With a staycation firmly on the cards for many this summer, we headed to popular tourist destination Stratford-Upon-Avon to visit the recently reopened Hotel Indigo. Whilst the town is currently without the throng of international tourists that usually descend there in the summer months, restaurants are beginning to now open their doors with the Bard’s birthplace following suit.
With easy travel from many large cities via the M40, this town offers riverside walks, dining with a view and plenty of history. Right in the centre of it all, adjacent to Shakespeare’s New Place (sadly not opening until 2021), is 93-bedroom boutique Hotel Indigo.
THE HOTEL INDIGO EXPERIENCE
It’s worth briefly touching on the check-in experience of Hotel Indigo and how it’s been adapted for guests during the times of COVID-19. Check-in was easy and felt extremely safe: reception staff all wore masks; booked breakfast times staggered guests and the hand sanitising stations and floor arrows kept us a safe distance from all other guests. Checkout was non-contact with billing sent to guests for approval the evening before checkout.
On-site parking (at £10 for 24 hours) was ample and conveniently attached to the hotel; meaning we didn’t need to worry about braving it on public transport either.
THE ROOMS AT HOTEL INDIGO
Hotel Indigo is a grade 2 listed building which means many of the rooms home authentic architecture with modern twists. The Tudor Suite is a spacious sleep and living space: privately tucked away at the end of a corridor with its own entrance way, bathroom, bedroom and living room.
In keeping with the original features of the building, the room does lose the open space feel you get with most suites (with the living space separately tucked away under a low beamed ceiling) but there’s no denying it has plenty of character and feels as grand and historic as its location. There are plenty of modern flourishes too: the spa-like bathroom with an impressive roll top bath tub was a highlight, the Nespresso machine a welcome touch and, although the bedroom wasn’t particularly big, it’s inviting double bed was exceptionally comfortable.
The hamper of bathrobes and bath salts and mini bar with complimentary cold drinks also made us feel a little more at home.
DINING AT HOTEL INDIGO
The Woodsman, the hotel’s adjoining restaurant, is open Wednesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner. We were lucky enough to catch Sunday dinner at The Woodsman on a previous trip, and it’s certainly worth visiting. Our second return was understandably a quieter affair but even though it can’t replicate the crowded atmospheric conditions of its pre-coronavirus state, the modern space still offers plenty of character, cosy chairs to curl up in and a great wine list.
If you’d prefer to make the most of your suite, both breakfast-in-bed and room service is available. Otherwise, breakfast to order is available in the Woodsman which needs to be booked on check-in. The smoked salmon and eggs were exceptionally good (£20 when purchased separately but included in the room rate) although morning service was a little slow as the hotel adapted to its return of guests.
VERDICT
With an unbeatable location, an impressive eatery and suites full of impressive architecture, Hotel Indigo blends both old and new to offer the perfect boutique hotel for your trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Find out more and book a stay on the Hotel Indigo Stratford-Upon-Avon website.
Jenna Farmer is a freelance journalist and blogger. She writes regularly for Top Sante, The Independent and Metro Online- as well as running her own blog A Balanced Belly about gluten-free, healthy travels and her pregnancy journey.
