rickmav

We have rented cottages in Ludlow (Friday-Friday) and Stratford (Saturday-Saturday) for two consecutive weeks. On the Friday we check out of Ludlow, and we are looking for a lovely hotel, B&B, or inn that we can stay on that night somewhere between Ludlow and Stratford. (We can't check in to the Stratford cottage until Saturday night.) We'd pay up to 100 pounds for the night if it was something special, but don't need anything fancy. We want to know that we are in England, so no North American-style blandness. We are a rapidly aging married couple of the late 50/early 60s vintage. We can't get in to the Stratford cottage until 3 p.m. so if there was something in the neighbourhood of the Friday night accommodation that we could check out in the morning, all the better. Thanks for any help.

RM67

Just to clarify, I take it you mean Stratford Upon Avon. Not Stratford, East London?

janisj

The two are so very near each other (less than a 2 hour drive) you are sort of building in an 'artificial' stop over. So IMO you could go anywhere in almost any direction for that one nighter.

How about doen into the mid-Cotswolds. Burford for instance is about 2 hours from Ludlow and then you'd have about an hour north to Stratford the next day. Or just about anywhere in the Cotswolds would work

janisj

should say >> . . . down into the mid-Cotswolds <<

janisj

and yes -- I'm assuming you mean Stratford-upon-Avon . . .

rickmav

Yes, sorry, I do mean Stratford on Avon. We know the Cotswolds fairly well and could pick a place we've stayed at before, but I was sort of hoping that there were some special places fodorites had discovered for an anniversary, or where they would go to get away from it all, or even for a "dirty" weekend. I know janisj you will have some wonderful memories of interesting places, in Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, or even a detour into Wales and then circle south. (And I am not prying into details of your love life!) For example, we once stayed in a room above the pub at the Falkland Arms in Great Tew. Fabulous village, great pub, tiny, deluxe rooms. Any ideas?

janisj

Some ideas (not about my love life )

http://www.thekinghamplough.co.uk Above your budget and the rooms are on the funky side . . . but oh my goodness the food! Gourmet breakfasts included and a nice pub/restaurant w/ evening meals.

http://thefiveallsfilkins.co.uk/sleep is a little over your budget -- nice pub w/ rooms

I haven't stayed here but have had drinks -- I think it is in your budget http://theploughinncoldaston.co.uk

janisj

Oh - I omitted this very nice B&B in Fullbrook, just up the road from Burford which is just about my favorite town in the area.

http://www.burfordbedandbreakfast.co.uk

I'm pretty sure it is w/i your budget.

sofarsogood

I would head to Wales - try Hay on Wye

http://www.sawdays.co.uk/find#!Searc...B&display=list

but if you want to stay closer to Stratford then have a look at these suggestions for Warwickshire

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ho...re-hotels.html

http://www.sawdays.co.uk/find#!Searc...e&display=list

ESW

Have you thought about the Welsh Borders?

The White Horse Inn, Clun is a delightful C15th pub with lots of character selling a good range of real ale and home cooked meals.
http://www.whi-clun.co.uk/

Another alternative is Bishops Castle. The Castle Hotel may be a bit above your price range but does excellent meals and also has a good range of real ale. Old Time on High Street is another C15th building with Tourist Information and hand made chairs on the ground floor and B&B above.
http://www.oldtime.co.uk/

Claremont is a large Victorian House with a lot of style.
http://www.bishopscastlebandb.co.uk/

If you are wanting an evening meal there is also the Six Bells at the bottom of high street. This is a brew pub making some of the best beer in the area and also does excellent bar type meals.
http://www.sixbellsbrewery.com/SixBells/

Any of these would meet your criteria. They are quintessentially English and not of touch of 'North American-style blandness'.

This is the area written about by AE Houseman in his "A Shropshire Lad".
http://www.bigeye.com/housman.htm

rickmav

Wow. Thanks so much for the suggestions. I will enjoy my Sunday coffee and have a slow read through them all. I knew I could count on you.

annhig

reminding myself from a map about places within reasonable distance of both Ludlow and Stratford, both Hereford and Malvern sprang to mind.

Years ago [about 40!] we stayed at the Abbey Hotel in Malvern but the prices on the website are a bit higher than your budget:

https://gc.synxis.com/?Hotel=14311&_...utmk=175035810

you might do better with booking.com etc. - the prices on TA for the same friday night in june were slightly cheaper there. or a B&B in Malvern - there are bound to be some nice ones.

rickmav

Thank you again for all your suggestions. I have reviewed the websites and have sent a number of emails to those that look the most interesting. Janisj - your suggestions are spot on. The Kingham Plough unfortunately has a 2 day min. at that time of year. We stayed in that village a few years ago, met the elderly fellow who brewed his own cider - he owned (I think) a self-catering cottage you rented. Think The Plough Inn in Cold Aston and the Burford B&B are exactly what we are looking for. Sofarsogood - thank you for providing the Alastair Sawday's website. I've never seen it before. Really wonderful places to look at. I only wish I'd had a look through there before I booked the rest of our holiday. ESW - Have sent some emails to places you suggested. Area looks lovely. I know I will be trying to add another week on to our holiday. Just means we get to go to the U.K. again! Annhig - thanks for the Abbey in Malvern. It is over our price range but I have looked at some other places in the area. I believe Madresfield is located somewhere around here (I could be way off). Is the home Evelyn Waugh used for Brideshead Revisited. Have always wanted to see it. Thanks again to all of you. Perfect.

ESW

Madresfield Court is just outside Malvern and is only 40 miles from Ludlow. According to its website, it is only open by appointment between April and July.
http://www.elmley.org.uk/pages/madresfield_court.asp

annhig

I'd never even heard of Madresfield, but I'm glad that you've found somewhere of interest, rickmav, albeit by such a circuitous route.

janisj

If you stay in/near Great Malvern . . . something that may or may not interest you is a tour of the Morgan factory. Really Fascinating.

http://www.morgan-motor.co.uk/factorytours/

But you'd need to leave your cottage early to make the 10AM tour - it is a little under an hour's drive from Ludlow.

PalenQ

I think Stonehenge and Avebury Circle might not be too much of a detour off the main route and Salisbury is a sweet sweet town - no not direct but as janisj says it's only two hours between your start and end place. Just thinking outside the direct box.

Shrewsbury near Ludlow is worth a quick look over too en route to wherever you're going - a really neat old town on a river - if you have not included it on your Ludlow area do so!

Iron Bridge Gorge is right close to Ludlow too and could be a few-hour stop en route to your first day destination. The birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in some ways and the first real use of iron as a building material - the Iron Bridge itself being testimony to that.

rickmav

Thank you all for information on Madresfield and janisj for Morgan Factory. Also palenq for sightseeing info. I'm always amazed at how much a small island can captivate me after all these years.