A Weekend at Tortworth Court

Last month to commemorate one year of living in England I really wanted to visit a castle in the countryside.  And because I never do anything half-way instead of just visiting one I stayed in one!  The De Vere Tortworth Court is set on 30 acres of land in South Gloucestershire, England on the edge of the Cotswolds.  The location is only a few hours from London and it made for a perfect weekend escape, arriving Friday evening and leaving Sunday afternoon.  

I may have squealed when I saw the amount of wellies in the front foyer which for Brits is not a big deal but for me, was terrific.   Now if you research Tortworth Court some sites call it a Victorian mansion but I am going to keep saying  castle to keep my Princes dreams alive – plus the 2nd Earl of Ducie used to live there.   (And in case you were curious, a castle is a fortress that may or may not have a residence versus a mansion is a large, opulent residence).  De Vere Tortworth Court has been open as a hotel since 2001 after a £25 million restoration it looks impeccable! 

The entrance hall was regal, the check-in smooth, and rooms were beautifully appointed.  England, and Europe in general for that matter, are not a big fan of really large beds, especially in hold historic places like De Vere Tortworth Court so I was very pleasantly surprised to see a massive king bed and beautiful headboard as opposed to the standard double or queen. 

After dinner on the night of my actual one year London-versary we had dinner in the formal oak-panelled restaurant and then retired to the plush couches in the the old library for a cocktail.   We also checked out the spa in the afternoon and had a lovely dip in the hot tub after our gruelling bike ride (though more to come on that in a different post).  And yes, you better believe I walked around in that robe and those slippers!

On Sunday morning we took a stroll around the gardens, coffee in hand, and marvelled at the beautiful Manor hour sand the gardens that date back to the 11th century.  Goodness, I would have loved to be a member of the Ducie family and actually live in that house! We also took a peek in the atrium and saw the set up for a wedding happening later that afternoon in the gorgeous 60-foot high space.  And while plants aren’t my thing there definitely seemed to be a plethora – more than  300 plant and tree specimens according to the brochure!

It was absolutely stunning and I hope I will make it back to Tortworth Court soon!