Royal Windsor Horse Show

My keen interest in horses began at a very young age, when first introduced to the magnificent creatures when visiting my cousins on their farm. I was lucky enough to be able to start learning to ride at this young age, and have been hooked ever since. My interest is not only riding myself, but going to watch shows and competitions, as well as popular horse racing events such as Royal Ascot and Cheltenham.

My next such event is going to watch the showing and show jumping at the Royal Windsor Horse show, which is running from 14th-18th May this year. The show is in the fabulous grounds of Windsor Castle, which is just a beautiful venue. When I went last time I just visited for the day to see a few of my favourite chosen events, but this year I’m really keen to see a lot more! The trouble with coming from far away though as in my case, is that I then need somewhere to stay.

I began my search for Royal Windsor Horse Show accommodation on the internet, as everyone does these days! I started looking for Hotels in Windsor itself, but as I had left booking a little late it was already very full and the prices accordingly high. Feeling a little annoyed with myself I checked on the Windsor tourist website in the view of preparing to broaden my search somewhat, and the perfect little Hotel immediately jumped out at me. Stirrups Country House Hotel. Stirrups… Stirrups..! I could already tell from the name that it was perfect for my needs!!

Doing some more research on Stirrups Hotel it certainly comes highly recommended. A Country House Hotel in between Windsor and Bracknell with free car parking, it would take me less than 20 minutes to get to Windsor for the Horse Show meaning I could take a taxi and avoid the hassle of parking in the busy town centre! Looking at the Stirrups website I could tell it was tastefully themed with horses in mind, with beautiful décor and a fabulous looking bar and restaurant. I was able to download their menu and was completely spoilt for choice with delicious looking meals!

I was already sold from everything I had seen and read about Stirrups, but when it came to booking my room the price just blew me away… I could get this beautiful hotel near Windsor with acres of manicured gardens, perfect location and theme for the Royal Windsor Horse Show, for as little as £87 per night! I booked with no hesitation and I can’t wait to stay at my perfectly accompanying accommodation for the Royal Windsor Horse Show!

Royal Ascot Racecourse

Myself and my partner stayed at Stirrups Country House Hotel last year during ascot week. The reason we chose to stay in Stirrups Country House Hotel was because it was very close to the Ascot racecourse and the hotel was more personal and to a higher standard that your usual chain hotel.

Once we arrived we were greeted by really friendly staff that explained to us everything about the hotel and also showed us to our room. We had quite a few luggage but the front of house team willingly helped us with our bags which was a very nice surprise. We stayed in total for 3 nights. The breakfast every morning was delicious and freshly cooked. Even if the hotel seemed to be fully booked the reception always managed to book us a taxi which arrived promptly even if we usually booked it at a short notice. The taxi journey was around 20 minutes to ascot racecourse which wasn’t too bad. We really enjoyed the location of the hotel as it was set in a beautiful countryside and myself and my partner enjoyed having meals outside in the evenings.

We also really enjoyed our little walks in the manicured gardens of the hotel and one very cute feature was the little pond with the different types of fishes. I would definitely recommend to come and stay at Stirrups if you want a pleasurable stay and something different than your usual hotel. The staff were really friendly and the room we stayed was of a high standard. Also the hotel accommodation was reasonably priced for Ascot week. You will not be disappointed.

Family Easter Break

My children are already getting very excited at the prospect of a nice break over their Easter Holidays. They want something fun and exciting; whereas my husband and I want something affordable and practical - which with five of us is no easy task.  We have twin 7 year old daughters and a 4 year old son to please, and it has been getting ever more difficult to find that perfect destination for our Easter Break.  It’s near impossible to find anywhere abroad that does cheap deals over the school holidays, so we started looking a little closer to home.  After a little searching we found Stirrups Country House Hotel and knew it was the perfect place for us, practically next door to Legoland and just a short drive away from Windsor castle!

Looking over their easy to follow website we found that they have family rooms to accommodate the whole family and with a little extra exploring we found the kids menu, it was pleasing to know there was enough variety to please all our little ones.  We called up the hotel to see what sort of deals could be had and were delighted when we found out that they have discounts for families visiting Legoland.  Our search for an affordable Easter Break was at an end!  They booked us in and offered us adjoining rooms to give us some extra space so that we could truly enjoy our weekend away.  We have told our children, they are all very excited for their trip away and won’t stop asking how long until we get to go to Legoland!

