MIND IS BODDLED MUST NEED A BREAK AT BOD
View Map
Recommendation added: 07/03/2006 12:02
By: lynrog (YSUK rating +71)lynrog has been thanked 1 times for this contribution
"BODELWYDDAN CASTLE. As you may have guessed by now we visit Warner breaks during the winter months when the camping season is over. We have never pre- booked this location as we have usually gone on a last minute visit when life gets too much and we need to take a break from it all. We have visited here on three occasions, on the whole they have all been very good weekends and the Castle itself is beautiful. Before going into the details of our stay I would like to give you a little bit of the History of the Castle itself which is set in 260 acres of parkland.
**** THE HISTORY ****
The house goes back to before 1460 belonging to the Williams family. The castle itself which is Grade II listed, was the creation of Sir John Hay Williams and dates back to between 1830 and 1852.
During World War 1 when the Williams family fortune was dwindling the house was used as a hospital, part of the grounds were used for warfare training and the castle itself was used as the officers mess and recuperation centre.
After the war around 1920 the Williams family sold the house, castle and grounds to the Lowther College which was run as a private girls school for over 60 years until 1982 when Clwyd County Council bought it and opened the Castle as a museum after renovating it to his former Victorian glory. In 1994 Warner's leased the house and converted it to the up and running Hotel it is today.
**** THE MUSEUM ****
On one of our visits there was a reduced charge for hotel guests, I believe it cost around £2.00 to take a look around the Castle Museum, you do have to get your discount from the receptionist in the hotel. The restored museum is magnificent with its grand design and beautiful artwork. There are displays and artefacts from the Victorian era, as the museum works closely with the National Portrait Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Royal Academy of Arts. (For information the architect that restored the museum to its former glory was Roderick Gradidge).
So expect to find wonderful Victorian paintings and artefacts of that era, as well as this a part of the museum has been set aside for the history of is use thought WW1 and its life as a Private Girls School displaying memorabilia from that time as well as photographs showing pictures of what life was like at Lowther College. There is a section displaying toys of a gone by age which are interactive, the curator there encourages you to demonstrate them and will help you to understand how they work - I did find this a pleasant experience enjoying the childish fun they bought.
**** GHOST ****
Now the spooky bit, the Castle is renowned to be haunted by a lady and a soldier, a couple of 'hot spots' around the castle. The castle has been on Most Haunted. Now I don't want to tell you too much and spoil your fun, but during my research I discovered that during one of the Castles' many renovations they dug up some human remains, but instead of removing the remains they bricked them back up and they are still there to this day, could this be one of the ghosts. The Museum does run ghost walks and overnight ghost hunts.
Ghost walks - these are held on certain dates and run with a minimum of 10 people to a max of 30 and last around 1 1\2 hours.
Ghost nights - this runs from 9pm to 6am overnight in the castle at a price of £60.00 per person with either an evening buffet or continental breakfast provided. Equipment is provided to help you on your ghost hunt over night.
For further information please visit their web site - www.bodelwyddan-castle.co.uk/tours.htm
**** THE HOTEL ****
The hotel is set in the old house, the exterior fitting in with the castle, the interior is decorated in the tradition Warner style, which for those that don't know is done in a classic design to enhance the period features (I will say the wallpaper in the bedroom, I did like - it matched our living room, he, he). The high ceilings and elegant decoration make it a pleasure to see.
The Main Reception - you get to this by passing through an archway big enough to take a horse and carriage, you enter through a slightly modern glass porch (but fits in nicely with the design) into a large room with the reception desk facing and comfortable chairs and tables for guests to rest at.
From reception you can go down either a ramp or a couple of stairs to the toilets which are very clean and fresh smelling.
The main entertainment room just at the back of reception, is on three graduating levels, with a non smoking and smoking areas provided, wheelchair access is provided as there are ramps at the one end, there are stairs at the other end of the room. There are also outside doors here that take you into a courtyard. The room itself is very spacious with the bar at one end of the room and the stage at the other end, there is a high ceiling and a terrace bar (called The Gallery) with arches and balustrades where guests can enjoy watching the show from up high.
On our visits the resident band and entertainment team have never failed to impress. Your evening entertainment usually consists some dancing and a quiz, some Warner Hotels have a small bingo session, then its on to the resident band and star turn (which is sometimes done by the entertainment team) ending with the resident band and a small disco taking you to around midnight.
