A Grade-I listed stately home on the Buckinghamshire and Berkshire border has become one of the first in the country to receive The Michelin Guide’s new equivalent of stars for ‘outstanding’ hotel stays.

The Guide published its first-ever list of Michelin-key hotels on Monday, October 1, recognising the 58 best spots in the UK and Northern Ireland and handing out one, two and three-key titles to mirror the multi-Michelin-star ratings.

And Cliveden House in Taplow was among the venues given a two-key score, designating it as an “exceptional stay” as opposed to just “a very special” one or as one of the seven crème de la crème spots handed an “extraordinary” three-key title.

Francisco Macedo, general manager of Cliveden, which is most famous for playing backdrop to the Profumo affair which rocked British politics in the 1960s, said he was “so proud” of the recognition.

Adding: “This highlights our commitment to providing unparalleled guest experiences and the meticulous attention to detail that sets us apart.

“A special thank you to our incredible team for their dedication and to our guests for their continued trust in us.”

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Guide inspectors visited over 5,000 hotels across the UK and Ireland to narrow down the rankings, with Cliveden’s 19th-century Italianate décor and 400 acres of National Trust gardens both playing in its favour.

They were also won over by the “strong dose of aristocratic life” guests are treated to during their stays, including a butler meeting them upon arrival, rooms named after famous former guests – including Charlie Chaplin – and interiors that are “as opulent and formal as they come”.

A luxury summerhouse on the estate called Spring Cottage, built to be the Countess of Orkney’s summerhouse in 1813 and where the main players of the Profumo affair once frolicked, was also a key consideration in the inspector’s rankings – with £445 per night stays including use of a personal butler and chauffeur-driven car up to the main house.

Each hotel was selected based on five criteria – architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for price and significant contribution to the guest experience in a similar setting.

The stately home, which is owned by the National Trust and operated by Iconic Luxury Hotels, is a popular celebrity wedding venue – most recently acting as the backdrop to BBC presenter Carol Kirkwood’s big day – and also hosted Meghan Markle the night before she married Prince Harry in 2018.

It was turned from a residential property into a hotel in 1985 and is also the home of the annual Cliveden Literary Festival.