The Welcombe Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon – a country house classic

We took a winter weekend break at the Welcombe Hotel near Stratford-upon-Avon in a mock Jacobean country house set in parkland with its own golf course and spa – read on for my review and video…

We pass the Victorian gatehouse and turn up the drive, lined with groves of beech trees and just the odd sign to hint at the golf course that’s set in the grounds of the Welcombe Hotel. It’s an old country house, built in the 1870s in Jacobean style for a local family, but was turned into a hotel in the 1930s.

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Arriving at The Welcombe Hotel

The car park is at the side of the hotel, and we pass through the inconspicuous doorway, past the two doormen, to check in. Oops, their key machine is broken, so they’re not able to give us a card key, but the inconvenience is played down most charmingly and we’re told that instead a member of staff will personally accompany us to open our room.

We walk through the rather grand oak panelled drawing room, where a fire is burning in the fireplace and a group of girls that looks like a hen party are sitting around chatting. Onward down the corridor and we reach the Garden Annex, a modern wing built on the site of an old winter garden.

The Room Décor

Having checked out the website, I’d expected four-posters and traditional décor that are to be found in the a main hotel building, but here the rooms are decorated in contemporary style in shades of soft yellow, green and oatmeal, echoing the formal gardens outside the window.

The Bathroom

It’s all perfectly pleasant, with the conveniences of hair dryer (in it’s own marked drawer), tea and coffee making and an iron with ironing board. The fitted desks and wardrobes give the room a slightly corporate feel that makes me think more of a business hotel than a haven of leisure and relaxation, and the bathroom has a classic black and white theme and twinkling black marble surfaces. Everything is clean and comfortable although in a minor housekeeping lapse, my bedside light is not working.

Our Lovely View

The metal windows are disguised by curtains, but we have a lovely view out on to the formal gardens with their box hedges, fountains and classical statues. With the winter sun shining on it, it makes an attractive outlook and I’m sure it would be even nicer in spring and summer when the bedding displays of primroses and rose beds are in flower. The Welcombe Hotel is a popular wedding venue and these gardens are the place for the perfect wedding photo with the grand mock Jacobean house, fountains and flowers in the background.

Lunch at The Hall

Once settled in, it’s back to the oak paneled hall where most guests are relaxing with lunch or a coffee and we sit close to the fire that’s burning in the imposing marble fireplace with twisted columns and a classical picture of sailing ships above it. Every so often the doorman walks by, solemnly bearing a single log and lays it on the fire. We establish ourselves on the patterned velvet sofa to read our paper for a while and glance around for the staff to order some lunch.

They appear to all be preoccupied in the kitchen, or moving chairs around in the adjoining dining room, but eventually we catch someone’s eye and order sandwiches from the menu – prawn salad for me and beef with horseradish for dearly beloved. After the wait to order, the service is friendly and prompt, but by this time we’re feeling the heat of the fire so we move to a table by the window with leather wing chairs where we eat our sandwiches, served club style with some crisps and coleslaw on the side.

The Common Guests

I eye up the other guests trying to judge the type of person who comes to the Welcombe Hotel – it seems popular with groups of friends and couples getting together, and there are a few that I notice being greeted as regulars by the staff. Judging by the room we pass being set up for an evening dinner dance, it’s a popular spot for the business bash too – with golf for the men and the spa for the ladies. There are a couple of folders on display with press clippings about the hotel and photos from some of the weddings that have been held here.

Exploring The Royal Shakespeare Theatre

My husband, who is suffering from a heavy cold decides to spend the afternoon relaxing at the hotel, while I pop into Stratford-upon-Avon just 5 minutes down the road. I spend a happy hour or two exploring the Royal Shakespeare Theatre that has just reopened after a 4 year building project, looking around the free exhibitions, browsing the shop in the foyer for interesting gifts and take a tour up to the Tower for a view over the town.

The theatre opened to visitors in the autumn of 2010 but the new season of Shakespeare productions opens in Spring 2011 and I’m very tempted to come back another time and see Romeo and Juliet.

The Grand Dining Room

Having spent the evening in town, we missed out on dining in the hotel, but get the opportunity to enjoy the grand dining room overlooking the formal gardens at breakfast. There’s plenty with a choice of all the usual hot dishes, cereals and pastries laid out and we get a table by the window to enjoy the view.

The Hotel Spa

The one thing we haven’t tried yet is the hotel spa and pool complex and now we wish we had more time to linger there. The entrance looks as if it was an old coach house but behind it is a modern building with water sculpture and a high glass roof. My husband is still suffering so decides to chill out with a coffee and the Sunday papers in the light and airy café and reception area, while I try out the pool.

The changing areas are lovely and I try out one of the foot spas with bubbles tickling my toes before swimming a few lengths in the turquoise mosaic tiled pool. There are heated tiled recliners and plenty of loungers to stretch out on. I share the pool with a couple of dads having fun with their young children, splashing around in the circular bubbling jacuzzi at one end.

The Saunas and Jacuzzi

If dearly beloved had been up to it I wouldn’t have minded spending the best part of a day in here, trying out all the steam rooms and saunas and perhaps treating myself to a massage or facial. In another section through the glass doors there’s an adults only larger jacuzzi and also a small gym and exercise room if you’re feeling really energetic. It’s a fabulous venue for groups of ladies or anyone looking for some pampering me-time.

We’ve easily spent the best part of the weekend enjoying what the Welcombe Hotel has to offer, but there’s plenty more to explore in Stratford-upon-Avon, with the attractive riverside areas, picturesque half-timbered houses from Shakespeare’s day and the different houses associated with Shakespeare to visit in and around the town. Until next time….

The Welcombe Hotel is great for…

The Welcombe Hotel is especially suitable for groups of friends and extended family and for celebration get togethers. It’s also popular for corporate events and weddings in summer. If you enjoy a round of golf or are looking for a spa break the Welcombe Hotel is an ideal choice.

The hotel is a short distance outside Stratford-upon-Avon town center, so ideal for those who want to combine relaxing in parkland surroundings with some sightseeing. We especially enjoyed the attractive formal gardens, relaxing in front of the open fire in the paneled drawing room and the delightful modern spa and pool.

More things to do in the area

Seasonal and Wild – The Waterside Brasserie at the Arden Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon
The Tower and other transformations at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
A winter walk on Edge Hill near Banbury

We stayed as a guest* of the Welcombe Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon – many thanks to them for accommodating us.

* More info on my policies page

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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