Modern Wedding Venue

My wife and I recently attending a wedding at a large country house hotel in Surrey.  From the outside, it was truly stunning – the manicured lawns, trimmed hedges and far reaching views made it a truly spectacular site!  Though large on the outside, the interior was in a layout that worked perfectly in the 1800’s as someones home, but somewhat fell short as a wedding venue.  Due to horizontal rain that weekend, the reception drinks had been moved inside.  As the wedding breakfast was set up in the main banqueting hall, the reception drinks were held in the rather narrow hallway (not ideal considering that there were 100 of us!)!

Due the slightly cramped conditions, we joined a few others on a light meander around the hotels other downstairs public rooms.  Though I can understand in that in an old building, antique furniture and faded chairs and sofas add a certain charm, when there are actually rips in the said chairs and sofas and the carpet and curtains are actually stained, shabby chic becomes a lot less chic and a lot more shabby!  In a recession I can understand that venues are restricted on their refurbishing budgets but for a premium venue charging premium prices, I did feel the outdated decor did let it down.  Obviously they get people to see through the mess under the ruse of character, a bit of modernising wouldn’t go amiss.

Having visited Stirrups Country House Hotel at the beginning of the year, you can see straight away what a difference spending on the fabric of the building makes.  Though an old Country House, the owners have stylishly upgraded it to the 21st century to give the whole wedding venue a modern feel but without losing the character.  For example, this more modern wedding venue has recently refurbished their main function suite and the modern tartan pattern offsets beautifully with the large oak beams to create a large but truly intimate space for a civil ceremony or wedding breakfast.  Likewise with large manicured gardens surrounding the property, you don’t lose out on the wonderful countryside vistas for photos.  It just goes to prove you can be a Country House Hotel and a modern wedding venue – they are not mutually exclusive!

Luxury Wedding Venues

Your wedding day is one of the most important and special days of your life, and it should run just how you want it. After all, it may be one of the only days where everything can be all about you. It's the opportunity to completely spoil yourself and cater everything to how you like it. An important contributing factor to this is being able to find the right Wedding Venue, ultimately you will be spending most of your day there so it needs to be perfect.

If you're looking for a luxury WeddingVenue to fulfill your dreams of your special day, Stirrups Country House Hotel could be the venue for you. An exquisite country house tucked in the beautiful Berkshire countryside, Stirrups offers everything you'd expect from a luxury Wedding Venue. From personal attention from your experienced and doting wedding co-ordinator to the sumptuous 4-poster Honeymoon Suite, Stirrups has all the attention to detail you need to make your day luxurious. Your wedding will always be the only one in the hotel that day so there is no chance of being overshadowed or interrupted by another wedding party, all the attention will be lavished on you!

Sip champagne on the extensive manicured lawns while having your photographs taken by the elegant water feature, before moving through to your Wedding Breakfast which will have been laid up with thoughtfulness and consideration. Tailor a 4 course menu to suit your desires and you can create a bespoke dining experience for you and your guests. This luxury Wedding Venue will spoil you and make you feel cared for and special. What more could you ask for!

This Wedding Venue proves that luxurious doesn't have to mean extravagant. Keeping to its traditional style, Stirrups makes you feel welcome and at home, with all the luxurious finishing touches you desire for your perfect wedding day. 

Accommodation in Berkshire

I am in charge of a charity gala ball to raise money for children in need. Sounds simple enough right? No! Not if the event is taking place in the UK with all the key guests coming from around the world. Now, not only did I have to find a venue suitable to host the Black Tie Gala Dinner we were after, I needed a place for all our overseas guests to stay.

Obviously working on a budget, to optimist the amount of money raised for a charity I needed to keep a close eye on costs. Thankfully my boss had decided to offer a helpful hand and choose the venue. Great! I now knew the area in which we would be in. Not being from the UK this was a hard task I had. Accommodation in Berkshire is what I had to go on. The internet didn’t really prove to be very useful. It searched up all sorts and I honestly did not have the time to pick through all the results with a fine tooth comb. Where could I go that would help? Tourist information! Why hadn’t I thought of it sooner! They must have had this sort of this on many occasion and would definitely be able to help.

