Is The Ickworth family-friendly? Our Suffolk hotel review

Words by Harriet Mallinson

We’ve barely been in the hotel reception for three minutes before a flotilla of chubby babies sails past in the arms of glamorous mummies seeking a countryside escape. Then we clock the milk and cookies available in the lounge, bunny feeding underway in the garden and Finding Nemo playing in the cinema room. This is a bona fide family-friendly property, if ever I saw one.

The Ickworth Hotel in Suffolk reopened in June 2026 after a renovation of its bedrooms, restaurants and spa and is already awash with families. Its history goes back much, much further though: it occupies the East Wing of 18th-century Ickworth House, now part of the National Trust. With access to the house and 1,800 acres of parkland included for hotel guests, you and your brood really can feel like you’re on an aristocratic break. “Oh, just visiting Lord and Lady so-and-so,” you can say, airily.

The practical details are far from missing: The Ickworth delivers complimentary childcare, family rooms of different sizes and equipment that can save space in the car. Plus, there’s an indoor pool, children’s dining options and babysitting available for an extra charge. Family Traveller went to stay to check out exactly how well the hotel serves families…

The Ickworth Hotel in Suffolk reopened in June 2026

The Ickworth occupies the East Wing of grand stately pile, Ickworth House

Where is The Ickworth hotel?

The Ickworth occupies the East Wing of grand stately pile, Ickworth House, near Bury St Edmunds. Consequently, arrival is rather thrilling as you sweep round the drive to see a frieze-adorned, 105-foot-high domed Rotunda, inspired by the Pantheon in Rome – and it’s suddenly all a bit Bridgerton.

The surrounding estate gives families 1,800 acres of parkland, gardens and woodland walks to explore. Access to the National Trust house and grounds is included with a hotel stay, with daily Rotunda tours from 11am to 3pm.

Do pop by if you can – the impressive residence is well worth exploring for its spectacular works by Old Masters, including Hogarth, Titian and Velázquez – and do ask a steward about the fake marble columns and where to find the hidden dog flap! You also get a rare glimpse into below-stairs life in the cellars – not to mention the false moat so servants could scurry around without disturbing their masters. Outside, discover the Tudor walled garden and the (fantastically named) Victorian Stumpery, where ferns and other plants grow among an eerie jumble of gnarled tree stumps.

There’s a fascinating history to the place: The Hervey family held the estate for centuries. The 4th Earl of Bristol commissioned the Italianate house to showcase art collected on his European travels but died before its completion, his collection seized by Napoleonic troops. His descendants finished the house and assembled today’s collection. The East Wing became a hotel in 2002, with its latest renovation refreshing the bedrooms, restaurants, public rooms and spa.

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There are 37 renovated bedrooms in the main house

What are The Ickworth’s family rooms like?

The 37 renovated bedrooms in the main house range from Cosy and Classic rooms to the two-bedroom Hervey Suite, which has a separate twin room. Some room categories accommodate two adults and up to three children, so check the exact layout and sleeping arrangements before booking.

For more space, the nearby Dower House has two and three-bedroom options. The self-contained Butler’s Quarters can accommodate four adults and four children, making it an option for a multi-generational break. Guests in both can use the hotel’s facilities.

Rooms can be stocked with travel cots, changing mats, nappy bins, bottle warmers, sterilisers, bed guards and potties on request. Pushchairs are also available to borrow, subject to availability. Fresh morning and evening milk can be delivered to your room free of charge, with bottle heating available when needed.

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The Four Bears Den is an Ofsted-registered kids’ club

Does The Ickworth have a kids’ club?

Yes. The Four Bears Den is an Ofsted-registered kids’ club for children aged three months to eight years. A complimentary supervised session is included per night, with advance booking required.

During term-time weekdays, sessions run from 9.30–11.30am. At weekends and during school holidays, there is an additional session from 2.30–4.30pm. Family activities include cookery, scavenger hunts, nature walks and marshmallow toasting, with the programme changing seasonally.

Children over eight have dedicated tween and teen spaces, with games rooms stocked with PlayStations, air hockey, table tennis and table football – at which I’m heartily thrashed.

