My Kingdom for Billesley Manor Hotel and Spa!
There’s evidence of the Bard everywhere you look in Stratford-Upon-Avon, aka Shakespeare country, and not least in the Billesley Manor and Spa. Behiye Hassan took a trip back in time to this historic and atmospheric hotel, with Shaky’s thumbprint all over it…
Just three miles from Stratford Upon Avon lies the village of Billesley. This small village is home to just six houses, so it might seem like an unlikely destination for a weekend getaway. But Billesley Manor and Spa might just change your mind. A member of Bespoke Hotels, the 16th century property is surrounded by 11 acres of rural countryside, complete with a 11th century church and a listed topiary garden. And as our car pulled into the long country lane, it was these magical acres of woodland we cruised through, as we approached the gorgeous luxury manor house.
Steeped in history, Billesley Estate dates back to 705 AD – it’s even listed in in the 1086 Domesday book. And one historical figure in particular has his quill-marks all over it. You guessed it, William Shakespeare was a frequent visitor, making use of the extensive library. The panelling, which adorned the original library is even thought to have come from Shakespeare’s Stratford home; while one of the bedrooms is called ‘Shakespeare’s Room’ in his honour.
In 2019, the historic house received an extensive £5.6m refurbishment, and now boasts 71 bedrooms. We checked in to the spacious room No1, right above the reception, luxuriating in the king-size bed, and the view from the large window that looks out to the front of the hotel. And, indeed, what light through yonder window breaks! Or at least a gorgeous glimpse of the green acres. As Shakespeare wrote in As You Like It, “I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it”.
Freshening up in the sizeable bathroom, we were reminded that the hotel’s gradually replacing the small toiletries with full-size bottles; in so doing, saving 49,000 mini bottles otherwise bound for landfill.
Venturing further into the hotel, you’ll find the Great Hall Bar & Lounge, with its stunning original 16th century oak panelling and roaring fire; plus the As You Like It lounge – once the aforementioned library, this is where Shakespeare wrote his comedy of the same name. You feel he’d appreciate the many books that guests can read, plus an array of board games for children.
Taking a stroll around the lovely gardens you’re greeted by an exquisite Topiary Garden (just the place for summer weddings), with its 125-year-old topiaries shaped like chess pieces from Alice in Wonderland. For the kids, there are wildlife trails to discover various little statues dotted around the grounds – and a bug hotel (a replica of the hotel building) is on the way.
Also lying on the hotel grounds is All Saints Church – to this day, an active place of worship for those who live in Billesley village. It’s also one of three churches Shakespeare is rumoured to have married Anne Hathaway in. While the marriage records don’t go back far enough to prove it, their reception has been confirmed to be in a nearby pub. The Bard’s great-granddaughter Elizabeth Nash did marry here, however, making it more likely that he did.
All that history-seeking will doubtless leave you with an appetite – and the hotel has you covered. Here, the world is literally your oyster, and serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea in The Stewart Room, guest can enjoy delicious food using locally sourced ingredients from the new on-site kitchen garden, plus local suppliers and small business, including Springfield Kitchen and Cottage Delight, who supply unusual jams and spreads including Lime Marmalade. We thoroughly recommend the fish finger sandwich with homemade tartare sauce.
Indulged a little too heartily? The hotel’s award-winning spa (2022 Travelers’ Choice Award) contains a 12m swimming pool, lounge and gym, with ESPA treatments designed to rejuvenate as well as relax. We enjoyed a 25-minute back, neck and shoulders massage, releasing all the tension and knots from our shoulders and back.
To spree or not to spree: that is the question. However, should you wish to journeying further afield, the hotel can arrange various experiences and days out in Stratford Upon Avon, having teamed-up with Stratford Town Walk who can organise walking tours and ghost tours. The latter, of course, is great fun: Stratford Upon Avon is said to be one of the most haunted towns in the UK – so perhaps you’ll also get to meet the ghost that supposedly haunts the Mecure Stratford aka ‘The Shakespeare Hotel’.
Speaking of a certain playwright, we also recommend a visit to the Shakespeare Distillery, a carbon neutral family-run affair which the hotel works with every year to put on a gin festival (they’re hoping to create a hotel-branded gin with them in the near future). They recently opened their new store in the town centre called Judith’s which used to be the family home of Shakespeare’s daughter Judith who lived there with her husband for 20 years. After a hearty evening’s gin-tasting, you’ll surely be more than ready for the journey back to one of the hotel’s four-poster beds. All’s well that ends well.