Once I contacted them and told them my situation they were all more than happy to help me. This is why they existed! Accommodation in Berkshire for overseas guests travelling with their families to attend a Charity event in Windsor. That’s all I was after!

I needed something that would appeal to people coming from large cities, something that would show off the Berkshire country side, yet still be close to local attractions and London.

The ladies at the tourist board we, lack of a better word, outstanding! They were so efficient in finding contact details, prices, locations and facilities of all the Berkshire accommodation that fell under what I was looking for.

Finally – a short list. Names of hotels that I could give to our guests. It was their own responsibility to arrange their accommodation, but they needed a head start. And what I had was definitely one.
I had all the information on accommodation in Berkshire I could have written a book! Thankfully this wasn’t on my agenda.

What I thought was going to be an awful task, finding suitable accommodation in an area I had no experience with was daunting. After all that worry it was a walk in the park. Accommodationin Windsor, Berkshire is easy and accessible and after the event I had suburb feedback from our overseas guests, especially about a little gem they found called Stirrups County House Hotel.

A Luxury Hotel in Ascot

40 years of marriage with one of the most romantic men anyone could ask for, what could I do in return that could even slightly compare to all the magical things that have been done for me. I pictured it.... a romantic setting in the heart of Berkshires rolling countryside. A rural setting, log fires, old buildings with character, peaceful surroundings, cosy furnishings, manicured gardens, this is what I wanted. I wanted to feel as if I was going back in history so what better area to choose than one with lots of History itself. I was looking for a Luxury Hotel in the surrounding areas of Ascot and Windsor where I could nestle down and enjoy the countryside or venture out slightly and enjoy the delights of Berkshire and its best features. Perhaps we would enjoy a day at the races, at the long famous Ascot Racecourse, or maybe a day at Windsor Castle, exploring the enchanted way the long past royal members have lived. Finally deciding on a location I could start to narrow it down and look for a Luxury Hotel in Ascot.

There were so many to choose from, suddenly I felt daunted. So many names and reviews! Stirrups Country House Hotel seemed to feature often. I wondered what was so special about this Hotel, why were they soaring above the rest? What secret ingredient had they got their hands on.  With so many Luxury Hotels in Ascot, all having the same access to local features and amenities why was Stirrups standing so high above the rest? I’ve always been one for taking chances, I did no more research and booked a four night stay at Stirrups Hotel, just from the first impact this Hotel had on me. Well, what a delight! As a very comfortably retired couple we have stayed in many Luxury Hotels and this exceeded our expectations in so many ways. Defiantly modest when rating themselves. A home away from home. We were lucky enough to enjoy a day at the Ascot racecourse. Champagne flowing whilst the sun set over the course, catching the dust kicked up from galloping race horses. We felt like Kings and Queens drizzled in luxury. Ascot Village itself is an absolute treasure to come across. Historic buildings line the high street, glittered with small cafes and patisseries. The bustle in the morning was energetic yet calming as everyone enjoyed their start to the day, a true community with heart.

Stirrups Hotel really do themselves proud. A fantastic location! Equidistant from major key attractions, all with total ease of access.  We were both completely delighted with what we had stumbled across and would return to the Berkshire area again without hesitation, and most defiantly to Stirrups. Highly recommended by ourselves, I feel Stirrups to be the truest of Luxury Hotels in Ascot as it has all you would expect and so much more.
Trust your instincts, I’m glad I did!

2012 Olympics Accommodation

With the Olympics just around the corner at less than 3 weeks away, time is really starting to run out for making those last minute arrangements if you're visiting the games. Most importantly is of course making sure you've got your tickets for the events! Coming after that, but possibly being just as important, is making travel and accommodations arrangements.

