The Langley: the perfect stately home hotel and event space

With summer just around the corner, few PR agencies will be excited about spending their quarterly gathering in a muggy Soho boardroom or sterile conference centre with harsh, overhead lighting that gives everybody migraines within 30 minutes.

No, summertime demands corporate confabs should take place in the great outdoors, with all the brain-boosting vitamin D and cortisol-reducing benefits that nature can bring. 

For PR teams based in London and the south-east, there’s no better blast of greenbelt goodness than The Langley, a plush hotel in the Buckinghamshire countryside. Located close enough to London for easy access to the tube and train (the Elizabeth line stops at nearby Langley), this 150-acre estate feels a million miles away from the moment you first step into its lush grounds. If you’re travelling from further afield, The Langley is a 25-minute drive from Heathrow.

IT’S A HOUSE, A VERY BIG HOUSE IN THE COUNTRY 

Once upon a time (in the 18^th century to be precise) this estate was the hunting ground of the third Duke of Marlborough (the great-great-great-great-grandfather of Winston Churchill and the great-great-great-great-great grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales). 

Its stately gardens – which include a serpentine lake – were designed by landscape gardener Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, a man so attuned to personal branding, he had a nickname which also acted as a 1700s’ version of a business card. The grounds sit on the edge of what was once Windsor Royal Forest which today is home to (thankfully no longer hunted) wildlife such as cows, geese and huge red kites which swoop elegantly overhead. 

The Langley itself is an opulent 18^th-century Palladian-style mansion which hosts seven meeting rooms – where attendees are constantly reminded of the gardens outside.

Star billing goes to the Winter Garden (capacity: 100 guests) originally a Victorian orangery which offers sublime views of the gardens, lake and parklands, with a glass-panelled roof beaming in unadulterated natural light throughout the day. Then there’s the Lake Room, which has French windows leading to a gorgeous terrace – perfect for some mid-meeting fresh air.

Once the campaign post-mortems have been conducted, key metrics have been analysed and 2026 targets set, it’s time to step outside. 

IF COUNTRY SQUIRES DID TEAM-BUILDING  

The Langley can host a swish al fresco business reception on its grounds. But it also offers several country pursuits which are great for team-building exercises, as well as enabling staff to live out any Brideshead Revisited / The Gentleman fantasies. There’s beekeeping experiences at the Langley’s apiary, plus falconry, archery, croquet, lawn games, horse-riding and polo lessons.

If your agency has more time to spare, then the Langley is also close to attractions perfect for an all-staff jamboree, such as Legoland, Pinewood Studios, Windsor Castle and Go Ape (expect a few sicknotes from acrophobic staffers if you opt for this). Or maybe – it’s been a tough year after all – you just want to kick back and let staff get a map from reception, from where they can traipse around the Langley’s grounds, where they may encounter two pygmy goats called Nutmeg and Cinnamon. 

Visit The Langley once and you may not want to wait until summer 2026 for your next meeting: rumour has it the autumn foliage here is spectacular…

• Find out more about event hire at The Langley.

Christian Koch is an award-winning journalist, editor, content strategist and brand consultant.

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