An Adults Only Holiday at Studley Castle

Last updated: 11 July 2023

Spending the weekend on an adults only holiday in a castle. Could my life get any better? 

The concept of staying in a castle is something everyone aspires to.  The history, the grandeur, the Disney princess fairy tale it just captures the imagination. 

The entire process of spending a weekend in a castle was made even better by the solitude of an adults only holiday.  As a childless couple, the majority of our travels are adults only, however our quiet R&R time can be rudely interrupted by other people’s kids running through a restaurant, or taking the fun out of activities by throwing a poorly-timed tantrum.  So for parents, an adults-only weekend away might be a rare, and well deserved, treat.  

Whichever side you’re on, an adults only holiday gives you back some you-time. There’s no playgrounds, and no early wake up calls (unless you want one), and plenty of opportunity for you to concentrate on grown-up pleasures; be it board games over brandy, cycling around the grounds, or a day at the spa. A couples holiday is about finding your own path.

As avid fans of a weekend break, we love nothing more than jumping in the car on a Friday afternoon and leaving London behind and that’s exactly what we did for our weekend in Warwickshire.  The convenience of Studley Castle means it’s ideal for a weekend break. It’s close to motorways and infrastructure, but far enough away from the city to be removed from intrusive noise like traffic noise, roadworks, and flight paths. 

Situated just 160km (100mi) north of London it’s a quick drive up the motorway to reach Studley Castle. Accessibility is even easier if you’re situated in the UK’s second biggest city Birmingham where it’s just a half hour drive away, and even less from the quintessentially British Cotswolds at 20 minutes so your relaxing weekend can begin right away.

Driving through the ornate entrance with wrought iron gates, past lush green pastures filled with sheep, up the gravel tree-lined driveway was the best introduction to our weekend at Studley Castle. One look at the majestic facade of the Grade II* listed building and an audible woahhhh, within an instant the stress of London-life melted off my shoulders.

Entering the foyer of castle you’re greeted by eclectic decor. The styling is completely unexpected when in this part of the world, it’s common to see hotels provide homage to England’s most notable playwright William Shakespeare whose birthplace, Stratford upon Avon, is just 12 miles up the road. 

Instead, Warner’s design team have opted for a quirky nod to Alice in Wonderland, with a unicorn in the foyer, a top-hat wearing cow in the hallway to rabbit lamps on checkerboard tables. The main turret off the foyer has light-capturing glazed heraldic symbols in the ceiling and dramatic wide-spread winged ravens around the upper balcony which is all rather impressive, if not a tad ominous.

Things To Do in Studley Castle 

The model at Studley Castle is one of flexibility.  Activities are all included in the nightly rate meaning you can be as active or as sedentary as you wish.

During our stay we road tested all the activities at Studley Castle. Target sports of archery, rifle shooting, and laser clay shooting as well as classic British lawn sport of croquet on the front green. 

If that’s not enough to keep you busy, Pashley bicycles, made by hand in the nearby Stratford-Upon-Avon, are available to hire to cycle around the impressive castle grounds or further afield into the town of Studley which is a mile away. Under construction at the time of our visit is a nine hold putting green and a petanque field due for completion in summer 2019. 

I should point out that, as much as we partook in all the activities, it was just as easy to find one of the many snugs within the castle and read for hours on end or soak in the spa.  

A significant amount of thought and care has gone into the design of the onsite cinema. Featuring 30 plush bucket seats, offering a minimum of three screenings per day, more when the weather is bad.  Studley Castle screens a mix of recently released films and cinematic classics over a 14 day cycle meaning guests won’t see the same movie twice during their stay.  

The introduction of the no-noise snack bar has to be one of my favourite things ever.  I’m assured by General Manager, Dean Saunders, that each addition to the snack bar has been robustly tested by staff. There’s no rustling packets to distract from the movie-going experience as crisps, popcorn and jelly snacks are packaged in noise-free tins and containers! This is my kind of cinema! 

Other than the snack bar, the highlight for me has to be The Stables Spa.  Located in what was once the riding stables, it has been given a new life with a full renovation turning it into a quiet zone featuring an indoor pool, spa, sauna and steam room all under the ornate panoramic glass ceiling overlooking the main castle building. There’s also a gym, a multipurpose games room set up with a ping pong table and four dedicated day spa treatment rooms where guests can book, and pay for, facials and hot stone massages, manicures and pedicures with Temple Spa products.  

