Fancy celebrating the holiday season in style and feasting like a King or Queen while staying in the most unforgettable of settings?  Then look no further than the newly refurbished Thornbury Castle Hotel where guests are able to enjoy a majestic break this Christmas. 

Steeped in history and set in 15 acres, the Tudor castle was built in 1511 during the reign of Henry VIII and was regarded as one of the grandest buildings of its time in England. It has been the home of kings, queens and dukes over the centuries before becoming a luxury hotel in 1966. 

This December sees Thornbury Castle celebrate its first festive season following a multi-million pound refurbishment which has included the beautiful restoration of its dining rooms, lounges, library, as well as its luxurious 27 bed chambers and suites.

Simone Arcucci, General Manager, Thornbury Castle, comments: “Located near Bristol and adjacent to the Gloucestershire countryside, Thornbury Castle is the only Tudor castle in the UK which operates as a luxury hotel and restaurant and we are really looking forward to providing a truly unique experience this festive season.”

Executive Chef Carl Cleghorn is looking forward to his first culinary Christmas at the Castle and has created a series of mouth-watering menus using the best seasonal and local ingredients from the Castle’s kitchen and herb garden and local suppliers. 

Frederic Bellard, the Castle’s Sommelier, has used his unparalleled knowledge of fine wines and spirits to create a wine list featuring more than 200 new wines and spirits along with an innovative menu of bespoke and handcrafted cocktails and mocktails to suit all palettes.

Guests can take advantage of a number of different festive packages including:

2. Festive Recharger

Fancy a bit of me time with your loved ones between Christmas and New Year?  After Boxing Day, the Christmas adrenaline stops and most of us crave some time to recharge our batteries.  Thornbury Castle’s two-night Recharger package does just that, allowing guests to sit back and relax and enjoy being served breakfast and dinner throughout their stay. 

• Rates from £814for a two-night break in a Deluxe 

3. New Year Celebration

Seeing in the New Year in Thornbury Castle has to be done in style of course and family and friends are able to enjoy a truly memorable two or three-night New Year’s stay. 

Highlights include a New Year’s Eve black-tie drinks reception with champagne and canapés, followed by dinner and a selection of wines served in the restaurant. After dinner, guests head to the Tudor Hall to be entertained and dance the night away, enjoying the evening with a spot of gambling Tudor aristocratic style.  A traditional piper will welcome in the New Year, followed by fireworks at midnight to celebrate the arrival of 2022.

• Rates from £1,965for a three-night stay, based on two adults sharing a room.
• Rates from £1,525for a two-night stay, based on two adults sharing a room.

Please note that New Year celebrations are for adults only.

Unique stays guaranteed

This Christmas will see guests being able to experience a luxury stay given all of the Castle’s 27 bedchambers and suites have been fully refurbished to the highest standard along with the Howard Family Gatehouse. Fifteen of the bedchambers and suites feature sumptuous four-poster beds, rich period detailing, with décor throughout the rooms and suites artfully recreating the Tudor style in which royalty and aristocracy would have languished, feasted and relaxed in. 

As well as a range of planned activities available, guests will also have a chance to explore the Castle’s Tudor gardens at leisure, enjoy a delicious cream tea served with all the trimmings, and relax in the historic lounges and historic library throughout their stay. 

To book:  https://www.thornburycastle.co.uk or call +44 (0)1454 281182.   

Even though this Christmas does not resemble seasons past, there are still memories to be made with loved ones during the upcoming festive break at The Ickworth this December.

After the year we have all encountered, with the challenges of home schooling, working from home and missing visiting close relatives due to the pandemic, families deserve a wonderful break away and a chance to escape the daily routine we are all bound by at the moment.

To help identify the key factors of a truly enjoyable stay away from home, Luxury Family Hotels has commissioned research involving 1,000 families. They were asked a number of questions relating to what they are most looking forward to on their next break away. The most popular responses included:

• a change of scenery (53%);
• someone else taking over the cooking (41%);
• spending time with their partner (34%);
• some ‘me’ time (29%);
• reading a magazine, book or paper in quiet (21%); and
• having their children looked after by someone else (21%).

The research also uncovered the increasing importance of wellness. One in five of those surveyed (21%) indicated that an element of wellness was an important factor in their typical family break, and of those, 50% said that it has become more important to them now due to Covid.

In response to the research, Luxury Family Hotel’s The Ickworth (www.ickworthhotel.co.uk)  – a country house hotel where luxury and family life go hand in hand – is offering a number of tailor-made festive packages to add some festive sparkle this Christmas and New Year for all the family.

