The reception desk at the Thornbury Castle hotel must be one of the most impressive in the country. We’ve had to sidle past a full suit of armour to reach it, and its carved wooden spires tower high above us – and yes, this is just the desk.
The walls of the lobby it sits in are covered in tapestries, and the ceiling is embossed with coats of arms. As first impressions go, it’s quite overwhelming.
Mind you, if it were any different it wouldn’t fit with the rest of the hotel. Thornbury is the only Tudor castle in England to function as a hotel, and when there aren’t expensive sports cars driving into the courtyard, it’s easy to imagine you’ve jumped back 500 years.
Rooms
Today’s visitors are following in the substantial footsteps of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who stayed here and slept in the Duke’s Bedchamber.
Guests staying in any of the 27 rooms will feel they’ve stepped back in time – our octagonal room, half-way up the tower, had a four-poster bed, a roaring fire and an ornate stained-glass window in the bathroom.
Two of our windows overlooked the grounds to the front of the castle, where the gentle green rows of its centuries-old vineyard stretch alongside the drive; the others had views of the ornamental gardens, where a wedding party was being photographed among the full-blown roses and tall yew hedges.
On the front lawn we tried our hand at archery and croquet with limited success and a complete disregard for the rules, before wandering through the Privy and Goodly Gardens, the oldest Tudor gardens in England.
Dining
In our room, homemade shortbread and sherry were waiting before we headed down to dinner. Guests can sip pre-dinner drinks in the lounge or library, both lavishly furnished with antique furniture – vast armchairs, ancient globes, more armour and dark severe portraits of Tudor aristocracy.
The dining room itself is equally grand, more fitting to a hushed dinner-a-deux than a raucous party. The food is exceptional – many locals splash out on a meal at the castle to mark a special occasion. The castle’s own white wine was a lovely light accompaniment to the meal.
Location
Thornbury is a wonderfully quaint Gloucestershire village – period properties snake up the hill from the castle to the centre, where delis, restaurants and olde-worlde pubs abound.
The village is just north of the M4/M5 interchange at Bristol, placing it within easy reach to explore the Cotswolds, the Wye Valley and the Welsh borders.
To the south, Bath, Stonehenge, Glastonbury and Cheltenham racecourse are nearby. Deputy manager Jonathan Barker couldn’t have been more helpful with directions, he drew us a map to make sure we found the quickest route to Tintern Abbey, a pretty half-hour drive away.
Any clients who entertain delusions of grandeur, have the urge to play princess for a weekend or simply love historic houses will be thrilled by Thornbury. It’s a pricey option but pays back in spades with atmosphere and impeccable service.
Hideaways
Thornbury belongs to the Von Essen hotel group, which owns 29 historic hotels across the UK and offers agents 10% commission. Now, at six of these properties, guests can choose to stay in a luxury ‘hideaway’ instead of at the hotel.
Thornbury offers the Victorian gatehouse at the end of the castle drive. This cute two-bedroom cottage backs on to the vineyard and has its own small garden and lovely views of the village church.
It would suit families who want the luxury of the hotel with the convenience of their own space, sleeping up to four adults and two children. There’s a well-equipped kitchen and a cosy lounge, plus two bathrooms, one with a Jacuzzi bath.
It’s not quite as plush as the hotel in places, but has the idiosyncratic air of a rich person’s pad in the country – the kind of place you want to pretend is your own.
Similar cottages, lodges and houses are available at Ston Easton Park near Bath; The Royal Crescent in Bath; Sharrow Bay, Lake District; Cliveden, Berkshire; and Ickworth, Suffolk, all part of Von Essen’s Luxury Hideaway range.
Other castle hotels
Parador de Alarcon: Sitting on a promontory above the river Jucar near Cuenca, this 8th-century Moorish fortress is just outside the medieval Spanish town of Alarcon. Home to King Alfonso VIII in the 12th century, it’s seen many battles and sieges. With its solid original stone walls and modern oak furnishings this castle combines history and modernity in a sleek and classy style.
Castello del Nero: Nestled in Italy’s Chianti region, surrounded by 700 acres of rolling Tuscan hills, this castle has the sandy stone and red tiles so typical of this area. Inside, stucco walls, vaulted ceilings and frescoes are in keeping with its 12th-century origins. With only 50 rooms, this beautiful bolthole – complete with spa and wedding chapel – is within spitting distance of Florence, Siena and San Gimignano. castellodelnero.com
Waterford Castle: With a Norman keep, turrets, towers and gargoyles, Waterford Castle, Ireland has medieval accoutrements on tap. It’s also situated on its own private island, accessible by a ferry. Guests staying in one of the 19 rooms can make like royalty and horseride in the surrounding woodland, or for a more modern challenge, play the hotel’s 18-hole golf course.
Hotel Schloss Durnstein: This 17th century Austrian castle belonged for centuries to the Counts of Starhemberg. Converted into a luxury hotel back in 1937, it is packed to the brim with precious antique furniture, parquet floors, and heavy velvet drapes. Its location, right on the banks of the Danube, helps to make it one of Austria’s most prestigious hotels – and one of the first members of Relais & Châteaux outside France.
The Taj Lake Palace: Built in the 18th century as the summer home of Rajasthani Royals, this white marble palace sits in the middle of the lake in Udaipur. Its peaceful courtyards have played host to Hollywood royalty too, in the shape of Vivien Leigh and Jackie Kennedy. Indian silks, ornate carvings and detailed mosaics give it an air of opulent exoticism.
Chateau d’Esclimont
: Just an hour from Paris and near Versailles, this magnificent Renaissance chateau has all the French romance you could wish for, with towers, belfries, filigree railings and a wide moat surrounding it. With in-room massages and evening musical performances, this chateau is perfect for clients looking for their own Marie Antoinette moment.