It was originally not recommended to wait until last minute to book London 2012 Olympic accommodation, as London anticipated a huge surge of visitors flocking to the city. Indeed it is expected that 294,000 visitors will be coming from overseas, and 587,000 UK visitors, all needing overnight accommodation. However, to put it plainly, the bookings have just yet failed to materialise. Part of the reason for this may be because of the huge increase in room rates for the Olympic Period. Compared to last year's rates, most London hotel's prices have gone up by 75%. A study conducted by which? Travel finds some hotel chains have put their tariffs up by a ridiculous 400%. With prices that high, no wonder visitors are being put off staying over in the city and are looking elsewhere. Due to the lack of interest, many city hotels have since dropped their rates taking them to on average £160 per room per night, a drop of 24%.

This pricing is still unreasonably high for many people though, and so they are doing what is viewed as the sensible thing to do, and looking in the surrounding areas of the capital for their Olympic accommodation. After all there is plenty of it, and much more reasonably priced, as hotels in the surrounding areas have to compete with each other by offering the best deals.

Hotels in Berkshire are being praised for their locality with excellent transport links into London. Stirrups Country House Hotel near Bracknell for example has the benefit of being close to both Bracknell and Ascot train stations which get you into London in less than an hour, whilst remaining in the scenic Berkshire countryside away from endless crowds and noise. Other such hotels in this area are also close to Windsor, perfect for the Olympic rowing at Dorney Lake. These options may involve a little more travel time, but you are rewarded with wonderful views of two sides of Great Britain; glorious countryside for your overnight accommodation, and the hustle and bustle of the city during the day. A beautiful way to celebrate the games being in our green and pleasant land.

So the lesson to be reminded here is: booking your 2012 Olympic accommodation last minute and getting a good deal is achievable, but don't be fooled by the sudden drops in rates for London hotels. There are much better deals in the vicinity of the capital where you are likely to be a lot more comfortable and experience better value for money.

Olympic Accommodation London

When I think of the Olympics in London this year, my first thought (just after sports and athletics of course) is - people. There are going to be lots, and lots, of people coming to London and it is going to be very, very busy... During the Summer, London is busy enough as it is with tourists travelling from all over the world to see the capitals historical monuments. It's easy to believe that London is the second most visited city in the entire world, sitting just behind Paris. But I think with the influx of people swarming to the Olympics this year we may manage to steal the title of first place!

With so many people due to be in the city at the same time, there is a high demand for hotel rooms, and I've seen some hotels charging absolutely extortionate prices purely because of their locations - not because they're any good. While looking for my Olympic accommodation in London, I just wasn't prepared to pay above the odds for a below average room. I really wanted to get my money's worth and believed accommodation that was good and reasonably priced could be found, if I was just prepared to widen my search area a little. I realised that I didn't need to stay right in the centre of London surrounded by people all the time, just so I could be close to the Olympic stadium. I could just as easily stay in the surrounding areas where good transport links could take me into the city every day.

I'm glad I thought like this as I believe I've found the perfect place for my Olympic accommodation near London. A countryside retreat called Stirrups Country House Hotel will be the perfect haven to come back to after what is bound to be a hectic day in the city. Nestled in the Berkshire countryside close to both Bracknell and Ascot, this traditional hotel can offer me a luxuriously styled and furnished room for as little as £125 a night. Travelling into London on the train from either Bracknell or Ascot takes less than an hour into Waterloo, where I can hop on the Jubilee line straight into Stratford. Even with the costs of travel it will still cost much less than a hotel room in the city! I know I'll be getting my money's worth with this hotel, it looks simply beautiful with fantastic grounds and gardens, and a bar and restaurant with prices that will be easy on my wallet - especially when compared to what I expect the food to cost at the Olympic stadium!

I would urge anyone looking for cheaper Olympic accommodation London for this year to cast their net a little further and be prepared to find gems in the surrounding areas - and everyone's first stop should be Stirrups Country House Hotel.