Mother’s Day 2014

With the birth of my daughter last summer, we suddenly had 4 generations of girls in our family, and 3 generations of Mums! It’s now the beginning of March, and I am so excited for Mother’s Day approaching on the 30^th, and to be celebrating as a Mum for the first time!

Traditionally for Mother’s Day Lunch, my Mum and I have always cooked together at her house. We invite the family round, and have a good old catch up over a lovely roast dinner. This year however, my Mum suggested to me that as it was my first Mother’s Day as a Mum myself, and that now there were 3 Mums in the family, it would be a nice idea to not do the cooking for once and to go out and make a real special day of it! As you can expect I was really on board with this idea, and we soon began searching for our ideal venue to have Mother’s Day lunch in Berkshire which is our local area.

We had many specifications for our ideal venue… that’s the trouble with having headstrong women in the family!My Grandmother wanted a traditional roast dinner, Mum wanted a venue with grounds where we could spend some time in the afternoon and the younger members of our family could run around, and I wanted to have our Mother’s Day meal somewhere big enough to house such a large group as ours! Including a high chair for my daughter, we were looking for a table of 14.

It was a colleague who suggested we go for Mother’s Day lunch in Bracknell. She had her Wedding at Stirrups Country House Hotel a few years before and just knew it would be the perfect place for our special lunch. Having not been to this Hotel before, Mum and I went for a little road test one Sunday lunch time. We pre-booked for the two of us, and it was just as well as the restaurant was really busy, full of happy diners and awash with the smell of absolutely gorgeous roast dinners. Our lunch was delicious, and after looking over the menu with the reception staff we were more than happy to pay our deposit for Mother’s Day lunch right there and then! The traditionally styled Hotel is a beautiful secluded gem, near Bracknell but with lovely huge grounds, making it the ideal location for our needs!

I absolutely cannot wait for 30^th March to come around and to celebrate my very special first Mother’s Day lunch at Stirrups! 

Celebration of Mothers day at Stirrups Country House Hotel

Last Mother’s Day I decided to spoil my mum and arrange a surprise for her. The plan was to whisk her away for the day to celebrate in style with the whole family without her knowing. I looked around different restaurants in Ascot, Bracknell and general Berkshire area but I couldn’t find anywhere special in regards to Mother’s Day meals.

I asked some friends around and they told me about the restaurant in Stirrups Country House Hotel. I had a look on their website and they had a lovely set lunch menu for Mother’s Day lunch. I decided to ring the hotel and someone answered the phone from reception in a very professional and friendly manner. They explained the mother’s day lunch menu in details and they explained the cost per person. I booked a table for 8 of us so the whole immediate family could come and surprise my mum. On the day I collected my mum and we arrived in the restaurant. The rest of the family was there awaiting for us. My mum was happily surprised. We had a lovely meal and all the staff in the restaurant were really polite and helpful. My mum really enjoyed the meal and it was clear that she had a great time because she kept talking about mother’s day lunch for months.

If you are looking for a nice restaurant to take your mum and spoil her for this mother’s day, make sure you check the restaurant in Stirrups Country House Hotel as it has a lovely atmosphere, excellent staff and reasonably priced.

Wedding Venue Bracknell / Berkshire

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Myself and my husband got married in Stirrups country Hotel in July 2013. We were looking for a wedding venue that has big beautiful gardens as we wanted to make sure that we could take wedding pictures in the gardens and also our guests could spend time inside and outside during our reception. We looked really hard for different wedding venues in Bracknell and the general Berkshire area and I have to say it wasn’t an easy task as we found it really difficult to find a wedding venue that could tick all the boxes. When we arrived to view Stirrups Country House Hotel we were really impressed firstly with the general overview of the hotel. The architecture was beautiful and it definitely matched its title. The Hotel was surrounded by beautiful grounds that were well maintained and buzzing with a variety of flowers. We were welcomed by one of the event coordinator who was really welcoming, showed us around the three different function rooms and had a very comprehensive meeting with us explaining everything in detail. The meeting really reassured as she answered all our questions and explained to us our payment schedule. Our events coordinator remained in touch over the phone and via email. The hotel suggested us a couple of people for flowers, our wedding cake and photos. I have to say we were really impressed as they did exactly what they said and they made the process really easy and painless.