Packages include:

• Christmas Break: Rates are from £1,545 for a three-night dinner-inclusive package based on two adults and up to two children sharing a room.
• Recharger Break: the ultimate relaxing break and a chance to truly recharge away from normal routines. Rates are from £1,335 for a three-night dinner-inclusive package based on two adults sharing a room.
• New Year Break: A truly memorable three night celebration. Rates are from £2,025 for a three-night package, based on two adults and up to two children sharing a room.
• New Year Recharger Break: A relaxing post hustle and bustle three night New Year Recharger Break. Rates from £1,335, based on two adults sharing a room.

Within each of the packages, there will be a chance for all members of the family to kick back and relax and have fun to boot! For example, children can look forward to enjoying a range of activities in the OFSTED registered Den – the team has already planned a number of festive themed craft sessions as well as a whole host of games. For those who love the great outdoors, there’s plenty of bike rides, clambering on trees and outdoor dens to be built. And after either a family dinner or children’s high tea, there is a chance to finish off a fun-filled day with a supervised movie night with popcorn and chocolate milk.

Parents meanwhile have the chance to enjoy some well deserved ‘me’ time while the children are in a supervised Den session for one and a half hours. From simply finding a cosy corner by a roaring fire to read a book in one of the hotel’s lounges to indulging in a spot of ELEMIS pampering in one of the hotel’s treatment room, the wellbeing-ometer is guaranteed to go up.

As well as enjoying a swim in the hotel’s indoor heated swimming pool, families can also explore the wonderful grounds of The Ickworth by foot or by bike. The hotel team highly recommend its new multi use trail which gives greater access to the historic 1,800 acres of parkland, enabling people to get closer to nature. The trail goes through various terrains: fields of sheep, woods, meadows, landscaped parkland. The views change all the time and guests are kept captivated and interested.

Food and drink is of course a highlight when staying at the hotel with its excellent kitchen team service locally sourced ingredients throughout your stay. Think hearty breakfasts, traditional festive lunches with all the trimmings, cream teas and wonderful dinners for all the family. Its beverage team is also ready to shake up some favourite cocktails and mocktails, offers a vast wine list and not forgetting some delicious mulled wine to get guests in the festive mood.

The Ickworth adjoins the National Trust’s Ickworth property and is just two hours from London, enveloped in rolling Suffolk countryside. Before becoming a luxury family hotel it was the home of the Hervey family and is steeped in fascinating history. Hotel guests can also gain exclusive access to Ickworth’s gardens, designed by Capability Brown, throughout their stay and also have exclusive access an hour before they are open to the wider public.

Booking:

• +44 (0) 208 076 5555
• www.luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk

And for those who want to look forward to a break away next year, vouchers are also available to buy in denominations of £20 and as gift packages for breaks away, afternoon tea and spa treatment which is a wonderful present and something to look forward to in 2021.

Hancocks London offers selection of festive gifts for loved ones near and far

Even though this Christmas does not resemble seasons past, there are still memories to be made with loved ones near and far.

Hancocks London, based in Mayfair’s Burlington Arcade, is renowned for its curated selection of jewels and objets d’art and has a discerning customer following from all around the globe.

Its Hot Picks for Christmas 2020 list features a selection of pieces to suit different members of the family as well as loved ones, carefully chosen with the following criteria: it would be a gift the recipient could keep forever and that it would be a joy to unwrap on the big day. Read on to discover what pieces make this year’s list:

2. 18ct Gold Signet Ring

Signet rings are enjoying a major resurgence of interest among young people and especially women. Whether designed as an essential piece of family heritage, or for millennials who want to reflect the vogue for heritage jewellery, they make the perfect gift. Hancocks London handmade signet rings are all meticulously crafted in the UK and the whole process – from brief to final delivery of the piece – can be arranged online (order by end of November for festive delivery). Alternatively, the team will happily prepare a bespoke voucher to present to a loved one. Visit Hancocks dedicated signet ring website at: https://www.hancockssignetrings.com

4. Retro Gold Bangle

Retro jewels for the fashionistas in the family are guaranteed to be a hit given they are effortlessly chic. This bold and stylish two-tone gold retro bracelet dates from the 1940s and has an unmistakeable style. It would definitely be the gift to give to someone who understands design and yearns for something which is also elegant. Plus, it’s a great investment given retro pieces continue to go up in price.

6. Ruby and Diamond Earrings

These stylish pair of ruby and diamond earrings by Bulgari capture the glamour of post-war life in the 1950s. Their circular ‘door knocker’ design was created in a glittering era when all the famous Hollywood stars descended on Rome to make films given the production costs were advantageous. Simple and elegant, they would make a glamorous and extremely sparkly addition to a lucky person’s jewellery collection.

8. Cufflinks…..Cartier style

Cufflinks make a great accessory for both men and women who have a penchant for attention to detail. These Art Deco gold and enamel cufflinks by Cartier are dated circa 1930s. They feature a geometric motif in red enamel depicting the Chinese symbol of the dragon representing prosperity and strength and would make the most thoughtful of presents for Christmas 2020.