Explore Further Afield

Not that we did, but you might like to venture off the property if you’re staying for more than a weekend.  The team at Studley have gone to great effort to connect with the local community and partnering with nearby businesses.

For craft beer lovers, look no further than the Purity Brewery which was established in 2005. Socially and environmentally aware, Purity brew beer with a conscience but lucky for us, they have no problem running weekend tours and serving up breakfast beers to visitors.

For gin lovers, the local Shakespeare Distillery is worth a visit.  Take a tour of the distillery, learn about gin making, see the stills and of course have a tasting!  They also run a ‘gin school’, where you can create your own gin – we will certainly save that activity for another weekend. 

If exploring the 28 acres of grounds isn’t enough for the weekend walkers, Studley Castle is situated along the historic Arden Way.

This circular 26-mile route takes walkers through field paths, water meadows, and woodland paths as it gently sweeps through some of the finest landscape and villages in Warwickshire. Tracing the byways of the ancient Forest of Arden, it’s believed to be the settling for Shakespeare’s As You Like It.  

Speaking of The Bard, the nearby and rather quaint town of Stratford-Upon-Avon is his birthplace, and you’d struggle to find a single street lacking a reference to him.  Think half-timbered houses, riverside drinking dens, and character-filled low-ceiling wonky-shopfronts and medieval taverns like the Old Thatch Tavern which dates back to 1470.  

For the history buffs, a visit to Warwick Castle should be on your itinerary.  With a history stretching back over a thousand years to the era of William the Conqueror, Warwick Castle is home to the largest working trebuchet in the world. Explore by taking in the battlements, towers and ramparts, the interiors and the dungeons.  All of this makes a great day out from Studley Castle.  

The Rooms at Studley Castle

Over all, there are 209 bedrooms across four categories, Castle, Studley, Stable and Lodge.  Rooms are spread over different wings, with the majority of rooms situated in the new Studley wing which was tastefully built on to the side of the castle and means you’re front and centre for everything.

For a bit of extra luxury, indulge in one of the twelve Castle rooms in the original castle building. Unique in shape, size and layout, each has been individually designed, leveraging their best features be it a roomy lounge, countryside views, however my favourite are the corner rooms with a dressing room and roll-top bath tucked into the octagonal turrets.  

Our room is a Studley room on the second floor. A plush king size bed, fluffy bathrobes and luxurious toiletries from the Temple Spa, delicate mood lighting and a glass enclosed balcony looking across lush green fields and a side view of the main castle. 

For the average millennial traveller, the USB charging points beside the bed are a welcome addition as is the plethora of power points at the desk. A speed test on the WiFi was a pretty decent 50.8MBPS download and 16.2MBPS upload. 

Dining at Studley Castle

Dinner & Drinks

In my opinion, for any hotel to really succeed in the short break market, food has to play a significant role in the business model.

At Studley Castle, guests have numerous options with two restaurants (Eversham & Arden), plus various bars and lounges. The heart of the hotel is the Evesham restaurant which doubles as the main venue for evening entertainment.

Eversham is named after the nearby picturesque, riverside historic market town, the centre of the horticultural Vale of Evesham which is known as the fruit and vegetable basket of England.

This market town proudly focused on seasonal produce in a market-garden style approach by providing a wide range and steady supply of fresh different crops and varied produce through the local growing season, rather than monoculture to the local communities.

Where possible, Studley Castle attempts to recreate the market-garden approach and incorporate locally sourced produce alongside a more highly structured supply-chain that you would expect from a hotel of this size.  

Good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used.

 – William Shakespeare –

At check in we’re allocated a table number. It’s not a model I’m familiar with, being allocated a specific table where you sit for breakfast, dinner (unless dining at Arden) and for the evening entertainment should you wish to stick around.  I found it a bit weird being told where to sit for the duration of our stay but pleased by the outcome to be surrounded by lovely and delightfully entertaining people nevertheless. 

Eversham Restaurant is a 428 seat restaurant with a buffet style with guests ordering drinks and starters at their table, while mains and dessert is self-serve buffet with plenty of variety.

