Independent hotels like this are the bedrock of British hospitality

Weaving through back lanes off Wareham high street, parking by a stately church pooled in moonlight. Clattering down a stone-flagged, stone-walled alley to a heavy wooden door, being greeted by soberly uniformed staff with the air of long-serving retainers… arriving at The Priory feels a little like stepping back in time: deliciously so. Even the 20-something general manager, son of the owner, has a pencil moustache that gives him the jaunty looks of a Second World War ace pilot.

Despite its town location, The Priory has the look and feel of a country house hotel thanks to its four acres of gardens and idyllic riverside setting with views of reed beds, open country and the Purbeck Hills beyond (look carefully and you’ll spot Corfe Castle). Its history as a religious house begins in the seventh century, and as a hotel, now in the hands of the third generation of the family that created it in the mid-1970s, it has a palpable depth, integrity and continuity of service rarely found in the carefully manicured, through-designed, spa-centric luxury country house hotels – appealing though they are – that are the norm today. If you are a fan of The Nare, Plumber Manor and Gravetye Manor, all also privately owned and run, you will surely love The Priory.

About half the staff of The Priory have worked there for years, in some cases well over 20. It’s unusual to see older bar staff, waiters and waitresses in expensive hotels these days and they bring an immediate sense of dignified reassurance, a haven from the turbulent outside world. “I’ve known some of them since I was a small child,” says Katie, who with her brother Ben (the chap with the moustache) is very gradually taking over the reins from their father Jeremy Merchant. “They are family.”

With one dazzling exception, The Priory feels resolutely traditional, especially in the public rooms, decorated with pictures and furniture collected by Jeremy Merchant and his father before him. Do Ben and Katie, who looks after sales and marketing, want to change anything? Absolutely not, they say. Judicious improvements (the pond to become, hopefully, a wild swimming pool, a couple of treatment rooms and an outdoor sauna), nothing more. 

“We love it just as it is,” says Katie. “It was created by our grandparents and then our parents and we adore the history, quirkiness and ancient patina of the place and the way that guests seem so content here. We feel proud of what our father and grandfather have achieved and we love the place.” Is that the missing ingredient in so many hotels, formerly private, now part of groups and brands – love? You honestly feel it here. 

Of course, The Priory is not for everyone and it’s not perfect: nowhere, in my opinion, is that. Too many paintings of monks for a start, and the drawing room furniture could do with updating, though the cosy bar feels just right. There are four rather darkly dramatic suites in the former boathouse with terraces and balconies overlooking the river, each with a whirlpool bath (not for me – I can’t be trusted with one) but I preferred the lighter, prettier, less expensive rooms in the house with GP & J Baker wallpapers, a variety of pretty beds (one with a deep copper bath) and lovely views from cosy window seats.

The Priory’s restaurant used to be below ground; now – dazzling exception – it’s a purpose-built glass and timber barn extension with views over the gardens and river and its advent has lifted The Priory into the 21st century without spoiling it. 

Another sign of a hotel that has always purred rather than jolted along is the presence of head chef Stephan Guinebault, who has been here since 2006. With a Loire Valley childhood and a classical training in French cuisine, he cares intensely about the provenance and proper preparation of his ingredients and produces trick-free classic country house cooking: full plates, the finest produce served without fireworks but with rich, deep sauces. 

The chateaubriand from a local Devon Red herd melted in the mouth; a Grand Marnier and rhubarb soufflé was as light as air; and cooked dishes at breakfast such as poached eggs and avocado on homemade sourdough bread were equally enjoyable.

Before breakfast, we walked the Wareham Walls. After breakfast we borrowed a kayak (there are paddle boards too) and pottered along the River Frome. It was a heavenly 24 hours.

Essentials

Doubles at The Priory (01929 551666; theprioryhotel.co.uk) from £240, including breakfast.