hospitalitytoday.com | 17
Tom Cruise and John Cleese.
For lovers of the film, it is a nostalgic
delight to park your car where Ian
Carmichael parked his “Swiftmobile”
in front of the hotel – and even more
so to walk (as your reporter did) onto
the hallowed ground of that famous
black and white tennis match of 60
years ago. It is sadly a tennis court no
longer, but still instantly recognisable.
refurbishment by Laura Ashley
hotels. The front door was originally
part of the dungeons in Lewes Castle.
It is understood that some of the
wood was actually from ships
involved in the battle of the
Spanish Armada. The beams and
cornerstones have been used to
decorate the ceilings in reception.
The wooden panels in the Beaufort
Room are believed to date back to
the 1600s. In the bar, there is a set of
old Gothic panels made from ships
lockers. The fire place over mantel
features some fine carving which
frames a medieval Spanish painting
produced on a leather “canvas”.
Many television programmes and
films have featured the Hotel.
Besides the stars of ‘School for
Scoundrels’ and other films, the
Manor Elstree Hotel can boast
of having entertained famous
celebrities, including Peter Sellers,
The panelled dining room with its
leaded Tudor-style windows served
elegant and refined dishes, and
breakfasts for hotel guests – all
overlooking that former tennis court
and – in the far distance – the sprawl
of London.
The bedrooms are a good mix of
ancient (at least in the main house)
and modern with pale colours and a
light touch.
The Manor Elstree is an ideal base to
visit Borehamwood and do the Elstree
Studios tour, and to discover the many
locations in this area used in countless
films from the golden age of British
cinema.
www.themanorelstree.co.uk