Royal Berkshire Hotel 4.19

The Royal Berkshire Hotel is a country house hotel within a noteworthy example of a late Queen Anne mansion previously called The Oaks and located at Ascot in the English county of Berkshire.OverviewThe red-brick mansion was originally built in 1705 as the home of Sir Robert Walpole's daughter, Lady Mary, and Charles Churchill, great nephew of the first Duke of Marlborough and relation of Sir Winston Churchill.The building was named The Oaks for many years after its construction, but became known as Little Paddocks at the start of the 20th century when it was owned by Colonel Sir James Horlick (of the malted milk hot drink company) until his family decided to donate the grounds to serve as a school for the blind. The building stayed as a school until the late 1960s, and the modern day tennis courts within the grounds are the final resting location of several of the facility's guide dogs.Modern use of the building as a hotel began in 1971, when the Hoffman family, experienced European hoteliers, renovated the property.In 2011, the property was purchased by Exclusive Hotels, via the group's sister brand EH Venues.The Churchill familyThe Churchill family built the Royal Berkshire Hotel, Sunninghill in 1705 and one of the earliest residents was Charles Churchill and his wife Lady Mary Churchill who was the daughter of the Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole.