A weekend away at Warners Heythrop Park Hotel promised to be a very different weekend from our stays at their other hotels. This is their newest hotel and a lot of money had been spent modernising it. Plus we would be in the Cotswolds and there would be interesting places to visit.
Friday 26th April 2024: Heythrop Park
The M4 was very busy and we were held up by the sheer volume of traffic as we went through roadworks. We decided to take a more back road route to the hotel. After leaving the M4 we followed the Cirencester Road (A419) until we reached Highworth Road (A361).
This road took us through the South Marston Industrial Estate which had been the home of Honda in Swindon. The holdups and delays had thrown our timing out and before we reached Highworth we spotted a sign for a farm shop.
Red Down Farm Shop
The entrance to the farm shop was narrow and driving into the yard there did not look to be very much space for parking. The car we followed in did a U-turn and headed back out through the entrance. We were then the only car in the yard.
Once inside we were warmly greeted by a lady behind the counter. The walls by the door were covered with shelves full of jars. At the side were tables of produce including eggs.
We added a slice of Victoria sponge to our order of two teas. After our slow journey the cake and tea were very welcome. On our way out we picked up a dozen farm eggs for when we were back home.
The choice of a back road to Heythrop Park did make for some interesting driving. On the outskirts of one of the villages we followed a combine harvester. Going through the narrow streets and past all the parked cars was quite a feat for the driver!
Heythrop Park Hotel
The hotel had a very long driveway and after picking up our Welcome Pack we were directed to a car park. We walked up a slope and came to the modern extension that held reception.
The hotel itself is built on a slope and we had to go down in a lift to get to the level of our room.
To reach the restaurant and old house we would have to go up to another level. On the level of reception was the theatre. We were pleased that this was a different place to where we would be eating. So no more bad experiences like we had had at Lakeside earlier in the year.
Up the stairs we ate lunch in “The Travelling Duke” before we went back to our room to unpack. In the Welcome Pack we found a note about an organised coach trip to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. This had been a trip that we had taken and enjoyed at our stay at Littlecote. After a coach ride, a steam train had taken us from Cheltenham Racecourse to Broadway and after a time there back to the hotel. We were unfortunately too late here at Heythrop Park as the coach was fully booked already.
To reach the restaurant (on the upper floor) we walked along a corridor with a view into the quadrangle that the new part of the hotel was built around.
We could imagine just how popular this would be in the Summer. But this weekend it looked a little forlorn as the rain came down.
Our room in Heythrop Park
I don’t think I have ever been in a hotel room with so many sockets! Plus USB sockets at the bedside.
A downside was that our window was sealed.
The weather now looked OK so we went out into the grounds to do some exploring.
The smell of wild garlic was everywhere as we walked through the woods. Following a road we passed through part of the golf course and came to the barns and garages of the groundkeepers. Piled up in one corner were boxes from firework displays.
Our evening meal in The Travelling Duke
Our dinner reservations were in the Travelling Duke. After a short wait we were taken to a table.
The meal was excellent and the service was impeccable.
Owen James as Sting
After our meal we made our way to see Owen James play Sting. We had no trouble finding a table with a great view of the stage.
This evening he was wasn’t playing with the band that he tours with, the Rozzers. The show was excellent. I did get a wisecrack from him when he asked what were the audiences’ favourites? I had shouted “The Seventh Wave”. His answer “OK, so someone here even likes his B-Sides”.
