Hmmm, You Didn’t Fall For The April Fool Story Did You?
April 1st, 2008 by rui
Many Big Chillers love the music, the comedy, the arts, the food and all the other wonderful things which fill Eastnor Castle Deer Park throughout the Big Chill weekend, but there’s one aspect which they don’t enjoy – camping.
Setting up tents, cooking with camping gas stoves and sleeping just inches from the ground is just a bit too much for some festival fans, and having to mix with the hoi polloi can be rather dreadful.
So it is with some excitement and pride that we are able to announce that for the very first time, rooms in Eastnor Castle will be available to Big Chillers throughout the festival weekend.
Offering one of the finest sleeping experiences in the world, the various rooms will be furnished to the highest standards, with original antiques and historical artefacts.
Room available include:
The Great Hall Room, furnished today in the style of a vast Edwardian drawing room, with ottoman, armchairs, and sofas, including the speaker-stacked sofa which was the basis for the Big Chill logo from the past.
The Red Hall, inspired by ancient tales of chivalry and romance, is packed with suits of armour and an actual armour-clad horse (sugarlumps and apples provided).
The Gothic Drawing Room features a massive chimney piece and Big Chill family tree itemising everyone who was been involved with, or attended the festival over the last 12 years, while the chairs, table, desk and bookcase were all designed by Pugin.
The Octagon Saloon’s unique character derives at least in part from its octagonal shape. The windows afford a fine view across the lower terrace towards the Castle Stage.
The Long Library was redesigned for the 3rd Earl by the decorator, Fox, in Renaissance style. The design was very much to the Earl’s specification and provides evidence of his excellent good taste. The library contains some 5,000 books, including 2,000 copies of Crossfade.
The Little Library was redecorated in 1990 using a Victorian fabric specially reprinted by Watts of Westminster. Not quite as many books as the Long Library, but the early 20th century billiard table by Boroughs and Watts offers a pleasing way of passing time when back at camp, especially for very short people with the optional croquet accessories.
The State Bedroom was created for the 3rd Earl. The bed is 17th century Italian and belonged to Cardinal Bellarmino. The wardrobe and drawers are 17th century Venetian. The walls are hung with panels from Brian Eno’s 77 Million Works of Needlepoint.
All rooms feature four-poster beds with stacked mattresses (pea optional).
The comfortable ensuite bathrooms include heated towel racks, loo paper cut from velvet and deer musk soap.
Guests are welcome to enjoy meals in the Dining Room, festival-favourite meals served on antique china, with silver cutlery and crystal glasses.
When guests are ready to promenade into the festival entertainment area, a horse and carriage replete with driver will be on hand to transport them right to the front of their preferred stage.
All in all, a fantastic way to enjoy the Big Chill festival, and doubtless an extremely popular accomodation offer.
Avril Furst, The Big Chill’s newly-appointed Castle Accomodation Manager says ‘This is the just the first stage in an exciting programme of expanding the accomodation offered at the festival – other options we are looking at for the future include cabins attached to hot air balloons, cruise ships and submarines positioned in the lakes and, of course, treehouses.’
The team at Eastnor Castle were unavailable for comment.
With prices starting from just £15,000 per person for the entire weekend, Castle Rooms offer a unique opportunity to experience a level of comfort appropriate to the quality of entertainment at The Big Chill festival.
Hurry! Book Now!
