A romantic weekend away

I have posted before regarding valentines day, that me and my partner don't necessarily celebrate the day itself, we don't need a specific day to let each other know we love one another. This particular post will be about the romantic weekend we just had together, that just so happened to be the weekend before the 'love' day. And my partner did well! What a brilliant find and just in time, as we both really needed this time away. We quite often go away for a night as much as we can, rekindling that magic and not worrying about anything other than 'where shall we eat'. 

We stayed in a little town called Shipston on Stour in the Cotswolds, roughly an hour away from home. It was a beautiful town filled with quaint boutique shops and we couldn't help noticing how friendly the local people were. They would all chat with each other and everyone knew everyone. The town boasts a beautiful church with its bells ringing every morning which I just adored, several local pubs and a lovely walk along the river. 

So here's what we got up to:

The George Townhouse 

This hotel and pub is located in the centre of the thriving town. There is on site parking and an outdoor patio area, food is available all day including breakfast and the staff were welcoming. We booked up for a two night stay here and fell in love straight away with our room. We were greeted in the room with classical music playing which we had never experienced before and a huge bay window overlooking the front high street. Two perfectly placed chairs were situated in the bay to sit and chill and look out upon the bustling street below. And the main reason for picking this particular hotel was waiting for us behind a closed door, the roll top Bath. Along with a double shower, a huge sink and the warmth of the heated towel rail, we were made up with our choice. The room boasted, a very comfortable deluxe bed, a Nespresso coffee machine, a long view mirror and a desk which was home to the hairdryer, I don't know about you but I usually try to find out whether the hotel room has its hairdryer or if I need to bring my own. The radiator was on and warmed the room nicely, tucked away in the corners of the room was an air conditioned unit and a big fan, for the summer months I assume.

This room wasn't your bog standard walk in bathroom to your left or right bed ahead situation, it was huge, bright and so beautiful. 

Now, the bay window was a delight to see however, it was single pane which meant a draught was coming through and the noise of the street outside was not masked. There is a co-op situated opposite the hotel which had a constant flow of traffic, cars parking up and doors shutting all the time. Once we had pulled the heavy and lined curtains around, we felt no draught but heard people's conversations walking past, loud exhaust noise and lots of banging. This went on until about 10.30pm. Waking us up at 8am the next morning was the same thriving environment outside.

The first evening 

After settling into the room it was time to find somewhere to eat. Low and behold we really didn't have to walk far at all! We ordered drinks and perused the menu in a pub called 'The Lazy Pug'.

I ordered the Giant Nachos with chili beef which were delicious, leaving me wanting more, and my partner ordered the Paris Stilton burger and I was informed it was succulent and flavourful.  The staff here were welcoming and attentive before and during our meal. The atmosphere felt homely and everyone knew everyone which made us feel like we were among friends as they encouraged us into their conversations. We would both say that prices here were standard and the food was well worthy of another visit from us in the future.

Unfortunately though as we returned to our hotel deciding to enjoy a quick drink in the bar first, the cost of two drinks was beyond acceptable even for a premium location.  For a pint of beer and a glass of wine it was £17.20, when we had bought exactly the same in the previous pub for just £10.00. I honestly could not believe what I was hearing and nearly refused to hand over my money. 

The brewery tour

On the Saturday after some breakfast and a chill in our hotel room, my Partner had booked us up for a tour around Hook Norton Brewery for 2pm. I was a little skeptical about embarking on the tour as I knew nothing of making a beer at all. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it a lot. Our tour guide was absolutely spectacular, full of so much information and we heard some great stories, as he once worked in the Brewery himself. At the end of our tour I felt quite knowledgeable and was pleased I had done it, as we sat down to enjoy a taster session of the beers available to us. We even came away with our very own 'completed tour' glasses.

Our breakfast stop every morning

On both the Saturday and Sunday mornings, we walked around the corner to a beautiful little cafe called 'Mrs Browns'. Cooking up traditional full English breakfasts, teas and coffees and selling homemade cakes, it was a perfect start to our days. Prices here were also very standard and the food was flavorsome. In particular my favourite was the bacon.

Things to do in and around Shipston on Stour

I don't believe we actually explored this town as much as we possibly could during our stay, but we know for next time what to do:

• A walk along the River Stour
• Cotswold Falconry Centre -  15 minutes away 
• The Motoring Museum - 26 minutes away
• Cotswold Distillery - 8 minutes away
• Whichford Pottery - 11 minutes away