Spending a mini-break away in the heart of England at the stunning Coombe Abbey Hotel with Jonathan has been a fabulous way to melt away those winter blues that inevitably come after Christmas. We set off from our cottage in the early hours of the morning whilst it was still dark outside, eager to arrive and settle into our room and start enjoying a peaceful retreat somewhere spectacular.
Coombe Abbey Hotel is steeped in history dating back to the 12th century and has housed Royals (Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James I) and even been part of the infamous Gunpowder Plot.
Once we arrived, we were not disappointed; as soon as you enter the grounds, you’re surrounded by beauty and luxury. The drive down to the house is magnificent, going over a small bridge with Disney-like towers on either side and overlooking the most beautiful moat. The drive then ends with a stunning turning circle, welcoming you to the entrance of the hotel. On arrival, keep an eye out for the punts (something not to miss if you have time) they sit to the right of the bridge and are run by Abbey Punts. It really made us feel like we had stepped onto a film set and should we visit again in the summer (we are considering this for my birthday), I will be very keen to try it out.
The hotel is family friendly, so if you have a little one like us with baby Tabitha, you will be welcomed with open arms. All the staff were really friendly and wanted to say hello and didn’t bat an eyelid when she decided to scream the place down! It’s the first time Jon and I have gone out with her for dinner and felt comfortable in such a situation (especially as first time parents) as usually we’d want to retreat at speed back to our room or home, but in this case we waited and after a few minutes she calmed right down and went to sleep on me.
When we were shown to our room I was so touched that Tabitha had a little teddy waiting for her in her cot (all provided by the hotel). The Little Lord of Coombe is now her all time favourite toy and she spent the weekend with my Mum (for our Mother’s Day retreat) giggling at him and reaching out for cuddles which was so lovely to see.
Visiting the hotel with my Mum was also a real treat, as we hadn’t been away together in years and certainly not as a family with Tabitha, it was really special, and we sat in the most perfect spot to enjoy a special Afternoon Tea (we even got the famous bird cage seat!). I would highly recommend visiting Coombe Abbey Hotel for Mother’s Day if you’re looking to spend the day out somewhere with your Mum, Grandma, children, or any loved ones! They have been named one of the top afternoon tea sites in the UK to enjoy traditional afternoon tea – and enjoy it we did!
After Afternoon Tea you can take a stroll around the grounds and visit the formal gardens, which we really enjoyed doing! Mum wrapped up warm (as it was a little chilly) and took Tabitha off on an adventure round the grounds, lake and down an incredible walkway of trees which she loved looking up at from her pram.
You can now book tickets for Mother’s Day (19th March 2023), where you can enjoy afternoon tea in the hotels famous marquee and enjoy live entertainment from Jordan Williams as Michael Bublé (as seen on ITV’s Starstruck!) You can learn more here
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Currently, the hotel has a wonderful staycation package that Jonathan and I experienced a few weeks ago. The package is only £399 and includes a two night stay, 3-course evening meal in the beautiful Garden Room Restaurant, breakfast each morning and a stay in one of the most fantastic rooms – a feature double (which was the coolest room we have ever stayed in).
The offer for the staycation package runs from the 11th January to 31st March.
On-site at Coombe Abbey you can also explore The Avenue at Coombe which is home to The Sundae Club Dessert Diner, The Abbey Artisan Market, Flowers at Coombe and Café in the Park!
If you’re looking to visit on a Stag / Hen do (or really for any occasion) you can do so too! There are some great onsite activities such as Go Ape, you can check out some of the hotels other events here, or if you want to get married at this magical venue, there’s plenty of packages to discover.
Whilst we were at the hotel we noticed two of the rooms (The Walnut & Kellway) were beautifully set up for events going on at the hotel and would make the perfect spot for private dining if you’re looking for something special with friends and/or family. My favourite of the two was the Kellway purely for the beautiful bookcase, but the Walnut overlooks the formal gardens, so it really depends on what you’re after. Maybe you want to indulge in Coombes history, then The Harrington is for you. Named after John Harrington who acquired Coombe Abbey in 1581, The Harrington features original window etchings created by the lady of the house herself from 1807.
During your visit, I would highly recommend having a good look around and taking in all the art and architecture on show. Not only are there some amazing things to see such as old tapestries and religious art, but you might spot the tomb of a Bishop on your walks as well.
The rooms we stayed in were beautiful on our visit; Jon and I had the most stunning feature room (The Nesfield) which had an upstairs! This is the first hotel I have ever stayed in with two floors and best thing of all, it’s not expensive to stay there. The upstairs of our room had a stunning roll top bath and a walk-in steam room / shower which I am sure you could fit a small army in.
Downstairs on the main floor of our room we had a huge cosy bed, a cot for Tabitha and half a dozen chairs dotted around the room with plenty of storage space and my gosh did we feel like Royalty! I can only imagine how it must have been for Princess Elizabeth when she stayed at the Abbey, but I am sure she didn’t get a steam room!
With special thanks to Her Country Living for writing this blog post of their Staycation and Mother’s Day visit. To see some videos, please make sure to check out her social pages, Her Country Living on TikTok and Instagram. If you’d like to find out more about the hotel and book your own visit then click here.