A note for smokers - the smoking area in the main entertainment hall is quite small, so to get a good seat you need to get there early.
The restaurant is very extensive again as are all Warner Breaks, both evening meal and breakfast is done in a self service buffet style, each small area being allocated their own waiter\waitress - meal times being varied to cater for the early eaters and the later eaters. On our visits the restaurant is very large, but due to its shape you do not feel overwhelmed by it, it used to have two or three buffet areas, but that may have changed last year when Warner's changed there the menus and style of buffet.
Going by the changes we noticed last year, you should expect a vast choice of food available for both breakfast and evening meal. Warner's provide the same set out in all there Hotels.
Breakfast - choice of fresh fruit, croissants, jam pastries, cereals, fried egg, scrambled egg, bacon, sausage (which is usually spicy), fried bread, mushrooms, hash browns, tomatoes and baked beans. Also toast fresh tea and coffee. If this is not enough choice you have a small menu from the kitchen which is kippers or poached egg on toast.
Evening Meal - once again an extensive choice is now on offer, you have a menu at your table which will tell you the choice available for that evening (this choice is different on each evening of your visit). Normally there are about three choices from the kitchen, one of which will be vegetarian and then you have the self service buffet, where you would expect to find your exotic choices, of curries, pastas etc. vegetarian selection, salad selection and the carvery selection.
The food is very tasty, there was only one occasion when I picked something that sounded nice, but tasted awful, if this happens I'm sure you could go back up and change your meal. I didn't do this, I just swapped with my hubby (he, he).
The Tudor Rooms - a la carte restaurant is available and it is advisable to book in advance as it does get fairly busy especially on a Saturday evening, there is an extra cost for here and it is fairly expensive even with the discount offered. I have not tried the food in here, but if it is up to the quality of the a la carte at Thorseby Hall it will be well worth the extra money. (If you see the receptionist I think you get a £5.00 discount off your meal).
The Bedrooms - These come in either Twin or Double rooms called Ambassador Rooms, the basic room is pleasantly decorated, and the beds are all good sizes including the single beds in the twin rooms. All rooms are ensuite, with TV, hair dryer, tea\coffee making facilities, two comfy chairs, coffee table, fresh towels and complimentary toiletries available for your use. If you need extra pillows just call reception and they will bring them to you.
You can get different grades of rooms at additional costs per night starting from £6.00 per night for a slightly larger room (Ambassador plus) to an extra £27.00 per night for their Royal Room - which comes with four poster bed, spa bath, parkland and garden view, plus a welcome back which includes wine, flowers, fruit and bathrobes, also provided is a mini bar which is charged on consumption.
Bodelwyddan Castle has its' own resident pianist Steven Hodges he has been there on every visit we have made over the past few years, he is excellent and well worth listening to, I usually loose my husband to go and listen to him, if I am not ready on time. Steven plays most evenings in one of the bars from 6pm - 7pm and he also does a later show around 11pm or midnight (sorry I can't remember the exact times) and this is in the terrace lounge (which looks over at the main entertainment hall). The Bar Steve plays in (sorry I cannot remember the name), is situated opposite reception across the cobbled courtyard, it is a large rectangle room with a large open fire as a centre piece against the far wall, large leather comfy chairs and sofas situated around large coffee tables, with a bar at one end. Steve is positioned to the side of the large fireplace along with his piano. This room is a relaxing room and you will find books and games for your entertainment here.
As it is usually during the winter when we visit I cannot go into great details on the gardens as I have not had the pleasure of seeing them in their full glory as you would during the summer months. I have seen pictures of the Victoria Walled Garden with its arches of flowers and it did look spectacular, there are also woodland walks if you wish to partake.
The hotel and castle may have many acres of parkland surrounding them, but the house and castle are in relatively small courtyards which do not take cars. This does mean that you have to carry your luggage (if a porter is not available) a fair distance.
**** ON SITE ENTERTAINMENT****
As previously mentioned it is set in 260 acres of parkland for you to explore, with woodland walks and the beautiful gardens.
There are small gift shops and coffee shops tucked around the courtyard.
The museum which I have already described
There are 5 different bars around the hotel
Hair Salon and Beauty Salon available at a small cost - I had my nails manicure here and I really enjoyed the experience and they did a good job, I think it cost me around £15.00. I could not get an appointment to suit me for the Hair Salon, so it is advisable to book early.