Big on flavour with plenty of choice, the self service buffet has plenty of options catering to the fussiest of pallets with themed station (Indian, French etc) which changes every evening, alongside a few classics stations of fish and roast with all the trimmings plus an array of salads and breads. 

While situated at the end of the restaurant, it doesn’t mean it’s less important is the dessert selection. A rather impressive pivoting ice cream fridge and a collection of cakes can keep the sweetest of teeth content.  

 At Arden, the model is completely different offering full a la carte with table service. We dined at both and while I liked the variety of the counter service in Eversham, Arden wins my vote with ambiance and intimacy alongside a lovely view of the sunset from the west facing terrace and rolling fields and farmlands.  

It’s important to note that meals are included in room rates however drinks, while prices are fair, they are an additional charge. Which is either payable by charging to your room if you open an account at check in, or PAYG by card at the table. 

Evening Entertainment at Studley Castle

Evening entertainment is a staple of the Warners brand with a rotating schedule of vocalists, comedians, entertainers, big bands and during our stay, the radio DJ and television presenter, Jo Whiley.  

Harp hip-hop funk are three words I didn’t realise could go together until we spent a night at Studley Castle watching Irish harp player Lisa Canny and her folk-style band perform the iconic Eurythmics’ hit, Sweet Dreams. 

More names on the upcoming line-up: Mica Paris, Shayne Ward, and Kim Wilde just to name a few. 

Breakfast

Breakfast is exclusively in the Eversham with an all-you-can-eat approach. Providing an assortment of choices from a light continental style breakfast of breads, meats, cheeses and fruit, or a traditional English fry up with everything you can imagine.  In case you hadn’t established by now, my go to breakfast dish is poached eggs and you can be sure that’s what I had at the made-to-order egg station at Studley Castle.  

Cold drinks are available from the buffet while hot drinks by way of pots of tea or weak filtered coffee is delivered to your table. If you like your coffee, my advice is to skip it and go straight for the good stuff by asking your waiter for espresso/cappuccino as you like it.  I only wish I’d known this on my first morning.  

History of Studley Castle

Studley Castle was the brainchild of High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Sir Francis Lyttleton Holyoake.  

Built in 1836 by architect Samuel Beazley who made a name for himself designing two major West End theatres in London which still stand today, Lyceum Theatre and the facade of the Adelphi. 

Beazley was charged with making a lavish Gothic Revival folly, not a castle, and for 70 years it was a family home.  After Francis’s financial demise, Studley Castle was acquired and transformed into an agricultural college for women and later it became a training camp for the Women’s Land Army during both World War I and II.

Studley Castle Today

Studley Castle is the first acquisition for Warner Leisure Hotels in two decades who acquired the castle and surrounding property in March 2016 before undertaking a mammoth £50mil renovation project over three years to complete.

The property was derelict in 2016, full of bats, newts, dry rot and asbestos. The project to transform it into what stands today was quite a feat.  

On top of the neglected state, the castle has Grade II* listed status which means replacing broken or irreparable 14th century stone had to come from the only quarry permitted under heritage listing in the Cotswolds. 

So Why Choose Studley Castle for Adults-Only Holiday?

I was surprised to discover Studley Castle does not accept conferences or weddings.  They are 100% devoted to their hotel guests and want to ensure their guests have the best time possible.

Studley Castle provides the opportunity for grown-up time, a chance to relax and explore places closer to home, not subject yourself to airport security queues, and those tiny blue seats in a blindly neon yellow cabin. At Studley Castle, your holiday starts immediately so you can start relaxing straight away. 

With good food, live music every night and the opportunity to do as much or as little as you want.  It’s certainly a model I can get on board with and will certainly experience again. 

The Essentials | Studley Castle

• Where: Hardwick Ln, Studley B80 7AJ
• Price point: Two night breaks start from £179pp and three-night breaks from £259pp.
• Nearest train stations: Wootton Wawen and Redditch Stations are roughly 6-6.5 miles away.
• For more information: Website

Disclaimer: This post was a collaboration with Warner Leisure Hotels’. We retained full artistic and creative licence over the content in this post. All opinions, photos, and subtle attempts at humour remain the sole property of the Roaming Required.