It was cold, raining, the traffic was terrible from London to Coventry, but once we stepped through the doors of Laura Ashley Hotel The Iliffe, somehow all of that seemed to fade into the background as we pulled up to this mock Tudor, Victorian townhouse. And yes you did hear that right, Laura Ashley now do hotels!
The last time I visited anything Laura Ashley is was to one of their glorious tea rooms in North Devon and I completely fell in love with it (you can have a read HERE) and so when I found out they also do hotels, I simply couldn’t resist. We parked our car, carried in our bags and checked in at reception in the main hall – which is absolutely beautiful.
Built in the last 1890’s for the Iliffe family, the hotel boasts a rich history that is retained in its original features and you can really see it throughout the main hall of the hotel and its dining rooms. Particularly during Winter, with its roaring fire places and wood features make for something truly special and incredibly cosy. The smokey smell from the fireplace really lures you in and if you’re quick, grab a seat right next to it. It’s the perfect Winter spot for sipping on a glass of wine (or two).
I loved the slightly more traditional bar in the main hall too, with a pub like service counter and grand piano at the far end. If you fancy a glass of wine or pint of beer, it’s great little afternoon spot and casual enough to not have to get dressed up.
It was absolutely freezing outside on the day we arrived and with our room not being quite ready, we couldn’t wait to sit next to that roaring fireplace and tuck into a spot of lunch. A very large glass of Chardonnay which after our drive up from London went down an absolute treat and so did the BLT sandwich with fries which wasn’t only generous and delicious, but excellent value.
Our room was finally ready (2 hours ahead of the normal check-in time) and I couldn’t wait because it meant climbing that magnificent red staircase up to the landing. As far as staircases go (especially during Christmas) this really did look postcard ready and incredibly festive. The hallway down to our room however is less impressive and in needed of work, but it wouldn’t take a lot to match the downstairs ones which I thought looked fantastic.
We were staying in a superior double room and all of the rooms here draw inspiration from The Iliffe’s Victorian heritage, filled with Laura Ashley décor, cosy furnishings and a relaxing ambience. View wise we were looking onto the main road and so the curtains were closed shut when we arrived and we kept them like that. Road views aside, I thought the room was incredibly cosy and the large double bed was magnificent. It was like sinking into a soft fluffy cloud. Next time I’ll make sure to request a garden view room because there are some lovely lush green grounds here.
There were nice fluffy robes, slippers and full tea/coffee-making facilities (with lots of snacks) to make your stay even more cosy. I do enjoy waking up in the morning with a cup of coffee in bed before heading down for breakfast and the small seating area at the end of the bed was the perfect place to enjoy it.
The bathroom was perhaps a little small for us and the single glazed bathroom window did mean for quite a lot of noise off the main road, but it didn’t deter from our stay. It’s clean, modern I quite enjoyed the complimentary spa products by Cole & Lewis. If a bathroom is your sanctuary (much like it is mine) then I highly recommend upgrading your room for a larger bathroom as this hotel is such good value you can do so for not very much more.
After a pre-drink in the bar, we sat ourselves down for dinner in the hotels Willows Restaurant. The room itself is grand and impressive, but a bit empty and not all tables laid which in future need to be (even if not fully booked) to create a nice atmosphere. We started our meal with a plate of scallops which were lovely and perfectly cooked.
For mains, roast rump of lamb with parmentier potatoes and baby shallots was a nice enough dish, but the meat was slow cooked and shredded which wasn’t the thick rump we were expecting. Better still and which I thoroughly enjoyed was the locally sourced Stratford-upon-Avon sirloin steak with roasted cherry tomatoes, watercress and a blue cheese sauce. The chips were great too.
To finish, a rich, thick and decadent baked cheesecake. I’m a big cheesecake lover and this certainly didn’t disappoint – though I couldn’t quite finish this generously sized wedge so it’s perfect for sharing.
Breakfast the next morning was excellent and housed back in the rather pretty main dining room. A large continental buffet selection was on offer to tuck into as you please, but if you’ve got space opt for the full English, the quality of everything on the plate was very good and very well cooked.
We had a really lovely time here at Laura Ashley Hotel The Iliffe and with a few improvements over time, it could become even better. I’m so excited that Laura Ashley have decided to open their own hotels and I only hope they launch more in the future. They’re so cosy, the staff are lovely and both their hotels and tea rooms never feel stuffy, but still special enough to dress up or celebrate with loved ones. Would we come back? Yes!
