Travel / Weekend breaks
Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s England
Stratford-upon-Avon is a picturesque town situated on the River Avon with a wealth of black and white timber framed buildings
There’s so much to see and do here on a short break. I found that a great way to get the layout and feel of the area was on the open top City Sightseeing bus, which I joined at the Pen and Parchment Inn at the end of the High Street.
Attractions
This is of course the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the world’s greatest playwright, and a lot of the attractions are focused on his life. You can visit and stroll around the house where he was born and grew up and where he spent the first five years with his new wife. There’s Nash’s House and New Place where Shakespeare died in 1616, and Hall’s Croft, an elegant 17th century house where his eldest daughter Susanna lived with her husband Dr John Hall.
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage is another popular tourist attraction – a beautiful thatched farmhouse where Shakespeare’s wife once lived, and any reference to Stratford-upon-Avon wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the world famous Royal Shakespeare Company and the magnificent 1030 seat Courtyard Theatre.
After exploring the town centre with its good selection of shops, restaurants and tea rooms it’s well worth seeing Stratford-upon-Avon from the river. There are regular cruise boats available where you can experience relaxing river trips.
The Heritage Motor Centre is home to the world’s largest collection of British cars. Situated at Gaydon, only a short distance from the hotel, I took the opportunity to spend a morning here. The centre has nearly 300 cars in its collection spanning classic, vintage and veteran eras. This is a superb centre and I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the immaculate collection of cars. The building itself is a spectacular piece of architecture with an art deco design standing in a beautifully landscaped setting of 65 acres which rolls out onto the Warwickshire countryside.
The Menzies Welcombe Hotel Spa and Golf Club
I stayed at the Welcombe Hotel for my visit and to be honest, I can’t rate this hotel highly enough. Luxury four star accommodation offering some of the finest leisure facilities in the heart of England. This hotel is ideal for a short leisure break, perfectly located for the Shakespeare connections, the beautiful Warwickshire countryside and the Cotswolds close by.
The hotel itself is a magnificent Jacobean style country house which still retains many of itshistorical features from when it was built in 1866. With 157 acres of beautiful parkland around the hotel, the gardens and views are truly outstanding. The hotel is rightly acknowledged as one of the leading country house hotels in the Heart of England.
There are 78 luxurious bedrooms ranging from the contemporary air conditioned garden rooms to the stunning four poster rooms and suites, many of which are furnished with 19th century antiques and oil paintings. There’s free WiFi access and most rooms have a large screen iMac which can be used as a computer or TV.
Exquisite Dining
There’s an impressive oak-panelled lounge with inviting sofas and a grand open fireplace and here you can simply relax or perhaps, like me, enjoy a stylish afternoon tea. The lounge leads into the hotel’s award winning a la carte restaurant with its breathtaking views over the beautiful Italian gardens and water features. Because of the layout and design of this ornate restaurant, all tables benefit from the light and view.
I had a first class dinner choosing from a mouth-watering menu of traditional dishes and a wine list offering a carefully selected choice at good prices. The restaurant has two AA rosettes reflecting the quality and standard you can expect coupled with the head chef’s insistence on only using the finest ingredients and seasonal produce. The waiters were friendly, attentive and very professional which made this a wonderful dining experience.
Leisure
Here you’ll find an impressive range of facilities including an outstanding 18 hole championship golf course, all weather tennis courts and the luxurious Spa. The Spa facilities are free to hotel guests and include a wonderful indoor swimming pool, an external vitality pool, heated loungers and foot spas.
There is also a range of thermal experience rooms; a Finnish Sauna, a Caldarium, a Laconium and a Tepidarium offering a choice of experience. There’s even an Ice Fountain to cool down and polar storm showers. On top of this there’s also a superb range of treatments available at an additional charge.
The Menzies Welcombe hotel is elegantly furnished and offers an enticing country escape. So if you’re now thinking of a weekend break or a longer stay in Stratford-upon-Avon, then this hotel with it’s excellent service, wonderful gardens, luxury spa and 18 hole golf course is a fabulous choice.
More Information
With eleven conference and banqueting suites and an 18 hole championship golf course, the 4 star Menzies Welcombe Hotel is an impressive and ideal venue for residential and day meetings as well as team building, incentive and private hospitality events. The luxury Spa is perfect to relax in and boasts a level deck swimming pool, external vitality pool, heated loungers, foot spas, thermal experience rooms, a selection of treatment rooms, gymnasium, aerobics studio and all weather tennis courts.
Prices vary at the hotel with
Standard bedrooms from £121.00 – £285.00.
Executive bedrooms £140.00 – £305.00.
Suites from £170.00 – £335.00
Four Poster bedrooms from £210.00 – £405.00
These rates are Bed and Breakfast, and double occupancy
Menzies Welcombe Hotel & Golf Course, Warwick Road, Stratford-Upon-Avon CV37 0NR
For more information visit
or contact 01789 295252
For more information on the area visit www.shakespeares-england.co.uk
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