Valentines Break

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Last year myself and my partner decided to stay in Stirrups Country House Hotel for Valentines. We wanted it to be a little romantic break. We booked the 1 night package. Once we arrived we were welcomed by the view of a beautiful country hotel surrounded by beautifully groomed gardens.

What surprised myself and my partner was how peaceful even if located next to a busy road. Once checked in, we entered our room where a box of chocolates and a bottle of chilled champagne was waiting for us. That made us feel really welcome and ready to start our romantic break away. After resting for a bit we decided to go to the restaurant and have a three course meal. All the dishes were delicious, well priced, all staff were very professional, helpful and at the same time discreet. We decided to have a couple of drinks following our dinner and then we retired to our bedroom. After a good night sleep both of us feeling extremely refreshed we went to the restaurant to have our full English breakfast and I can say we were equally impressed with how fresh and delicious it was accompanied by freshly made coffee/tea and pastries.

I can definitely say this was one of the best valentine breaks we had and we will be considering coming back for next Valentines. So whether you’re in a new relationship or celebrating fifty years of married life, quality time together is extremely important and Stirrups Country House Hotel is the ideal place for a break away. Modern lives are so busy that we often forget to sit back, relax and talk with that special someone. Coming to Stirrups Country House Hotel myself and my partner felt absolutely rejuvenated and it was so romantic it felt like our first valentine’s break together even if we have been with each other for 10 years.

Clearly there is something magic about this hotel and you should definitely experience it. You will not be disappointed.

Last Minute Accommodation in Bracknell

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It is a rare occasion that my husband and I get to spend some time alone just the two of us, and so to my great pleasure a few weeks ago my parents came to visit and offered to look after the children for a night! Brilliant! My husband and I got thinking of what we could spend the day and night doing as we thought we should make the most of it! We knew we wanted to get away for the night, however we were not too keen on going far either, the other issue we faced was we had two days to organise it, so it was a very last minute arrangement. 

We looked at a lot of the hotels in Bracknell our hometown, but they all seemed to be very business like and not really what we had in mind. So we widened our search slightly too possible places just outside of Bracknell, and that is when we came across the Country House Hotel. From looking at their website it looked to be a very cosy looking place and at such a reasonable price! So I immediately called them up to check if they had availability and they did, we were thrilled. I spoke to a very helpful Receptionist who explained for us it might be better if we were to book a Dinner, Bed and Breakfast rate. On arrival to the Stirrups Country House Hotel we were met by a wave of friendliness, check in was very quick and the room we had been given had a beautiful view across the gardens. I was very quick to jump into the bath and began to unwind. It was heaven! We had booked a table in the restaurant on arrival but got down slightly early and had a drink at the bar. 

The staffs were all so friendly and we were sat at a lovely table next to the fire, however I was certainly not expecting the food to be as tasty as it was! It was the perfect night away, right on the doorstep of Bracknell - who knew! It exceeded our expectations for such a lastminute accommodation in Bracknell get away! One thing I found great about the Stirrups Hotel was the small size of it meant that the experience was that bit more personal and although we were only there for the night the staff very friendly and it is always nice to see the same faces. My husband and I would most certainly come back, maybe next time it wouldn't have to be such a last minute rush! I would recommend the Stirrups Country House Hotel to anyone who is looking for somewhere close to Bracknell, but with all the beauty that comes from being in the countryside!

Hotels in Bracknell

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When we received an invite to our friends Golden Wedding Anniversary celebrations at their house in Bracknell in a few months time, we had a brainwave to do a little bit of research about Hotels in Bracknell, to save us the journey back home late at night after the party. We didn't want to ask to stay at our friends as they already had a large family, so a Hotel was our only option. We wanted to stay in a Hotel that was close enough to the centre of Bracknell so that we would be able to get taxis to and from the party without huge expense, and also in a nice location outside of town so we could have a peaceful weekend away from home at the same time. Living in the city, this is a rare opportunity. 

