Ockenden Manor can host board meetings of up to 20 guests, private dinners, small weddings and exclusive-use stays. The Elizabethan manor house stands in Cuckfield, West Sussex, south of London and close to London Gatwick Airport, with 27 bedrooms and 8 acres of grounds.
Seminars and company events
The oak-panelled meeting room is described by the hotel as suited to board meetings of up to 20 guests. The hotel's group says its venues work for board meetings, training, product launches, team building, dinners and drinks receptions. Ockenden Manor can also be booked exclusively, which suits a leadership retreat or a small product launch where the whole house is yours.
Day delegate and 24-hour delegate rates are available through the events team. The location helps with travel: the manor is easy to reach from London and sits near Gatwick, so it works as a meeting point for people flying in. Grounds with far-reaching views over Cuckfield Park give delegates somewhere to walk between sessions.
Weddings and receptions
Ockenden Manor is one of three hotels in the Historic Sussex Hotels collection that offer weddings. The collection describes an intimate gathering on the lawn at Ockenden Manor, and it also hosts vow renewals and exclusive-use weddings. Guest numbers for weddings are not printed on the pages we reviewed, so ask the hotel for the maximum for your date.
Rooms and capacities
The only named event room with a stated capacity is the oak-panelled meeting room, for up to 20 guests. The restaurant, drawing room, bar and terrace are used for dining and receptions. The collection mentions Christmas parties for four to 120 guests across its hotels, but this figure is not specific to Ockenden Manor.
Accommodation
There are 27 individually decorated bedrooms and suites. A full takeover of the house is possible for groups that want the manor to themselves. The hotel also has a spa, and wellness retreats are offered.
Catering
The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, and is led by Head Chef Stephen Crane, who uses locally sourced ingredients. The hotel serves a lunch menu, a Sussex menu and a tasting menu in the evening. The restaurant has far-reaching views over Cuckfield Park. Private dining is offered for groups. Drinks and light food are served in the drawing room, which has a fire, and in the bar. In fine weather the terrace and gardens are used.
History and setting
The house is an Elizabethan manor in Cuckfield, within an easy walk of the village. It sits in 8 acres of grounds overlooking Cuckfield Park.
Getting there
The manor is on Ockenden Lane, Cuckfield, West Sussex, RH17 5LD. London Gatwick Airport is close by, and the hotel describes the drive from London as easy.
