Tom Holland and Zendaya Got Married in This British Country Estate—and It Now Has a Secret ‘Off-Menu’ Cottage

Nicole TrilivasWed, August 26, 2026 at 11:39 AM UTC

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Exterior view of the Dower House at The Village at Beaverbrook .Credit: BeaverbrookKey Points -

Beaverbrook’s Dower House offers a private countryside escape that can only be booked through word of mouth.

The restored 19th-century cottage blends vibrant design, luxurious details, and a homey atmosphere inspired by its historic roots.

Its secrecy and exclusivity preserve the unique, intimate experience for guests seeking privacy and charm.

Just outside London, the history-packed Beaverbrook Hotel is a household name in the U.K. and a favorite among urbanites seeking a quintessential country-house escape, made even more popular by the recent nuptials of Tom Holland and Zendaya.

But Beaverbrook’s new private five-bedroom Dower House, a fully restored fairytale cottage dating back to the 19th century, is very much not in the know. It’s not mentioned on the website, there are no photos, and you certainly can’t book it online. The Dower House is what I would call an “off-menu” offering: an unofficial secret whispered about and passed along by word of mouth.

Opened in 2023, the Dower House has become popular, based almost entirely on tip-offs from guests who stayed or clued-in travel advisors. “It’s not available anywhere,” says Jorge De Jesus, general manager and chief operating officer at Beaverbrook. “We felt that our house couldn’t just be another hotel product: It’s a private residence, and it’s nested in 60 acres of woodland, so what you’re buying is the Beaverbrook experience in a private home. We just believed that we had to sacrifice not having it available everywhere to protect it. The most important thing is really privacy and exclusivity.”

The success is due not only to Beaverbrook’s stellar reputation but also to the allure of the house itself, which comes courtesy of Nicola Harding, one of Britain’s leading interior designers. Known for her masterful use of color and characterful-but-comfortable interiors, Harding also dressed parts of the main hotel, as well as Beaverbrook Town House in London’s Chelsea neighborhood.

I visited Dower House this summer, when Beaverbrook opened it to members of the media for the first time, and I was quickly taken by how English but unexpected it felt. It’s above all homey, but the bucolic countryside vibes collide with no-holds-barred maximalism. Every room charms with serotonin-boosting color, playful mix-and-match prints, and personality-rich details that never feel overtly produced.

Inspiration springs from Britain’s Arts and Crafts movement, reflected in the botanical wallpaper, and Art Nouveau, as well as the house’s one-time intended occupant herself.

Day beds lay around the pool.Credit: Beaverbrook

“We very much held the spirit and taste of Dowager Lady Beaverbrook front and center in our minds as we decorated the house,” Harding tells me, of the 1909-born “Lady B,” who worked for and then married the prominent Canadian-British press baron and statesman, Lord Beaverbrook. “She was an amazing woman with a vivid sense of style and a penchant for opulent materials, including lavish silks, rich velvet furnishings, and striking wall coverings. She avoided the muted neutrals typical of traditional British country homes [and] mixed classical European luxury with whimsy. [She] absolutely loved bright colors, particularly her signature powder pink, which we used in the drawing room and kitchen.”

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Coordinated in shades of sugar pink, candy apple, and peach blush, the feminine and cozy farmhouse kitchen is especially welcoming. But she takes particular pride in the entryway: a double-height library fitted with a rainbow of books and glazed ceramic tile.

In the light-filled dining room with swirling wallpaper, the table is dressed by Summerill & Bishop, whose elegantly laid-back tablescapes and summery trimmings have become a must-have look in modern British homes. The brand is responsible for creating the social-media-friendly hot-air-balloon patterns for Beaverbrook’s al fresco balloon-dining concept, which has become massively popular. Also in the Dower House’s dining room, you’ll find striking monochromatic photographs by celebrated celebrity photographer John Swannell. Don’t miss the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, a print of a photograph so beloved by the monarch that she hung it in her private apartments.

The kitchen.Credit: Beaverbrook

Meanwhile, the intimate, inviting drawing room features a working wood-burning stove and an oversized Cire Trudon candle, its scent permeating the ground floor. And the primary bedroom looks pulled from the illustrations of a Beatrix Potter story with a four-poster bed hung with picnic-inspired red-and-white gingham curtains.

Outside, the magic keeps at it: Crafted from Surrey flint stone and red brick (a traditional building style synonymous with Surrey county), the quaint cottage is trimmed in lavender and blousy wildflowers and sits within its own gated grounds, secluded from the main hotel and complete its own jewel-blue swimming pool (heated to a balmy 82 degrees), an outdoor fire pit, and even a helipad.

Of course, staying here also means you get access to one of the finest country estates—all 470 acres of it. Dedicated branded buggies and bikes wait outside the front door to put the Beaverbrook’s restaurants, spa, tennis and padel courts, and Italianate gardens within easy reach.

So yes, you may have to make somewhat of an effort to book the Dower House, but a little secrecy and hoop-jumping is warranted for something this special.

Nightly rates at Dower House are available upon request.

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