Book Hotel for London Olympics

What a fantastic year for sportsmen. The Olympics coming to London in 2012. I can't quite believe the time is finally here myself, even after 4 years of build up it seems like only yesterday it was announced. Following the announcement everyone's immediate reaction was to begin worrying. The whole nation worrying over money and spending, building the stadium, public transport... "What hell it's going to be!" exclaimed everyone I spoke to about it after the announcement. But that's just a typical depiction of Britain as a nation isn't it? A nation of worriers bonding together over an event that is, quite frankly, a fantastic opportunity for our country. But that wasn't me, I was beyond excited. As a youth I was an athlete and competed in my fair share of competitions across the UK and even stretching into Europe. An injury forced me into early retirement from sports but my love and interest in Athletics has never faded. The Olympics coming around every 4 years has kept me an avid fan and I could not be more pleased and proud that it's come to London again for the first time in 64 years.

Often I go the distance and travel to the host country to watch the events, so I'm grateful this year it's a lot closer to home! Though not quite close enough; I still had to book a hotel for the London Olympics, as it isn't feasible for me to travel there and back in a day for each event. This isn't a problem though, I'm looking forward to travelling across the UK with my wife and family to show my dedication and pride in British athletes.

In particular I'm looking forward to the rowing. I managed to get tickets for Olympic Rowing at Dorney Lake - what luck! Following the rowing I have tickets for the Men's 100 metres, the day after in London. What a spectacular event that's going to be. But once I'd found out what tickets I had and where I had to be in a tight timescale, it was clear whatever hotel I chose to book for the London Olympics had to have a great location with easy transport links in and around Berkshire and into London.

Luckily I've found just the place. Stirrups Country House Hotel in Berkshire is situated perfectly for me to drive to Eton Dorney for the rowing, and to catch the train from Bracknell or Ascot into London the next day for the running. What a perfect hotel to book for the London Olympics! My family have got a fantastic deal on a room for less than £160, I dread to think what kind of prices people might pay in the centre of London! There's simply no need to stay surrounded by the hustle and bustle all the time, when you can have a peaceful countryside retreat to come back to after a hectic day. A perfect mix of comfort and relaxation after what are bound to be thrilling days.

See, I told you there was nothing to worry about.

Anniversary Wedding Venues

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This year in April my husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. Having never really bothered making a big deal over little anniversaries over the years we thought, as it was a really special year - why not have a really big celebration? Surrounded by friends and family at a really special venue would make up for all the times we left it too late to organise anything special and just ended up ordering a takeaway!

It had to be at a venue of course, if we were going to make our wedding anniversary really special! Our family is a large one and I don't think I could handle catering for and entertaining a lot of people in my own home. No - I was going to find a really special Wedding Anniversary Venue and let other people do the hard work for me! To my surprise, my husband was very keen on the idea, (I knew he was an old romantic at heart!) and soon we were searching for wedding anniversary venues together. I've got to say, it wasn't easy finding our perfect venue. We had a few things in mind of what we wanted - it had to be nearby to home so it felt personal yet easy to get to for friends and family travelling from further afield, and I wanted a certain amount of control in choosing menus and the order of the evening while still feeling assured that everything was being taken care of for me. So many chain venues churn out the same type of function week after week, and places like this didn't feel personal enough for us. We wanted somewhere intimate and traditional where we could celebrate our love in a beautiful environment. I don't think I was being too choosy! I just wanted everything to be perfect.

It was my husband who found our ideal anniversary venue, thanks to a recommendation from a friend. It was perfect. Stirrups Country House Hotel in Berkshire had everything we wanted, and more! Sat in 10 acres of beautiful countryside, this charming hotel is decorated with a luxury modern finish while still maintaining its traditional style. Their largest function room, the Floyd Suite, was perfect for our wedding anniversary venue as we had chosen to have a dinner dance. The events team were amazing, willing to work with every request I had making our celebration perfectly tailored to us. As organisers of the event, my husband and I got free Bed & Breakfast accommodation on the night as well, in a really beautiful room with a 4 poster bed! It really topped the night off well. Our closest members of family also stayed at the hotel so it gave us even more time to spend together. The night ran so smoothly and everybody had such an amazing time. I'm so pleased we found our perfect wedding anniversary venue, we're wanting to celebrate the next one already!

