A night away at Stanbrook Abbey, Worcestershire

(Invited) I was invited by Hand Picked Hotels for a night away at Stanbrook Abbey. This hotel is fairly local to me and I’ve eaten at their restaurant, The Refectory, several times before. However, what a treat it was to stay here.

In the photo below you can see the Abbey Church with its gothic revival bell tower which was designed by Edward Welby Pugin and consecrated in 1871. Nuns lived here until 2009 when they relocated to North Yorkshire. This former house of worship was then converted into the stunning hotel you can see here!

I love staying in unusual places, rich with history and there was so much to explore here, and yes we went up that bell tower! The views of the Malvern Hills were amazing.

Our room! My husband and I were put up in the Pugin Suite which was probably one of the nicest rooms we have ever stayed in. They really spoiled us by leaving us a bottle of champagne, fruit platter and handmade chocolates to welcome us. Plus don’t you just fancy a dip in that tub? The room is named after Pugin who built the cloisters and the church. He also designed the interior of the Palace of Westminster.

There’s loads to see in the hotel and it more than filled a couple of hours just exploring this historic house and learning all abut the history. The lovely reception staff can give you details about the hotel’s historical information and points of interest. The hotel makes the perfect wedding venue too!

Yummy food in the Refectory! In the restaurant you can also find carvings by Robert ‘Mousey’ Thompson who is famous for carving mice into the furniture he made. You can also spot two of his mice in Reception.

Not sure what to do in the area? Here’s some suggestions which I recommend:

🔸Take a ride on a steam train at Severn Valley Railway
🔸Walk the Malvern Hills
🔸Visit Little Malvern Court
🔸Visit National Trust properties- Croome, Hanbury Hall, The Firs, Greyfriars House, Brockhampton to name a few
🔸Nip over into nearby Herefordshire to sample some cider at Weston’s Cider or try some gin at Chase Distillery
🔸Visit English Heritage’s Witley Court
🔸Visit the the beautiful city of Worcester to see the stunning Cathedral
🔸Learn about the history of the English Civil war at The Commandery in Worcester
🔸Visit the museum of Royal Worcester Porcelain
🔸Visit Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire