If you like the outdoors but are not quite brave enough to weather the cooler nights ahead, you may want to think about booking a stay in a lodge that embraces the outdoors and indoors with seamless precision. And one place that does this effortlessly is Darwin Escapes holiday homes and, in particular, their lodges situated just outside Stratford-upon-Avon.
Stratford-upon-Avon is a medieval market town in England’s West Midlands and the 16th-century birthplace of William Shakespeare – possibly the most famous writer in the English language. And it’s also home to one of Darwin Escapes holiday resorts, where you can rent a holiday lodge for a few nights break away from your everyday life.
My abode for a couple of nights was the Claverdon Lodge, a self-catered accommodation. Although it felt like a million miles from all the hustle and bustle I’m accustomed to, although it’s actually just a mere few minutes drive from the city centre, Compton Verney and Warwick Castle. But sat in the middle of the countryside next to an airfield, I felt as far removed from urban life as one can.
The lodge itself is nothing short of having the wow factor. It is a bright open-spaced lodge with the living area and kitchen at its centre, with a multitude of modern culinary luxuries and two rooms coming off the side, both with ensuites. The ‘home from home’ comforts didn’t end with the kitchen and the island for cooking.
The luxury lodge accommodation options came with a widescreen TV, bathroom goodies, and an outdoor area to make the most of the countryside. Sadly, ours looked into the car park and bushes, while all of the other lodges faced the countryside with stunning views.
Some of the lodges here are also available with hot tubs. Just make sure that you specify these as a requirement when making your lodge holiday booking so as to take full advantage of a spa and admire the outstanding views of the British landscape here on your doorstep.
The lodge is great if you’re looking to just park up here with little to do. There isn’t much to do on the actual site, but you can, of course, always venture out to the nearby city centre and enjoy the hustle and bustle from shopping to theatre shows. Stratford—upon-Avon is full of history, and you can explore the local area on your break away with sites, including Shakespeare’s house.
You can choose to walk the trail of his life, visiting his birth house and final resting place. There are a plethora of stunning country walks around the resort, which you can take delight in before retreating back to your luxurious lodge in the peaceful countryside.
Darwin Escapes currently operates 24-holiday resorts and three golf courses across the UK, offering holiday breaks, holiday home ownership and golf breaks. They offer a wide range of holiday accommodation at its holiday resorts, ranging from romantic boutique escapes to luxury lodge retreats and traditional family-focused holiday parks. All locations boast state-of-the-art and diverse accommodation, with some offering on-site facilities including spas, gyms, restaurants and activities.
The company also acquired the Stratford Armouries site. The museum itself has been temporarily closed throughout 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Stratford Armouries opened in 2006 and has hosted the Convoy for Heroes Land Rover display, which raises money for Help for Heroes and other charity events.
The museum houses a collection of artefacts associated with Winston Churchill, formerly housed at Bletchley Park. There are plans to enhance the exhibits on show when it reopens.
Getting out in the beautiful countryside is a true luxury in itself. These lodges allow plenty of light in and have huge doors opening out to the balcony so you can have the best of both worlds.
The only downside here was the timings of your stay. Check-in time is 5 pm, while check-out was disappointingly early at 9 am (but I am assured that this is due to Covid so they can get the lodges thoroughly clean). Still, when you take a break for a few days, the last thing you’ll want is to feel rushed, and after what was a good couple of days, I am quite sure that most people would rather have a different final memory of their stay.
Where and How?
The Darwin Escapes luxury lodges are available to book for three-, four- and seven-night breaks in the beautiful countryside, just outside of Stratford-upon-Avon. They can be found in Gospel Oak Lane, Pathlow, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 0JA.
For more information, visit https://darwinescapes.co.uk/stratford-retreat/.
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