After staying in many Hotels in Bracknell due to a great deal of my business travel being situated in the Bracknell area, I already had a good idea of the range of different Hotels in Bracknell and none of which really suited the cosy, small and homely Hotel we had in mind for our visit. However, we soon came across Stirrups Country House Hotel. Due to Stirrups Country House Hotel not being a chain Hotel, it has not been somewhere I had stayed before due to my company always picking the big corporate hotels. The location was perfect! Less than a 10 minute taxi journey into Bracknell Town Centre and with someone at Stirrups all night, there was no rush to end our celebrations early in fear we would be locked out! The location of Stirrups Country House Hotel also meant we could end our weekend away with a lovely visit to Windsor Castle the next day (and a spot of shopping for my Wife!). The location, cosy atmosphere and friendly, helpful staff definitely makes Stirrups a top choice. When returning to Bracknell on business travel next, I shall definitely request Stirrups as my top choice when staying at Hotels in Bracknell. The home from home feel at Stirrups would definitely make the Hotel a top choice for Business customers travelling away from home regularly, I'm sure. My wife and I shall definitely recommend to family, friends and colleagues. 

Easter Holiday Breaks 2013

With the Christmas Holidays seeming a long time ago, and the weather beginning to get warmer it is looking as if Spring is on its way. When Spring is upon us we know Easter is near, and along with this comes the School Holidays which my children believe to be an excuse to sit around and eat their chocolate eggs all day. Last Easter I wanted to do something with them, take them away for a couple of days. I did however not want to go abroad as the prices just shoot through the roof. So I started looking at different attractions and possible day trips to do. My children are at the perfect age that Legoland would be the perfect amusement park for them, and only having been once before they were keen to go again; with this in mind I thought Windsor would be a lovely area to visit, we had not visited the castle and from what I had heard it was beautiful sat by the River Thames. I then began to look for hotels in Windsor, and near Legoland but most of what I came across did not look very family friendly and too business orientated. So I thought to look a bit further afield and that is when I came across Stirrups Country House Hotel. From the website I was highly impressed, it was not too big, it was close to Legoland and Windsor; as well as having beautiful grounds (perfect for the children to burn off some energy.)

I called the Stirrups Country House Hotel and spoke to a very helpful receptionist, who told me of the special offer the hotel run for Easter Holiday Breaks, they had a variety of family rooms and all these rates included breakfast. She also told me they had numerous train stations close by which went straight into London, I thought- perfect! It will almost be like killing THREE birds with one stone! After I gave the hotel some details about my children they said they had the perfect room for me, and they were right! It was a great size, my children were thrilled to see Activity Packs on their beds when we arrived (as was I after the journey.) On our first two days we went to Legoland which is much closer than I expected it to be, then we ventured into Windsor and on our final day we went into London. Due to the fact we enjoyed ourselves so much last year we have already booked for our Easter Holiday Break again this year, the children, my husband and I cannot wait to return to Stirrups Country House Hotel and we would recommend it to anyone!

Venues for Weddings in Bracknell

My best friend got engaged recently, and I was just overjoyed that she asked me to be not only a Bridesmaid, but a Maid of Honour! What a privilege; we've been best friends since we met in the playground at the age of 5, and while other friends have come and gone, we've always been there for each other. I think her sister was a bit miffed that I got the honour but never mind, hey..!

I knew one of my duties as being Maid of Honour was to organise the hen party. I have had lots of time to think about this - always knowing that I was going to be involved - so I already had plenty of great ideas. What I wasn't expecting is that the Bride wanted my help in choosing the Wedding venue! Her job often requires her to work evenings and weekends so asked if I would go and check out venues for Weddings for her, and then she would go and see the ones I liked. She knew she could trust my judgement, and her fiancé was able to accompany me on occasion too.

Both the Bride and Groom's families are very local, and being real family people they were both keen to have a local wedding to ensure that everybody could come. So I was pretty much limited to looking at venues for weddings in Bracknell.. Now I wasn't exactly spoilt for choice. A lot of the Wedding venues in Bracknell double up as conference centres, with the emphasis being on conference centre.  I knew this was not the sort of atmosphere my best friend would like, so I carried on my search and looked for something a bit different.