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Luxury Hotel Near Ascot

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For one week in mid June, Ascot is at the forefront of everyone's mind. Whether you're into racing or not, there's no doubt that everyone's heard of Royal Ascot and the week of racing that follows. People come from far and wide across the country to spend the undoubtedly sunshiny day in luxury, sipping champagne in the sun, placing bets on horses chosen purely because you like the name, and having best and worse hat competitions.

Last year I travelled to and from Ascot on the same day. Big mistake. I was hot, tired, sunburned and, well, let's just say - more than a little bit tipsy. Add this to my bitter mood at not winning anything in the races while my friends had, and my journey back on the train was not a comfortable one... So this year I thought, why not turn the luxury of Ascot into a mini-break rather than a day trip? Why not continue my day of extravagance in a luxury hotel near Ascot? Once I got this idea in my head I could think of nothing else. My head was brimming with ideas of what I wanted from this luxury hotel - a 4 poster bed, a beautiful view manicured lawns and gardens, luxury furnishings with a traditional style, fabulous restaurant with a wide range of foods and more importantly, an extensive wine list, and staff who are more than happy to pander to my every need... All this was starting to sound a little expensive, and I was getting worried I wouldn't be able to find such a luxury hotels near Ascot that I could afford.

However... I did not give up hope in my search, and I'm so pleased I didn't! Just 3 miles from Ascot tucked away in the Berkshire countryside I found a little gem of a hotel called Stirrups Country House Hotel. After, speaking to some very helpful and friendly staff on the phone and looking at the website, I could clearly see that this was the place for me. It simply had everything I had asked for! What's more, I could afford it. I was surprised to learn that 4 poster Junior Suites are available from just £80 a night! At this price I just had to try it out before Ascot week. I've just returned from my stay there and I have to say it lived up to all of my expectations. Travelling from London was so easy as it's so close to both Bracknell and Ascot station, and it's easy to get to from the M4 if you are travelling from further away. I had such a peaceful weekend and I certainly was very well taken care of. I can't wait to come back during Royal Ascot Week!

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Easter Breaks, in More than One Way

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About 15 years ago, I was stuck, as a 13 year old, in a stereotypical British boarding school and wishing away the days before the Easter break, during which myself, my brother and the ‘Olds’ were going to head down from the North to take in the sites of Berkshire, including Windsor Castle, Windsor zoo and London as a whole – I could not wait.   All that stood in the way of freedom was 2 days of hellishly boring lessons and a Rugby match against the schools oldest rivals, of which I was part of the team.  We were playing at home and though our win to lose ratio was fairly even, the expectations from the school were sky high.  Playing as a lock in the scrum, we knew we would have to go to some dark places and dig deep and none of us were looking forward to it too much even less so when we saw our competitors get off their team bus.  Their front row forwards were enormous, and rumours flew round that they were playing their U15 team against our U13 team.  We were worried, but I knew on the other side of this match was an Easter break to dream of.

Early in the second half and 7 points down, their full back hoofed the ball almost directly skywards.. Muggings here thought he would have a go at catching it.  Keeping my eye on the ball, I was completely unaware of the storm of opposition players bearing down on me, and it was probably for the best, as when they hit it hurt, very much.... so much my team had to carry me off the field.  One broken foot and a fractured arm for my troubles... an Easter Break if you like.

Due to my sorry condition and the fact I could not walk, my parents decided that it would actually be best if we stayed at home to let me recover.  I have never been so upset.

15 years later, I still live in the same area, though I have a daughter of my own now.. and for this Easter breaks I am going to relive the holiday that never happened with my own family.  No rugby for her... we are taking off down to Windsor, staying at the rather gorgeous Stirrups Country House Hotel and taking in all of the sites within such easy reach... on the ‘to do’ list we have Windsor Castle, Coral Reef, Windsor Great Park, The London Eye, sampling the fine pubs in the area, and my daughter has made sure we will be heading to Legoland and Go Ape as well...

