It's not often that a photograph of a sink will stop me mid scroll, but the bright green panelled bathroom of Melton Hall did just that. At first I thought it was an inspirational interiors post from Architectural Digest, but after a minute's worth of rabbit-holing, I ended up on the Airbnb listing for the property. I was sold.
Maybe it was the checkerboard pool, the mention of 7.5 acres with a walled rose garden and wildflower meadow, the Mickey Mouse children's room, or the fact it's a stone's throw from the coast. Either way, the spring school break was coming up, and I decided it would be the perfect spot for a short-stay family staycation.
From the listing, my expectations were dangerously high—and Melton Hall did not disappoint. It is an immaculate combination of contemporary interiors respectfully worked within period features. The pillared front door gives way to the light, airy entrance hall of modern art pieces and high arched ceilings. To the left sits the sophisticated living room, which feels more set up for adult time than family time. A white chaise longue is perched in front of large windows looking out onto a pristinely kept garden. For TV viewing, you push a button and a television rises from its hiding place, concealing the renaissance painting that hangs on the wall behind it. It perfectly sums up the place: modernity meets heritage.
As soon as we began exploring the three floors, my children's little voices excitedly started suggesting a game of hide and seek. Honestly, I couldn't think of a better place for it.
- Courtesy of Airbnb
- Courtesy of Airbnb
- Courtesy of Airbnb
- Courtesy of Airbnb
Each room is consistently beautiful and restrained—zero fussiness, just tasteful details, floor-length curtains, curated art, and comfortable beds. The final stop on our initial house tour was undoubtedly my children's favorite room, and my favorite design quirk: Press on a bookcase in the hallway to reveal a cozy movie room, complete with Monitor Audio Dolby Surround Sound and a deep sofa that could comfortably seat seven in a lazy, reclined position. During predictably British springtime rainy afternoons, we snuggled under a blanket and flicked through Netflix's finest.
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But it wasn't all rain and films, thankfully. With it being Easter break, I set up an egg hunt for the children, which was as fun for me as it was for them. I hid eggs in the little crooks of antique garden statues, in a tree by the vegetable garden, by the fence of the tennis court, on top of the brick wall surrounding the small pond, and beside the sculptural Willy Guhl loop chairs by the pool. Safe to say it was a smash hit, before they'd even had a bite of chocolate.
Another afternoon was spent at the nearby Unruly Pig, voted number one in the UK’s Top 50 Gastropubs Awards. Between us we enjoyed a Skrei cod loin, Iberico pork, and a macaroni cheese that was arguably too delicious to be on a kids' menu.
I'll admit that for family trips, I tend to lean toward hotel breaks, purely for the ease of not having to think about cooking or cleaning. The kitchen at Melton Hall might have converted me. As I stood at the huge stainless steel island, chopping garlic with a satisfyingly sharp knife and listening to my playlist through the crisp, quality Audio Pro speakers, I got that escapist feeling of being somewhere truly special. That's Melton Hall in a nutshell: Its staggering beauty and thoughtful design allows you to escape.
After the trip, I returned to Melton Hall’s Instagram account, the place where it all began with the green bathroom. In the bio it describes the property as “A historic Suffolk home reimagined for escapes.” And that is exactly what they’ve accomplished.
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