You’ll also find two resident bunnies here, Skye and Shadow, who come out for daily feedings – and sometimes onto the lawn, too, when the weather is nice. They’re very soft and very friendly – and yes, I know they’re actually for the children but I do have to remind myself it’s probably not the done thing to fight a five-year-old for the last bit of lettuce to proffer towards the twitching, furrily-irresistible muzzles…

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A complimentary supervised session is included per night

What can families do at The Ickworth?

Away from the kids’ club, children can use an adventure playground with climbing frames, swings, slides and a trampoline, plus a fairy garden. On sunny days, parents can enjoy food and drink al fresco while littlies keep busy with giant Connect 4 and ten-pin bowling on the lawn.

If the weather doesn’t comply, there’s a family library and even a cinema showing daily family films with popcorn. I spend a relaxing evening ensconced in a beanbag watching Pirates of the Caribbean in the latter – it used to be the old kitchen; if these walls could talk…

The hotel also hosts story time with milk and cookies. Its renovated Blue Room is intended for tweens and teens, while the lounges have board games. Families can borrow Yoto audio players and cards, subject to availability.

The National Trust estate’s walking and cycling routes could fill much of a day without leaving Ickworth. We stock up on fudge from the shop and stomp forth, the gargantuan roots of some of the ancient trees en route providing seriously good playing potential.

Family bike hire includes balance bikes and child seats, with routes ranging from the River Linnet trail to shorter loops for little legs. Families can also use the hotel’s tennis courts – where once again I am mercilessly thrashed – or head further afield to Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park or Go Ape at Thetford Forest. There is a gym for adults too.

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The National Trust estate’s walking and cycling routes could fill much of a day

Is there a swimming pool and spa at The Ickworth?

Families can use the heated indoor pool from 7am to 9pm, except during adult-only sessions held daily from 10–11am and 3–4pm. Complimentary floats, pool noodles and armbands are available to borrow and hotel residents can also use the steam room.

The renovated spa offers Elemis treatments and a Japanese Head Spa. Children aged eight and over can book junior treatments, giving younger guests their own opportunity for a little pampering.

The adults-only Spa Garden has an outdoor hot tub and horsebox sauna. Access costs extra unless it is included with your booked treatment.

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Families can also use the hotel’s tennis courts

What is dining with children like at The Ickworth?

You know you’re staying somewhere properly pro-progeny when the ‘it’ accessory at dinner is a baby monitor; they sit stoically amongst the wine glasses and gnocchi as we eat at Frederick’s restaurant late one evening, parents yawning into their (delicious) sea bass. The Ickworth provides complimentary digital audio/video monitors with handheld receivers for mums and dads spending time downstairs while children sleep in their room. One-to-one babysitting can also be booked for an additional charge.

Frederick’s and the more relaxed Conservatory serve the same seasonal menu, giving families a choice of setting. There is a dedicated children’s menu, early children’s teas and Bugaboo highchairs, alongside toddler-friendly cutlery and leak-proof Tommee Tippee feeding accessories. Afternoon tea has a children’s version and Sunday lunch features roasts.

Over in the West Wing, the National Trust café does a roaring trade in what the National Trust does best – scones, cake, tea and the like. The terrace is a delightful lawn-side spot to spend some quiet time and a good daytime alternative to the hotel’s eateries.

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The more relaxed Conservatory serves a seasonal menu

How much does a family stay at The Ickworth cost?

Rates start from £205 per night on a bed-and-breakfast basis for a Classic Room with a double bed. A cot or small bed can also be added. Larger families can choose from other room categories and multi-bedroom suites, with prices depending on accommodation and dates.

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The Ickworth hotel FAQs

Is The Ickworth suitable for babies and toddlers?

Yes. The hotel offers childcare from three months old, children’s meals, bottle heating and complimentary milk. Families can request equipment including travel cots, changing mats, sterilisers, bed guards and potties before arrival.

Is childcare included at The Ickworth?

A complimentary supervised Four Bears Den session is included per night for children aged three months to eight years. Advance booking is required and places are subject to availability.

Can hotel guests visit Ickworth House?

Yes. Stays include access to the National Trust house and estate, with daily Rotunda tours from 11am to 3pm.

How do you get to The Ickworth hotel?

The Ickworth is in Horringer, near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. Arriving by car makes exploring the surrounding area easier. If travelling by train, head to Bury St Edmunds station and arrange a taxi for the final leg to the hotel.