Luckily, Stirrups has given us a cracking B&B deal through their Easter Break 2012 deals so for 9 days we are going to explore and enjoy ourselves as a family... and with the money that’s left over, Dad might just be able to spend a day on one of the stunning golf courses...  there will certainly be no rugby involved in this Easter Break!

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Conferencing Venues Bracknell

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So, I’m team leader of my group and our line manager has suggested that I organise a team building exercise as an offsite conference. This all sounds pretty straight forward right? Wrong! If any of you have ever tried to organise a small event with limited funds in a short time, you will have some sympathy for me. The Bracknell area within Berkshire is renowned for its business industry, lets face it, its not high on the sightseeing towns of Britain, you win some you lose some hey Bracknell! Saying that it does have a large array of delightful Conferencing Venues in and around the town centre, and despite Bracknell not being the most beautiful of towns it is fortunate enough to be surrounded by beautiful rolling Berkshire countryside. 

Anyway back to my dilemma, so I need a venue, in close proximity to the town centre for travel purposes yet far enough away so it felt like a day out, not another day stuck in an air-conditioned box with pristine white walls, artificial lighting which gives one a headache after a few hours all accompanied by run of the mill tea and coffee  and mass produced pastries. As pleasant as that all sounds, I was looking for something a little different, a little out there! After half a morning on the phone, talking to some of the most highly recommended Conference Venues in Bracknell I was starting to get the impression that there was no Global Financial Crisis, and that businesses out there genuinely did not want my custom. Was it me? Was I not letting my needs be known in the correct manor? Was I now one of the uncool kids in the grown up world of conference organising where no one wanted to share their lunch with me? Simply, and thankfully, NO! I took a break, had some (decent) coffee and thought perseverance is the key! What i was looking for had to be out there, right? And it was! Hooray! Tucked under what seemed to be a magic mushroom in a fantasy world was a surprisingly wondrous venue called Stirrups Country House Hotel. With its delightful charm and quaint settings, what more could you ask for. Later on, after being so impressed that i had found this, for want of a better word, wonderland, i did some research to find out that it is family owned and loved, and it really does show!

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Those Winter Blues are not for some!

 

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Here we are, Britain is heading for another monumental cold snap, the birds have changed their minds and flown off to warmer climes, and de-icing the car in the morning has become a particularly tedious task...it’s’ all just rather depressing.However as you walk the streets to work, keep a look out under the coat hoods for a secret smile and smug expression.  Not as elusive as you might think, there are many simply over the moon this winter...and why you ask?  Well, when they opened their Christmas presents, there weren’t some new socks from Aunty Mildred or a perfume no one has ever heard of...but a big old sparkly engagement ring!  And that feeling of happiness lasts right through the winter and all the way up to the big day and beyond!

So the deed is done, now the enormity of the task ahead can be daunting.  Flowers, Wedding Dress, Guest List, Seating Plan and then what everyone remembers, the venue and the food!  You rush to google and type wedding venue Berkshire or even wedding venue Bracknell and you’ll be flooded with links!  You don’t have to look far and you’ll see Stirrups Country House Hotel, one of the top wedding venues in Berkshire and we believe the very best wedding venues in Bracknell!  So good in-fact my wife were married here...nothing else compared!

Set in 10 acres of beautiful Berkshire countryside, the manicured gardens and beautiful, elegant, water feature wrap Stirrups up as a top Berkshire Wedding Venue that really makes an impact!  The attention to detail you get from this family owned and managed hotel is the best.  None of that Hotel chains come close in offering the friendly service and flexibility that Stirrups does.  So whether you are a local person look for a wedding venue Bracknell or someone from wider afield searching for wedding venue Berkshire, make sure you make Stirrups Country House Hotel your very first stop.

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