little library with a genuinely good selection of books for children and adults. Outside, there is a play area and tennis court, as well as a vast estate to explore.

The hotel's resident rabbits, Sky and Shadow, were a particular hit with the children, who enjoyed feeding them. Sometimes several thousand pounds' worth of refurbishment meets its match in two rabbits and a handful of vegetables.

The National Trust offers bike hire, including family-friendly options, and there are several routes around the estate. This part of Suffolk is reassuringly flat, so even less committed cyclists can enjoy the countryside without accidentally signing up for an alpine stage of the Tour de France.

What are the pool and spa like?

The indoor pool is excellent and, importantly for family swimming, very warm. Floats, noodles and armbands are available, and there are dedicated adults-only swimming sessions each day for anyone seeking a quieter dip.

The newly developed spa area is beautiful. Alongside treatment rooms and a relaxation lounge, there is a steam room and an adults-only walled spa garden with an outdoor hot tub, a horsebox-style sauna and a peaceful relaxation area. You can genuinely switch off here, which is not always true of a family hotel spa.

Elemis treatments include massages, facials and a Japanese head spa, with junior treatments available for children aged eight and over. There is also a newly equipped gym in the former stables.

I indulged in a full-body massage and, if I'm honest, I would have preferred a bit more pressure. I probably should have spoken up at the time, but who does, really? This is firmly in first-world-problem territory, but worth mentioning if you like a more vigorous massage.

What’s the food like?

Breakfast is served in the glorious Conservatory, an orangery-like room with huge windows, very high ceilings and views over the gardens. It is an uplifting place to begin the day, even before coffee has done its work.

Dinner is served in the Conservatory or Frederick's, with both restaurants offering the same seasonal menu. The food we ate was good, and there is a well-chosen wine list. The atmosphere manages to feel special without becoming formal.

There are dedicated children's options, early dining and toddler-friendly tableware, but the children's menu is expensive. Fish and chips or a burger cost £12, while the build-your-own bento is £14, all before a 12.5% service charge. Meal costs could mount quickly on a longer stay.

Afternoon tea and Sunday lunch are also available, including a children's afternoon tea. There is even a Waggy Tails tea for dogs.

What is there to do nearby?

A stay also includes access to the Ickworth Estate, so guests can visit the National Trust-managed parts of the house as well as the parkland and gardens.

The Rotunda and state rooms contain an extraordinary collection assembled by generations of the Hervey family, who lived at Ickworth for more than 500 years. The house was begun in 1795 by the 4th Earl of Bristol, known as the Earl-Bishop, as a showcase for the art he collected on his European travels. Rather inconveniently, much of that collection was seized by Napoleon's forces, and the Earl-Bishop died before the building was completed.

The National Trust has also recreated domestic rooms to show how life worked when Ickworth was still a private family home, including a Victorian kitchen, bedroom and sitting room. It is genuinely fascinating, particularly for history-loving children and adults, and rather mind-boggling to remember that this enormous estate belonged to one family for centuries.

Beyond Ickworth, Bury St Edmunds is around 10 minutes away by car, with its abbey gardens, cathedral, shops and restaurants. Suffolk's villages and famously big skies make the surrounding area lovely for walking and cycling, although there is more than enough at the hotel and estate to fill a short weekend without getting back into the car.

When should you go?

In warmer months, the estate is ideal for picnics, cycling, tennis and long walks. In autumn and winter, the grand public rooms, games, cinema, warm pool and spa give everyone plenty to do indoors.

Families travelling during school holidays and weekends get access to the fullest programme of organised activities. Whatever the time of year, book the Four Bears Den, spa treatments and popular dining slots before arrival rather than hoping for the best once you get there.

Is The Ickworth good value for money?

This is a luxury family hotel, and food, larger rooms and spa treatments can make a stay expensive. But the entry-level room rates are competitive for a newly refurbished country-house hotel, particularly once the two hours of childcare per night, National Trust access, pool, cinema, games rooms and family activities are taken into account.

What helps justify the price is how much is included and how little logistical work parents need to do. Nobody has to research rainy-day attractions, pack half the nursery or spend the weekend keeping children away from the nice furniture. It is one of those rare hotels where parents and children can have equally good weekends.

The bottom line

The building and grounds are exceptional, the bedrooms are comfortable and characterful, and the list of things for children to do is almost comically long. The warm pool, beautiful spa and chance to explore one of England's more extraordinary stately homes make this a very special place for a family weekend. We would happily go back.

About Mumsnet reviews

All Mumsnet reviews are written by real people after extensive research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. We research and review hotels independently as well as seeking out tried-and-tested recommendations from our family holiday forums. Justine and her family were hosted by Luxury Family Hotels for the hotel's launch weekend, but Mumsnet only ever publishes honest reviews. When you make a booking through a link on our site, we may earn a commission.