Warner Leisure Hotels’ Studley Castle (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)
It’s every Valentines Day couple’s dream to spend February 14th being pampered in your very own English castle.
So the Daily Express went along to the newest addition to the Warner Leisure Hotel collection, Studley Castle in Warwickshire, to see how their fairy tale matched up to our reality.
The location is perfect for exploring rural Warwickshire with the rolling hills and honey-coloured towns of the Cotswolds just round the corner and Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick Castle on the doorstep.
The breathtaking view of the Grade II listed status 19th Century house is your first impression as you approach the £50 million refurbished hotel which has a unique modern/Downton Abbey feel.
Afternoon tea at Studley Castle (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)
Don’t miss…
The Evesham Bar’s gin and cocktail tasting classes (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)
In 1903, Lady Warwick purchased the building and transformed it into the Studley Agricultural College for Women to provide horticultural training to daughters of the gentry before it became the new jewel in the Warner crown.
The original Victorian house built in the Gothic Revival style boasts ornate ceilings, chandelier-lit afternoon tea rooms, grand pianos and wood-panelled lounges with century-old snug fireplaces – and 24 ‘castle’ rooms.
But attached is a stylish, contemporary new wing boasting a luxurious spa, cabaret-packed entertainment hall with nightly live shows and bands, dining rooms and 185 new bedroom suites.
The Stables Spa offers the pampering Valentines gush for- an indoor heated swimming pool, sauna and steam room, and a range of soothing, muscle-massaging sensual spa treatments.
While for those with an adventurous eye, there is archery, axe throwing and even an indoor rifle-shooting range for competitive couples to target their energies – as well as free bikes to explore the 28-acre grounds.
Private dining at Studley Castle (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)
Don’t miss…
Archery is a popular outside activity (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)
On arrival you are welcomed like royalty before settling into your finely decorated room and enjoying either a night dining in one or two different restaurants.
Our Castle bedroom had a relaxing king-size bed with an ensuite and powerful walk in shower, with an amazing view over the side of the grounds.
Warner Leisure Breaks are adults only and the entertainment is all thrown in, so its the perfect opportunity to reconnect with a loved-one for some valuable child-free time – and when better to do that than around Valentine’s weekend?
The Market Kitchen in the Evesham restaurant, is the large cabaret restaurant that serves breakfast and three-course evening meals with à la carte waiter service with a live stage show every night.
The Friday night saw us thrilled by a ‘Rock of Stages’ tribute to the musicals show by the excellent in-house Warner Theatre Company’s in-house team, performing hits from West End shows like We Will Rock You, Tina, Back To The Future and Bat Ouit Of Hell.
For night owls the entertainment continued from 11pm with Late Night Live in the Evesham Bar as singer Tom sang requests from those wanting to keep partying.
Studley Castle’s room are modern and luxurious (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)
After breakfast on Saturday morning we made a beeline to the archery field where instructor Richard put us through our paces carefully guiding us on how to load and fire our bows and try to bullseye the target.
Dressed up we tried an afternoon tea in the Castle’s opulently-decorated Oak Room, a triple-tiered generous tray of scones, cakes and finely-cut sandwiches.
Then at 4pm we had to rush down to the Evesham Bar for a gin-tasting session where bar staff explained the art of botanicals while giving us all several different dry and fruity gins to try.
The second night we tried out the other restaurant – the more intimate Brasserie32 in the Arden Terrace, which champions British heritage recipes and traditional ingredients from the 1900s in an elegant setting with an outdoor terrace.
Lounging area at Studley Castle (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)
Afternoon tea in Studley’s Oak Room (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)
Clearly word had got around regarding Saturday’s touring show as some guests were in their best 1970s ‘Waterloo’ costumes to watch Abba Magic.
For an hour the world-touring Abba tribute four-piece thrilled fans of the Swedish pop band with most guests at some stage taking to the floor to dance to their favourite hits like Dancing Queen, Voulez Vous and The Winner Takes It All.
Then on Sunday it was time to seriously relax and trying a massage and a swim at the spa. The recently-opened spa is a real haven for those who may have taken it fast and loose over the last couple of days.
We enjoyed a morning swim after our buffet breakfast, and as the sun shone in through the pool’s glass windows we decided to try the sauna and then then the steam room.
Studley Castle’s swimming pool (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)
At 12pm we had booked in for full back massages to clear our mind and enjoy some peace and tranquillity in our lush, green rolling hills surroundings.
Activities can come thick and fast or as infrequent as you like – depending on what sort of break you are after – but there is always plenty on offer.
At 4pm we returned to the bar for a cocktail-making lesson, learning how to make a Sidecar, a Passion Fruit Martini, a Long Island Iced Tea and one I had never heard of before a Dark and Stormy; ginger beer, black spiced rum and a drop of bitters.
And despite our packed weekend and found the energy dance the night away to Olly Murs tribute act Karl Lewis in the packed Evesham restaurant before heading to bed.
Studley Castle’s evening shows (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)
You leave knowing you’ve had an amazing time, wondering just how you packed it all in and why you haven’t tried a child-free holiday break before.
* Breaks at Studley Castle include breakfast, three-course dinners, entertainment, and access to spa and leisure facilities.
To book your own stay, visit:
Studley Castle Lounge Garden Room (Image: Warner Leisure Hotels)