The Warwickshire Hotel, with its own private cinema and tempting spa offers

As a Shakespeare fan, the historic market town of Stratford-upon-Avon has always held a special place in my heart. I have visited a few times over the years and stayed at a number of local hotels.

So when Q Hotels launched a series of tempting spring offers earlier this year, I jumped at the chance to try the 4* Stratford Manor hotel’s spa holiday package. Including a one-night stay with dinner and breakfast plus a 25-minute Elemis spa treatment per person and located just 10 minutes from the historic city center, it already sounded ideal for a weekend away, and that was before I discovered the real USP of the hotel. – a private cinema.

Stratford Manor is just 20 minutes’ drive from Coventry, making it ideal for a short break close to home. Arriving early on a Saturday afternoon, we were greeted by friendly and attentive front desk staff who got us checked in and ready for our spa experience. The spa manager was knowledgeable and happy to answer questions about the treatments on offer, especially from my husband who is less experienced with spa visits.

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The Spa at Stratford Manor and parent company Q Hotels work in partnership with skincare royalty Elemis, so we jumped at the chance to have a facial using the brand’s much-loved products. The Personalized Express Facial left my skin absolutely glowing and so clear that I didn’t even wear makeup at our dinner party. I also loved the Freestyle Deep Tissue Back massage, which combined light, medium and firm pressure, leaving me completely relaxed despite the usual shoulder tension from hunching over a desk every day.

As my husband has problems with back pain, he went straight for the Fit For Business 50 minute back ritual in the hope of a miracle cure. After a back scrub and mask, exfoliation and a firm but not painful deep tissue massage, he emerged refreshed and with more freedom of movement in his shoulders. A little soreness was to be expected given the work involved after long hours in an office chair, and he said he’d be willing to try again.

We were each given a lovely Elemis goodie bag at the end of our treatment, complete with body lotion, shower gel and lavender pillow spray which was a nice touch. Spa Package – from £218 for a one-night stay with dinner and breakfast plus a 25-minute treatment, or from £238 to include a 50-minute treatment, also included access to the rest of the Club health – complete with a gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room.

If you want to visit for a day rather than staying over, Stratford Manor also currently has a number of tempting offers for a spa day on Wowcher. Package deals start from £64 for a luxury spa day, which includes spa access, bathrobe, towels and a 25-minute treatment, from £99 to include a 50-minute treatment, glass of Prosecco and Lunch. Deals also include a £5 spa voucher and can be upgraded from £120 to include two treatments and a £10 spa voucher.

Stepping into our superior room feeling thoroughly refreshed, we were greeted with two fluffy white robes and a range of luxurious Prija bath products in the bathroom, as well as a generously stocked free minibar with beer, wine and soft drinks and a Nespresso machine.

Going to dinner at the hotel’s Shakespeare restaurant, I discovered that the package included a £32 dinner allowance on a varied three-course menu, which included vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. The manager was cheerful and we saw her circulating and chatting with guests between courses throughout the evening which created a delightful and friendly atmosphere.

For starters, my husband enjoyed a pea and mint soup, while I tucked into a richer truffle mushroom tartare while sharing a bowl of balsamic pickled onions (we enjoyed it so much so we vowed to try to recreate them at home). For mains, he opted for a cheesy mushroom burger, which arrived topped with Cornish brie and caramelised onion chutney, while I enjoyed a baked fillet of sea bass, which was presented precisely on top of a bed of gnocchi with herbs, leeks and samphire in a delicious. mussel sauce with saffron cream. With plenty of room to sample the desserts, my husband enjoyed the warm polenta cake with lemon and raspberry ice cream and, “forced down” a rich dark chocolate fondant with a sweet honeycomb ice cream.

We can’t sum up a stay at Stratford Manor without mentioning one of its star attractions – the cinema hall. Featuring a state-of-the-art 85-inch screen with Netflix access and Dolby Surround sound, this room is truly something special. It boasts eight reclining seats with cup holders (the front row seats even have massage functions) and a fully stocked snack table with a pick-n-mix station, soft drink fridge and popcorn machine. corn for a complete cinematic experience.

Although there were only two of us on our trip, we agreed that this room would be perfect for longer family stays to entertain the kids. We chose to watch Top Gun: Maverick because we wanted to choose a cinematic film that would justify using the big screen. It really was the highlight of our trip and such a unique feature. The room is open daily from 8:00am to 11:00pm for guests to reserve free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis and can be booked at reception.

Our room boasted a large and comfortable bed with white bed linen and good quality blackout curtains – something I struggle to sleep without. The only (minor) problem was the lack of a power socket by the bed, essential for those of us who indulge in late-night market browsing sessions. That being said, after a relaxing day at the spa, I had no trouble sleeping soundly without having to reach for my phone for once.

Waking up fully refreshed we enjoyed a buffet breakfast at the Shakespeare restaurant which had plenty of choice and good quality hot food. There was also a menu of additional items cooked to order upon request. The hearty breakfast set us up perfectly for a beautiful sunny day exploring historic Stratford-upon-Avon less than 10 minutes from the hotel, enjoying a river cruise and a visit to Shakespeare’s birthplace .

To book a stay at Stratford Manor or a spa experience, book directly through Q Hotels or visit Booking.com or Wowcher.