I was invited here as a PR stay, but all words & opinions are my own.
Hotel Indigo, Stratford-upon-Avon
We arrived and walked from the station, which took around 15 minutes, and checked in quickly; at check-in we were able to book our breakfast slot for the next two days, and then we headed up to our room. The hotel has both Tudor rooms and contemporary rooms; we were in a gorgeous contemporary room, and it did not disappoint. We had a large Hypnos bed (super comfy) as well as plenty of Shakespeare-themed decor... but it was subtle and stylish enough not to feel like overkill, which I think is no mean feat.
The room had the bed, as mentioned, with a bedside table on each side, a desk & chair, another comfy chair with a little table (the perfect reading nook...) and a wardrobe complete with hanging space on one side and a world of excitement on the other. This side had a fridge, stocked with water/soft drinks/milk as well as a coffee machine with everything you'd need for tea and coffee. There was a hairdryer and ironing board too, should you need them. The bathroom was huge, with a sink, mirror, toilet and spacious shower. I loved the pattern of the tiles in the shower, and I loved it even more that the sticker on the toilet roll perfectly matched the tiles! It's the little things...
There is also a TV with plenty of channels, and some really roomy drawers should you have a lot of clothes with you. There's two mirrors in the room, too, great for getting ready! So that's the room, which I was so impressed with. The staff were generally really friendly, too, and there's a lovely garden area as well as various nooks to sit in and relax. They use Bramley toiletries which all smell AMAZING and feel lovely on the skin/hair. I'll definitely be buying myself some as a treat in the future... There is parking on site too, if you need it.
Breakfast was amazing, I have to say; you get a continental breakfast included and can then pay extra for hot dishes. The standard breakfast included toast and pastries, juices, smoothies, coffee/tea, cereal, cheeses and other bits & bobs. The hot menu included French toast, a full English and so on - my fiancée had the full English while I asked for sausage and hash brown on a brioche bun, which was just gorgeous. The breakfast manager on duty was SO friendly and couldn't do enough for us.
Hotel Indigo: the location
As mentioned, the hotel is smack bang in the centre of town - many of the Tudor rooms have views of Shakespeare's New Place, which shows you how central it is. It's within walking distance of everything, pretty much; Shakespeare's School is around the corner, and Sheep Street is super close which is full of restaurants, bars and so on. The river and RSC theatre are around a 5-10 minute walk away, if that, and the station is around 15 minutes away on foot. So, honestly, you couldn't get better in terms of the location of the Hotel Indigo, Stratford-upon-Avon.
I should also mention there is a gym and a lovely lounge within the hotel, so you don't even need to leave if you don't want to... but there really is so much to do in this beautiful part of the UK!
The Woodsman at the Hotel Indigo, Stratford-upon-Avon
Attached to the hotel is a stunning restaurant called The Woodsman, owned by restaurateur Mike Robinson. And let me tell you, the food is spectacular. I knew it would be, as he owns the restaurant at the Chester location which we visited earlier in the year, but WOW. We were blown away! I had a Shakespeare Distillery gin with lemonade and my other half opted for a glass of red wine, then it was time to order the food... We ordered the Raviolo of wild Rabbit & Berkswell cheese with butternut squash, pickled mushroom, brown butter and garden sage to share. Let me tell you, I wish we'd ordered one each. It was absolutely sensational, everything about it, and I could have eaten a whole bowl of them!
For our main, we opted for the £60 sharing platter; this was a lamb shoulder with crispy garlic potatoes, hispi cabbage with a yoghurt dressing, and woodfired aubergine. The lamb was so tender, just falling right off the bone, and full of flavour. The potatoes were 10/10 and the aubergine was so tasty too; I liked the cabbage, although I wasn't so keen on the dressing, but all in all this platter was unreal. There was probably enough food for three!
The staff within the restaurant were SO knowledgeable about the food and drinks; the table next to us had the tasting menu with wine pairings, and everyone seemed to know everything about each dish and beverage which is a testament to how well the restaurant is run. There is even a private dining area (photo below) which would be *perfect* for special family events. Sooo rustic and charming. Even if you're not staying at the Indigo, I'd highly recommend a visit to the Woodsman in Stratford-upon-Avon!
All in all, the Hotel Indigo in Stratford-upon-Avon is definitely on my list if you're looking for Stratford accommodation. We're hoping to head back next year, and I already can't wait...
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