- Were you staying at the hotel? Email eirian.prosser@dailymail.co.uk
A luxury hotel and country club was left in ‘complete chaos’ yesterday after a chemical spill left guests at the £695-a-night manor locked out of their rooms as firefighters clad in gas masks tried to make the area safe.
Visitors staying at the Estelle Manor in the leafy village of Eynsham in Oxfordshire were evacuated from their rooms just before 8am yesterday morning after a chemical spilled in a swimming pool pump room.
Dozens of people wearing nothing but their robes, pyjamas and even swim shorts were turfed out of the Grade II listed building to avoid the hazard as the fire alarm blared on the usually quiet estate.
Ambulance crews, police officers and emergency workers in hazmat suits rushed to the hotel, while residents close to the rural village were told to close all doors and windows until the fumes stopped pouring from the posh estate.
Guests – who have still not been able to re-enter the property – were told they would have to leave their passports, wallets and even medication behind until emergency service workers deemed the property safe again.
Firefighters and police officers rushed to the scene at Estelle Manor (pictured) today after a chemical used to clean swimming pools leaked
Firefighters set up a hazardous tent outside Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire following a chemical leak
The hotel is a known celebrity hotspot, with Amanda Holden and Alan Carr spotted celebrating the New Year at the manor in January
Speaking to MailOnline some blasted staff at the elite hotel which often hosts society’s rich and famous, over their lack of communication, with one guest claiming they ‘seemed over their heads’.
One man who had travelled with his partner from the United States ended up having to travel to London today despite not having his passport, wallet or any other valuables.
The couple had been working out in the gym when they saw a ‘mass exodus of people in robes and pyjamas being walked away from the manor’.
Some guests who had been ‘shuffled out of the hotel’ watched from the Glass House restaurant as firefighters wearing gas masks entered the hotel.
‘The problem with all of today was that although staff were trying, no one was in charge. Residents were told to shut their windows and doors because of the chemicals but they had us outside on the lawn all day,’ the man said.
‘No one would tell us what the chemical was. They were just saying there had been a chemical spill. We were at the gym so we didn’t have anything with us – not our wallets, our keys, a tonne of valuables. And this is just the start of our holiday.
‘We waited for six or seven hours but no one would tell us what was happening. They said it was probably best for us to go as planned to London. So we went in our sweaty workout clothes.
‘We have no money on us we are just using Apple Pay and the prescriptions that I need are still in my room.’
Thames Valley Police, who also attended the scene in North Leigh, said a chemical used for cleaning the hotel’s swimming pools – had leaked. Pictured: One of the estate’s indoor pools
Some guests who had been ‘shuffled out of the hotel’ watched from the Glass House restaurant as firefighters wearing gas masks entered the hotel
Guests were evacuated from the building wearing their pyjamas and robes just before 8am yesterday morning
The hotel, which is sister of Mayfair’s private members club Maison Estelle, is a known celebrity hotspot, with Amanda Holden and Alan Carr spotted celebrating the New Year at the manor in January.
‘Famous people come here and we were paying a pretty penny to be there. I know what hotels should do in these situations, as I work in the industry, but it was complete chaos,’ the man added.
‘There as no sense of urgency and it’s completely unsettling not to have any form identification on me.
‘Everyone was in robes and pyjamas still at 3pm today. Most people were woken out of bed, they left their phones in their rooms, they did not know the severity of the situation. People were missing flights because they couldn’t get their keys.’
Police said the chemical was a type of chloride used to clean swimming pools and had caused a reaction when it leaked causing a plume of fumes. Fortunately no one was harmed.
Another guest, also from the US, who had been visiting the exclusive hotel with her husband said her ‘eyes stung’ when she had to make a ‘quick walk outside’.
‘No one has been able to retrieve any of our personal belongings for us, not even the medications my husband takes that are up in our room. We’ve been in our pajamas and bathrobes all day,’ she said.
The Oxfordshire-based Grade-II listed Landmark House (pictured) is spread over the huge 85-acre estate surrounded by more than 3,000 acres of parkland and gardens
Abbey Clancy said on her Therapy Crouch podcast on Tuesday she loves a ‘dirty night in a hotel’ with husband Peter Crouch, referring to a recent stay at Estelle Manor
The award-winning country club has four restaurants on site include the traditional Brasserie, a Chinese restaurant called The Billiards Room, a family-style dining hub called The Glasshouse (pictured) and a retro bar called The Living Room
‘I saw one woman walking around in her hotel slippers. I had to have someone drive me to a pharmacy nearby because no one in my party has any toothbrushes, deodorants, hairbrushes, or any other essentials, and the hotel didn’t help provide any of those things.
