A birthday trip to Stratford Upon Avon – part 1

It was my birthday last week and I was very kindly invited to stay at the Mercure Stratford upon Avon Shakespeare Hotel, right in the heart of Shakespeare country. Little N, Ian and I packed our bags and headed off on a mini road trip.

The 4-star Mercure Stratford Upon Avon Shakespeare Hotel is situated right in the heart of the historic town of Stratford in an absolutely beautiful building full of character and charm. It is close to lots of restaurants and bars, the canal and theatre. It has 78 rooms each with their own Shakespeare-inspired name, Othello's AA Rosette restaurant, 2 bars and a courtyard garden as well as 3 function rooms. You can dine at Othello’s Brasserie or relax with drinks or afternoon tea in the Quill Bar & Lounge, pictured below.

We arrived at the hotel shortly after lunchtime, were warmly welcomed and checked in quickly, and given the keys to our room. Our room was up some stairs then along two corridors which made us smile because the floors were rickety and several of the doors to the hotel rooms were sloped. It was lovely to see that the hotel had not succumbed during renovation and has managed to keep its 17th century charm - oak-beamed ceilings, open fireplaces and antique furniture – but still providing all of the modern luxuries that you would expect.

Our room, or should I say suite, was huge! Little N’s face was a picture, he was so excited when we walked in. He promptly ran off to investigate whilst we sorted our bags. Our suite featured a spacious seating area with a TV and a small office area with a desk, whilst the main part of the bedroom had our very comfortable king-sized bed, TV, mini-bar and tea & coffee facilities. I’m pretty certain that I have lived in flats that are smaller than this room! The room was clean, tidy and well-presented, with additional pillows and bedding provided as well as a ready-prepared travel cot and bedding for N.

The bathroom was stylishly done and immaculately clean; you’d think it was a brand new fitted bathroom. Lots of towels and toiletries were provided as well as little extras such as a vanity kit, shoe-shiner and shower cap.

After a busy day strolling around Stratford we came back to our hotel room for the night and had quite possibly one of the best night’s sleep EVER. The curtains were all blackout which makes such a difference but most importantly, the hotel is so quiet! Despite being in the centre of town and despite being quite a large, old building, we did not hear a peep from the other rooms or from anywhere else in the hotel. Little N slept soundly in the cot until early morning when he joined us for cuddles in the bed.

All 3 of us woke early and headed down to breakfast; the variety on offer was vast and included a full cooked breakfast, cereals, pastries, fruit and yogurts. Everything was available as a buffet so we could simply help ourselves, other than the toast and hot drinks which were made to order and brought over by the staff. Little N had cereal, toast, bacon and cheese (toddlers eh!), I had eggs, toast and a pastry, while Ian seemed to have a plate full of meat and eggs! We were all stuffed to the brim with breakfast, juice and tea and ready for another day exploring gorgeous Stratford.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Mercure Stratford upon Avon Shakespeare Hotel and if we ever go back to Stratford, which I am sure we will, we will certainly book to stay here again. The rooms are fantastic and the location is perfect for seeing the sights.

For more information check out the hotel’s homepage here: http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-6630-mercure-stratford-upon-avon-shakespeare-hotel/index.shtml and if you decide to pay a visit to Stratford, let me know!

Disclosure: Our lovely stay in Stratford was complimentary, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own.