The Belgian Ambassador

The Belgian Ambassador: Berkshire

Built back in 1861, this home was originally a vicarage to an adjacent church, which was demolished in the 1960s — there's a still small cemetery at the front of the property. Things have certainly moved on since the middle of the nineteenth century and the interior is a triumph of modern design. The two living rooms mix period features, such as the Victorian fireplace and crystal chandeliers, with contemporary flourishes, like the tufted furnishings, bold print wallpaper and the shaggy rugs. The kitchen is both huge and super-slick, and leads through to the conservatory, which is now home to a gym. Upstairs, the bedrooms are equally large and are full of quirky additions, from a red ball gown to an electric guitar. Somehow, the home's outside space manages to compete with what lies behind the front door. The first thing guests will be greeted with is a pretty alfresco dining spot sat underneath a pergola, but there's also ten acres of private woodland that is home to a children's play area and a zip wire. As if that wasn't enough space, there's also access to Windsor Forest, part of the Crown Estate. The town of Windsor itself is only a quarter of an hour away in the car, while Ascot Racecourse only takes ten.

Home truths:
*There's plenty of space to park on the premises
*The driveway leading up to the house is six hundred metres long
*The estate has a full-time gardener and twice-weekly cleaning is included in the price
*The host also runs a concierge service from their office on the estate, which is open every day 9am to 8pm — this includes booking taxis or restaurants, helping to organise activities for your stay or offering advice on anything else that you may need
*When not rented out, this home is lived in by the hosts and they ask you to respect neighbours when it comes to noise