After taking many wasted trips to conference centres (isn't the Bride lucky she didn't have to waste her time doing that!) I found the perfect Wedding venue in Bracknell. Just north of Bracknell and near to Ascot, lies Stirrups Country House Hotel. This bespoke 19th century property has been beautifully renovated, keeping aspects of its original Tudor origins while bringing it up to date with modern features and fittings. Every element of the Hotel is just ideal for creating the perfect atmosphere, and being licensed for Civil Ceremonies it means that the whole day can take place there - no need for the family to travel far and wide!

I was completely sold after one trip there and urged the Bride and Groom to both go at their first opportunity. They arranged to visit this perfect Wedding venue in Bracknell that was hiding away, and fell in love with it instantly as I had done. They met with the Events Organiser and paid their deposit within a week of my first visit. Both she and I couldn't believe that I had managed to find this wonderfully perfect venue for a Wedding in Bracknell, never has a Maid of Honour outdone her duties so well!

Mother’s Day Lunch/ Mother’s Day Meal

Every year I treat my Mum to a special lunch on Mothering Sunday. I’ve tried cooking it in the past, but trust me, it’s much more of a treat when I take her out! She appreciates the effort I put in taking her out, but that doesn’t stop her from finding little niggles to complain about. I swear, this woman is impossible to please! 

I tried many places over the years for our Mother’s Day Lunch, but I found it hard to please my mum in every aspect of the day. If the food was nice then she didn’t like the setting, if she liked the setting she didn’t like the staff, if she liked the staff the food was a let down... Like I said she is simply impossible to please! I don’t know why I kept trying, but I’m so glad I did persist in my search to find the perfect venue, because I did find it. And the woman, who was impossible to please, suddenly had nothing to complain about. 

We’ve now been having our Mother’s Day meal at Stirrups Country House Hotel every year for the last 3 years, and it’s something Mum looks forward to as soon as March begins! The setting is simply beautiful; a country house hotel set in the Berkshire countryside, close to Windsor, Ascot and Bracknell. With perfectly manicured lawns and gardens the spring flowers are a delight to see, while the atmosphere and service from the staff is simply unrivalled. Everybody is so friendly and wanting to go out of their way to make everyone’s Mother’s Day lunch exceptional. And the food, well what can I say... It is always expertly cooked and you know you can rely on it to be delicious every time. 

With all of this combined, our Mother’s Day meals at Stirrups Country House Hotel are always a joy and completely surpass my Mum’s expectations. And now that she has nothing to complain about, spending quality time together is all the more a nice experience! 

Stirrups Hotel- 2013 Valentine’s Breaks

I am a big romantic at heart, so when it comes to Valentine’s Day I really like to go all out to show my loved one just how much they mean to me. I know, I know, I could do that any day of the year... But there’s just something special about the 14th February. It’s the combination of the cold and often snowy weather that just encourages you to get cuddling, and offers and discounts on chocolates and wine from the beginning of February which I take full advantage of in the lead up to Valentine’s Day, perfect to put you in a good mood!

My partner and I have been together for 9 years now, and each Valentine’s Day has been special in its own way. Quite often we’d just go out for dinner or take a day trip, and most thought would go into the gifts we gave each other. But this year, 2013, I wondered if I could combine the gift with the outing on a special Valentine’s Break. I fancied a night away in a romantic hotel, just the two of us. I wanted a peaceful location, a friendly and intimate atmosphere, good food and wine – all for a good price. 

I started doing some research and found that many hotels in the Windsor & Ascot area were offering packages for 2013 Valentine’s Breaks, but the best one I found that was perfect for us, was at Stirrups Country House Hotel. This country house hotel is the perfect countryside retreat, in a tranquil and romantic setting. Their package offered for 2013 Valentine’s Breaks is a fantastic deal; Dinner, Bed & Breakfast for £160.00, including a bottle of Champagne and Chocolates in the room on arrival! I paid to upgrade to a Junior Suite – with a 4 poster bed! There’s nothing more romantic than a 4 poster bed... This sorted the outing, gift and thought, all in one special combination.

I’ve managed to arrange all of this without my partner knowing, he thinks we’re just going out for dinner to our favourite local restaurant. I can’t wait to surprise him with our special Valentine’s Break to Stirrups Country House Hotel!

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.