The Health Suite has a plunge pool, sauna, steam room, tropicarium and fitness studio and a coffee shop to relax in after - snacks are around £4.50 for a sandwich with side salad and crisps.
Heated indoor pool and spa pool - these are nice and warm - a lovely atmosphere.
Also snooker, bowls, pool and table tennis, archery, croquet, cycle hire.
And finally the staff run various day time entertainment if you wish to join in, these are listed on your TV or at reception.
Now, let me back track a bit, at the beginning of this review I mentioned that we usually book on the discounts breaks, these are advertised on their website and are updated from month to month, Warner's also send out mail shots offering discount prices. So we have usually taken what was available on the occasions we have visited, we have always been lucky enough to get a double room smoking. During our last visit we were talking to a lady and her mother on the Saturday evening, she was sharing our table in the rather cramped smoking section of the entertainment room. She told us that she had come down that day and was stopping until Monday morning (2 night stay) and that she booked late Friday with the Hotel itself getting the 2 nights for £50.00 each which was less than half of what my husband and I had paid for our 3 night stay. Well good luck to them, I say, but I do wish I had tried that, we booked through Warner's phone line, she contacted the Hotel itself, either way, when you wait to the last minute you may get a bargain, but there is no guarantee on what room you get or if there is a room, but I might try phoning the hotel if I get to go again.
**** OUT AND ABOUT ****
Well the name says it all it's just over the border and in Wales so there's loads to do, Wales has such beautiful countryside and so many places to see all within driving distance, plus the Hotel and Castle is situated in wonderful park land.
Now girls, we have shopping, you are about 30mins away from Chester with its oldie worldie beautiful buildings, combining history and modern shopping, and if that's not enough you are close to Cheshire Oaks Factory Outlet Village, full of discount shopping and places to eat. Next to that you have the multiplex cinema, ten pin bowling and various restaurants - so spoilt for choice.
I admit it, it is not just the shopping we go for, but when we visit here, we do take the opportunity to visit Chester as it is such a beautiful town, with many walks, beautiful buildings which are steeped in history. We just love our visits there.
Also in the Chester direction you have Chester Zoo and The Sea Life Centre.
Now for the Welsh Direction all less than 1 hour away, you have The Welsh Mountain Zoo, Caernarfon Castle and Conwy Castle, Llandudno, Great Orm Country Park, Trefriw Woollen Mill and Snowdonia National park. This is Wales and so you have lots of beautiful views, small villages, small village pubs and beautiful countryside.
**** LOCATION ****
Bodelwyddan Castle and Hotel
Denbighshire,
North Wales
LL18 5YA
01745 585088
From the M6
Exit the M6 at junction 19a
Follow the M56 to Chester/North Wales
Take A55 to North Wales
You will find Bodelwyddan Castle just off Junction 25
Of the A55
Call Warner's booking line - 0870 601 6012
Or book on line at www.warnerbreaks.co.uk
North Wales
LL18 5YA
**** CONCLUSION ****
Well once again we have enjoyed a Warner break, this one is not as elegant as the other Historic Hotels Warner own, but it is still steeped in history, with the old building, courtyards etc, which is something we love, it is still grand but not as grand as say Thoresby Hall, but all this is reflected in the price (prices vary each week so would be too much to list, just take a look at there web site or their brochure). With these breaks you can take as little or as much out of them as you like, we go for the rest and relaxation away from the pressures of work and home. It is a lovely historical place to visit on our first time we explored all the little shops that are along the courtyard, played on a large chess set that is painted on the floor, visited the museum and the little coffee shops it was idyllic, peaceful and beautiful.
They do cater for disabled, but I will add the court yard is cobbled stone so would be a little bumpy, there are lifts to each floor is the modern extension where the bedrooms are.
Our only gripe with here is the distance from the car park to your room, as you cannot bring your car to reception as no cars allowed in the courtyard. The Hotel does provide porters, but remember you are not the only ones booking in that day, so you could have a long wait for a porter to become free.
The whole place is kept very clean and your rooms are tended to daily, with fresh towels provided.
If you love peace and quiet, if you love entertainment, if you love historical buildings and a little luxury then I would highly recommend a visit."
Was this recommendation useful?
|
