Luxury riverside hotel that hosted Princess Diana goes on the market

Set on the banks of the River Thames in rural Oxfordshire, it was for years a favoured watering hole of the rich and famous, drawing the likes of Princess Margaret, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Michael Winner.

Now the hotel and former coaching inn, which also saw Hollywood greats such as Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and John Wayne order their favourite tipples, is up for sale.

The French Horn in Sonning has gone on the market with a guide price of £12 million, offering any buyer “a rare opportunity for a new proprietor to acquire a piece of riverside luxury with significant upside and development potential”.

The hotel has been in the hands of the Emmanuel family for the past half-century, but its current proprietor, Michael Emmanuel, says it is time to call last orders and shut up shop so he can enjoy his retirement.

“After several wonderful decades of overseeing The French Horn and creating cherished memories for our patrons, it is with a mixture of sadness and excitement that we have made the decision to put this iconic property on the market,” he said.

Mr Emmanuel, whose grandfather Bernard Walsh opened Wheeler’s restaurant in London, added: “It’s not easy to say goodbye to a place that has been the heart of our family for so long, but we’re eager to see the next chapter of its storied history unfold. We’re grateful for the support and loyalty of our patrons and look forward to passing the torch to someone who will continue to honour the legacy of this beloved establishment.”

Already a number of potential buyers have expressed an interest, with the possibility the hotel could be revamped into a modern luxury destination.

The French Horn was used as a coaching inn when it was built in the 19th century and in 1889 Jerome K Jerome described the village of Sonning in his book Three Men in a Boat as “the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river. It is more like a stage village than one built of bricks and mortar”.

The hotel has also been used as the setting of a number of films and TV dramas, including Midsomer Murders and the 1966 hit Alfie, starring Michael Caine. It was also a meeting place of the “Thursday Club”, where the late Prince Philip used to meet up with his friends in the 1940s and, in recent years, has seen George Clooney, who has a home in Sonning, pop in to enjoy its secluded charms.

For their money any buyer will become owner of an 8.6-acre riverside plot on which sits the 21-bedroom hotel and restaurant with 100 covers, a wine cellar and 13 additional properties, including several houses, cottages, and staff accommodation.

The plot includes the Furleigh Cottages, a row of eight 19th century mill-workers’ cottages with a river frontage and a private walled garden.

It also boasts 5.6 acres of paddocks with the potential to be used for leisure facilities or luxury lodges.

Joint agents Christie & Co and Haslams said that the mature landscaped gardens “offer guests a bucolic backdrop”. They added: “But it is the untouched and undeveloped river frontage that is likely to prove the property’s biggest draw, providing would-be investors with the opportunity to capitalise on private mooring, recreation and angling rights.”

For Steve Woodford, executive chairman of Haslams, the sale holds personal significance.

“I have lived in Sonning and nearby for 40 years and we have celebrated big birthdays, anniversaries and even my father’s wake at the French Horn, where 300 people turned up to his favourite restaurant,” he said.