Private cinema, games room, spa treatments, swimming pool and gym make for a unique stay
Stratford Manor Hotel(Image: Provided)
A short drive from Coventry is the Stratford Manor Hotel, a 4* star venue offering something unique.
While many countryside hotels either merely tolerate families or outright don’t allow children, Stratford Manor Hotel has a host of child friendly features so the whole family can have fun.
Set among 21 acres of beautiful grounds ideally located between Coventry, Leamington and Stratford, the hotel offers high end service but in more relaxed, holiday like settings. CoventryLive was recently invited to stay at the hotel to see what it was like.
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Stratford Manor Hotel sits in the Warwickshire countryside but its location just a short drive from the A46 makes it easy to reach by car.
Family rooms come in classic and delux and offer comfort in modern settings while being spacious and aesthetically pleasing. The hotel is split into sections, the rooms spreading out from the central area where the amenities are.
The hotel offers many features for families, including activity packs, a dedicated family games room with table tennis, pool table, arcade games and a family cinema room, where guests can watch their favourite flicks on the big screen, with popcorn, soft drinks fridge and a pic-n-mix station.
These elements make the hotel completely unique – the chance to sit and chill with the family in a little private cinema room, with popcorn, sweets and pop, is a cosy slice of heaven you just don’t expect at a hotel. The games room will also keep you entertained during quieter moments.
At the hotel’s Health Club a decent sized pool offers children’s swim times and is free for guests to enjoy as part of their stay. The spa is an added piece of luxury with friendly specialists whose expertise will leave you floating away during treatments – I had a back message for the first time in my life, deft hands unknotting 40 years of tension.
After a day treating yourself in the spa or burning up an appetite in the pool or the gym, the hotel offers food in the Terrace Bar, which does a much more laid back offer of snacks and sandwiches, or you can go more formal at beautiful Shakespeare Restaurant.
And while I say formal, the restaurant is relaxed, with no obvious dress code – indeed, that overall holiday vibe was added too by people dressed comfortably in shorts and sliders, hair still damp from the pool.
The food is a mixture of your pub style classics – steaks, burgers and fish and chips, mixed with more up market options such as guinea fowl breast and pan fried scallops.
I had a Stilton Panna Cotta (£11.95) to start – this consisted of toasted walnuts, poached pear, red sorrel, herb dressing and rye croutons. The creamy Stilton had the expected strong flavour, not permitted to overcome the dish thanks to the earthy sweetness of the walnuts and the sharp tang of the pear.
Main for me was 8oz Sirloin Steak (£35). 30-day aged Black Angus cooked beautifully medium rare, was smoky, rich and delicious. It came with baby gem and parmesan salad and thick cut chips. Wonderful.
My wife opted for Warm Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia to start (£5.50) followed by The Great British Cheeseburger (£22).
Generous portions meant dessert was a challenge, but the brave soldiers we are, we managed to get something ordered. I had Caramelised Lemon Tart (£10.50) that came with raspberry compote, freeze-dried raspberry and raspberry sorbet. It was perfectly light and delightfully palate-cleansing after the decadent prior courses. My good lady had the Biscoff Cheesecake (£11.95) which was indulgent and delicious, served with Caramelised banana and salted caramel ice cream.
For breakfast a continental spread featuring the usual suspects – pastries, cereal, toast, as well as a buffet style hot breakfast you help yourself to.
Room prices vary depending on style and demand, but at the time of writing the cheapest starts around £137. They also offer deals throughout the year so it is worth keeping an eye out on their website. Overall there is so much to do at the hotel, and service is delivered with a smile and warmth that makes you feel like your experience matters to staff.
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