Luton Hoo, Luton, Bedfordshire, UK

The Luton Hoo Mansion House doubles as health clinic Shrublands in the movie Never Say Never Again (1983) and a staircase in the building can be seen in The World Is Not Enough (1999).

Luton Hoo is an estate that straddles the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire borders between the towns of Harpenden and Luton. The unusual name "Hoo" is a Saxon word meaning the spur of a hill. 

Luton Hoo is well worth a visit for the Bond filming locations. The main building on the estate, The Mansion House, can be seen in the movie Never Say Never Again when Bond (Sean Connery) arrives with his 1937 Bentley 4¼ Litre Gurney Nutting 3-Position-Drophead Coupé. The mansion doubles as health clinic Shrublands. Many of the interior shots of Shrublands were done inside the building, and even today the locations can be easily recognized. For example the hallway and room where Bond first meets his osteopath Patricia Fearing (Prunella Gee) and sees the private nurse with Jack Petachi in the wheelchair, the stairs that Bond descends and runs into his doctors and the room where Bond lifts weights and is attacked.

An impressive staircase that is located in a room next to the entrance hall, is featured prominently in the movie The World Is Not Enough. The staircase in the film is supposed to be in Elektra King's Palace in Baku (the exterior shot of the palace is filmed in Istanbul). James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) waits at the bottom of the staircase and is summoned up by Elektra King.

Luton Hoo is now a Hotel, Golf and Spa and can be reserved for events, or visited for lunch or dinner. Reservations in advance are recommended. All the major Bond locations can be visited (unless there is an event going on) when walking around in the main area of the Mansion House. The parking is right in front, so when you drive up to the hotel, you can feel exactly like Bond driving up in his Bentley. If you really want to take in the atmosphere, you can stay in a luxury room at the hotel, find rates and availability here.

The Mansion House can easily be reached by car or transport links between St. Pancras and Luton Parkway railway stations. And Luton Airport is only 4 miles (10 minute drive) away.

Luton Hoo
The Mansion House
Luton, Bedfordshire
LU1 3TQ, United Kingdom