The historic Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire has unveiled a new family-friendly hotel offering affordable accommodation for visitors exploring one of England's most celebrated stately homes and the surrounding Peak District National Park.
A New Era for Estate Accommodation
The Hide hotel represents the latest addition to the Chatsworth Escapes portfolio, positioned as a budget-conscious alternative to the estate's more expensive options. With double rooms starting from £80 per night on a room-only basis, the property aims to make the Chatsworth experience accessible to a wider range of visitors.
Previously operating as a Premier Inn and Beefeater restaurant, the building on the A619 between Chesterfield and Bakewell underwent a complete transformation before reopening in October. The refurbishment was personally overseen by Laura Burlington, daughter-in-law to the current Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, bringing a personal touch to the project.
Family-Focused Design and Amenities
The hotel features an automated check-in system without a traditional reception desk, though staff remain available in the adjacent bar and restaurant. Accommodation options include family bunk rooms containing a kingsize bed alongside built-in "cabin bunks," sleeping up to two adults and two children from £125 per night.
Decor throughout the property combines simplicity with comfort, featuring soft woollen blankets, carpets, furniture crafted from reclaimed wood, and modern artwork selected from the Cavendish family's private collection.
The on-site Hide Grill and Pizzeria serves campfire-inspired menus designed for sharing, cooked over open flames. The extensive selection includes crowd-pleasers from fish and chips to wood-fired pizzas and barbecued spare ribs, with Sunday roasts featuring Chatsworth estate-reared beef or lamb priced at just £18 per person.
Families are particularly well-catered for with a dedicated play corner containing books, toys and a miniature kitchen to keep younger guests entertained during meal times.
Exploring the Historic Estate and Beyond
While room rates don't include entry to Chatsworth House and grounds, hotel guests can purchase multi-entry tickets providing unlimited access throughout their stay. Additional privileges include day passes to the Chatsworth Health and Fitness Club located two miles away, plus exclusive conservation tours available during winter months when the house closes to general visitors.
Perhaps the most significant advantage for outdoor enthusiasts is direct access to the estate's 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres) of park and moorland. The hotel provides booklets detailing circular walks starting from the property or nearby Baslow village, including a approximately five-mile route from the hotel's back gate directly to Chatsworth House.
Walkers and cyclists will find dedicated facilities including bike and boot wash stations, cycle storage, and even an outdoor dog bath and shower for four-legged companions. The hotel's location on a bus route between Chesterfield and Chatsworth makes it a viable base for exploring the national park without a car.
Chatsworth House: A Living History
For those venturing to the main house, the experience proves unforgettable. Guides like Martin, who led a private tour, share fascinating insights about the 17 generations of Cavendishes who have called Chatsworth home since the family first settled in this Derbyshire corner over 450 years ago.
Visitors marvel at spectacular spaces including the Painted Hall with its colourful frescoes, regal State Rooms, the chapel, cosy library, and purpose-built Sculpture Gallery containing artworks ranging from Roman and Egyptian pieces to old masters.
Historical anecdotes bring the property to life, such as the discovery of 1930s Cadbury's chocolate wrappers behind 17th-century tapestries in the State Drawing Room, remnants from when the house served as a girls' boarding school during the Second World War.
The estate grounds offer equal wonder with greenhouses, a grotto, maze, and the spectacular Emperor Fountain built in 1844 by the 6th Duke of Devonshire. Known as "the Bachelor Duke," this extravagant character significantly shaped the landscape, even relocating an entire village because it spoiled his view from the house.
While Jane Austen likely never visited Chatsworth, speculation persists that she based Pemberley descriptions on the property in Pride and Prejudice. The house later served as Mr Darcy's estate in the 2005 film adaptation starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.
With over 600,000 annual visitors, Chatsworth remains one of Britain's most popular stately homes. The introduction of The Hide provides a comfortable, affordable base from which to explore not just this magnificent house, but the breathtaking Peak District that surrounds it.