‘I’ve been going around all day without a bra; my husband accidentally put on swim trunks instead of regular shorts when the alarm went off so he’s been in those all day.’
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said the hotel had ‘vaguely indicated’ that guests will be able to retrieve their items later today but no clear timeline has been set out.
Guests said they were told the leak was associated with ‘chemicals that service the main outdoor pool, not the spa’ and that the leak had been discovered ‘in the basement of the main manor house’.
Fortunately as the leak was far away from the spa pool, some guests who were able to nab a swimsuit from the boutique shop before they sold out were able to try and relax there in the day.
Other guests who were due to check into the hotel which boasts of a 3,000 square metre Roman-inspired spa today were ‘turned away on arrival’.
Other guests who were due to check into the hotel (pictured one of the suites) which boasts of a 3,000 square metre Roman-inspired spa today were ‘turned away on arrival’
Amanda Holden was pictured dancing the night away with Alan Carr, and her daughters Lexi, 17, and Hollie, 11, as they rung in 2024 at the swanky country club alongside actors Jane Wall and Scott Neal
Amanda Holden and Jane Wall pictured at the manor while celebrating 2024
‘Was supposed to stay there for a few nights beginning today,’ one wrote on social media. ‘Was turned away at the gate and saw the fire brigade arrive.’
Last night, the hotel confirmed that the chemical incident had occurred in the South Terrace swimming pool pump room – away from the spa area.
The room was still being ventilated yesterday evening but a spokesperson for the hotel said it would be fully ventilated ‘shortly’. No updated timeline was given for guests wanting to return to their rooms however.
It is no surprise that the beautiful manor attracts Britain’s rich and famous from all over the country – and guests from across the world.
Just like its London branch – which attracts royalty such as Princess Beatrice and Eugenie and huge stars such as Noel Gallagher – the manor attracts an array of celebs.
The Oxfordshire-based Grade-II listed Landmark House is spread over the huge 85-acre estate surrounded by more than 3,000 acres of parkland and gardens.
Amanda Holden was pictured dancing the night away with Alan Carr, and her daughters Lexi, 17, and Hollie, 11, as they rung in 2024 at the swanky country club alongside actors Jane Wall and Scott Neal.
Peter Crouch and his wife Abbey Clancy are also known to visit the private members’ club.
The model and mother-of-four previously spoke about it on the couple’s podcast – Therapy Crouch – saying that the manor was in the perfect location as it was only a 10 minute drive for design outlet shopping centre Bicester Village.
‘It is 10 minutes from Bicester village so it was literally my perfect little dirty weekend in a hotel,’ she said.
Ambulances attend the scene after a chemical leak occurred at Estelle Manor in Eynsham, Oxfordshire
Thames Valley Police said: ‘Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service alongside Thames Valley Police have attended an incident this morning in North Leigh’
It is unknown if any celebrities were staying at the hotel at the time of the incident.
The award-winning country club has four restaurants on site include the traditional Brasserie, a Chinese restaurant called The Billiards Room, a family-style dining hub called The Glasshouse and a retro bar called The Living Room.
The manor has plenty of activities available on site for guests off all ages. This includes a huge range of supervised kids activities, target sports on site, foraging and an introduction to falconry.
The main attraction, however, is the Eynsham Baths, which is complimentary for private members and costs £95 per person for hotel guests. It is not available for the public and only those over 18 can enter.
There is a large bathing hall, along with five thermal pools, a lounge and 10 treatment rooms.
An array of spa treatments are on offer from body scrubs, to facials, massages and even single infusion IVs which claim to help combat jetlag or boost immune systems.
A statement released by Maison Estelle, who own the manor, said: ‘Staff discovered a chemical incident in the South Terrace swimming pool pump room and we are working with the Fire Service to safely ventilate the room.
‘We expect the affected pump room to be fully ventilated shortly and apologise to members, guests and our neighbours for any inconvenience.’
Thames Valley Police said: ‘Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service alongside Thames Valley Police have attended an incident this morning in North Leigh.
‘Sodium [hydro] Chloride, a chemical used for cleaning swimming pools has leaked and caused a reaction.
‘Fire & Rescue are ventilating the building and residents between Eynsham Hall and the A40 should shut windows and doors until the plume has dissipated, which may take several hours.’
MailOnline has contacted Maison Estelle for further comment.