Your Guide to a Getaway In Shakespeare’s Stratford
As we approached the impressive 16th Century manor house that was to be our home for the next two days it was impossible not to smile.
Escaping the city for a girls’ weekend away, our Spabreakation had begun.
Alveston Manor sits across the River Avon from Shakespeare’s historic Globe Theatre and is every bit as majestic as pictures promise.
There’s a full gym and a good sized pool at the hotel, an award-winning AA Rosette restaurant, and a separate cosy bar, so we knew we had plenty to keep us entertained and relaxed during our break. But first things first – we left our bags at reception and headed to the spa.
After a heavenly Elemis massage we emerged refreshed and ready to check into our Coach House Suite, part of the original mansion estate. The room was welcoming and traditional with wooden beams and generously sized beds, the bathroom was pristine and stocked with Elemis cosmetics.
Being in a new town with all of the history on offer right on our doorstep, we decided to venture into Stratford itself for the evening.
The twilight sun glinted as we crossed the river into the historic town. Punters, of the arts and on boats, smiled as they took in the view.
Having started our night with a glass of champagne (a very reasonable £8 for Veuve) at the hotel’s Manor Bar, we ventured up Sheep Street – the culinary quarter of the town – in search of dinner. We struck gold with Loxley’s Restaurant and Wine Bar. Stylish and striking, and with the best covers playlist we’ve heard since Mike Flowers Pops, we eagerly ordered a Loxley’s Champagne Cocktail as we studied the plentiful menu. Innovative and exciting, expect quirky twists on classics as well as creative offerings such as our smoked tofu and cauliflower steak main, complemented with lentil and aubergine fritters and a pepper puree.
Our scallops starter was juicy and flavoursome, and the twice baked soufflé simply the best we’ve had. The Gruyère croquettes were light and moreish, and the steak tender and perfectly seasoned. All washed down with a very reasonably priced but delicious Rioja, Loxley’s proved to be the jewel in the much-lauded Sheep Street crown.
Satisfied and sleepy, we returned to The Alveston and bedded down for the night in our comfy room, sheltered from any noise of passing traffic or late night drinkers by trees beyond our window. A day of gin and culture beckoned for the morning.
Breakfast at Alveston Manor is a combination of buffet and cooked to order. The cooked menu offers traditional full English as well as lighter options including Eggs Benedict and smashed avocado on sourdough.
The hotel hosts a lot of conferences during the week, but at weekends is known as a couples destination, spa break bolthole, and wedding venue. Staff are friendly and welcoming, and manager Tim can often be seen greeting guests and overseeing operations.
Unable to avoid a history lesson, we researched local attractions. Stratford has several sites dedicated to Shakespearean history, but Shakespeare’s New Place, where the scribe spent most of his adult life, is the best tourist destination for an all-encompassing experience. It takes about an hour to tour, boasts beautiful gardens, and is great for an overall education on The Bard and his life.
Then it was time for fun in the form of a Juniper-based experience… A short taxi ride out of town takes you to the Shakespeare Distillery – a craft gin distillery that offers tours to gin-lovers curious to find out more about their favourite drink. The tour starts with a history lesson starting at several hundred years BC and brings you right up to the present day boom in the gin industry. Informative and inciteful, Director Peter’s passionate diatribe could lure the most ardent teetotaller into his spirit world. After then being taken into the lab where the magic happens, it’s back through to a group bar where guests can try all three Shakespeare Gin’s, enjoy another little lesson on mixing, and then indulge in a drink before heading back to the centre of town.
Taking around an hour and a half, this Gin Tour is perfect for groups of friends or couples looking for a relaxed afternoon activity. They also host a Gin School where customers can craft their very own gin – an incentive for a return visit if ever we heard one.
After a full day of sightseeing, shopping, and serious gin-drinking, it was back to the hotel for some more R&R. The pool area also houses a steam room and sauna and with floor to ceiling windows on one side is very bright and airy. There are several loungers for those – like us – wanting to take a load off and just chill.
The Globe Theatre is possibly the most famous of sights in Stratford, and that evening we discovered the perfect place from which to watch the world go by as well as glimpse thespians exiting Stage Left into the riverside gardens.
No 44 Brasserie on the Waterside offers unrivalled views of the theatre and is a stone’s throw from the Avon. It also serves the most incredible tapas-style dining you could imagine. To share or not to share – that was the question as we were wowed by the pan-Asian inspired dishes on offer.
Tofu spring rolls – fresh and flavoursome, Salt & Pepper Squid with ginger and chilli – fresh and juicy, Grilled aubergine mushroom duxelle – a tarragon flavoured taste of heaven, and the most refreshing pear and endive salad with a Roquefort dressing, each plate seemed to superceded the last in terms of taste and quality.
We opted for the house Cuvee Paul Bocuse French white which paired perfectly with the instense flavours of our meal.
Service from waiter Emil was attentive and friendly, and we could easily have stayed until the early hours, but the train back to town loomed early next day so we returned to our Alveston home for a final nightcap then hit the sack.
Stratford-Upon-Avon is less than two hours drive from central London and trains travel direct from London Marylebone in around two hours.
- Belle was a guest of The Alveston Manor MacDonald hotel, all views expressed are honest reflections of our experience.
