Luxury Around the World: Thornbury Castle Hotel

Luxury Around the World: Thornbury Castle Hotel

Thornbury Castle is a luxury five-star hotel in southwest England that has more history than most! This castle hotel dates back to the 16th century, and it was once stayed in by none other than King Henry VIII and his wife Anne Boleyn (before he had her beheaded!). With old-world charm, regal character, and Tudor history waiting behind every oaken bed chamber door, Thornbury Castle is the perfect place for a boutique castle stay!

You’ll feel like a King or Queen of England when you stroll through the medieval gates of Thornbury Castle, and you’ll be treated like the royalty who graced these same corridors in centuries past throughout your vacation. Add in a superb fine-dining menu at the restaurant, an afternoon tea of champions in the courtyard, or a soothing session in the treatment room, and you’ll wonder why you never visited Thornbury Castle sooner.

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A Castle Steeped in English History 

Unique Castle Hotel in England: Thornbury Castle Exterior
Images courtesy of Thornbury Castle

Let’s start with the history; because Thornbury Castle is steeped in English heritage. In fact, we’d say that the hotel’s magnificent history is one of the main reasons to book a stay here, not counting the refined luxury and service you’ll also encounter during your regal getaway in the English countryside.

Thornbury Castle dates back to the Tudor period. It was built as a fortified country manor by Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and a descendant of the English Plantagenet monarchy. Construction began in 1508, although Stafford had little time to enjoy the fruition of his work, as he was tried and executed for treason by Henry VIII in 1521. 

We think that’s a bit extreme given the hospitality Stafford extended to King Henry VIII. The infamous Tudor monarch spent 11 nights in the castle with his second wife Anne Boleyn (who he also had beheaded, later on), as they sought shelter in the rural manor house while a plague ravaged the nearby city of Bristol they’d been visiting. 

Hotel guests can join history-focused tours of the premises that delve deep into the castle’s origins, its development as a country manor, and the more modern refurbishments. You’ll learn about the historic characters that stayed here (did we mention Henry VIII was once a guest?) and the often gristly events that befell the castle’s owners and guests. 

Thornbury Castle’s history is everywhere. You’ll find paintings of portraits of Tudor nobility and royalty throughout the hotel’s corridors, suits of armor and Elizabethan globes in the library, and coats of arms and medieval weaponry hanging from the walls. The most popular suite in the hotel was made for history buffs, although given its popularity you’ll need to book far in advance. With a spot of luck, though, you might just be able to reserve a night in the Henry VIII Suite, the very same bed chamber where Henry and Anne stayed during their visit. 

Book a Stay at Thornbury Castle


Charming Countryside Location

Best Castle Hotel in England: Thornbury Castle Exterior

Thornbury Castle has a beautiful, charming countryside location. You’ll find the castle itself on the edge of Thornbury, a small market town in Gloucestershire in the southwest of England. 

Thornbury Castle is conveniently located within walking distance of the town, yet also far enough away to promote a sense of exclusive seclusion. The hotel is next to a grand Norman-era church that’s equally as historic, while you’ll have plenty of countryside walks to enjoy nearby and boutique shops and restaurants to visit in Thornbury.

The nearest city of logistical importance is Bristol, the transport hub of southwestern England. Bristol is a half-hour drive away, and you’ll find that the city has great train and bus connections to London, as well as an airport with onward connections to many European cities. There’s a regular bus connection between Thornbury and Bristol, or it would be possible for the hotel to organize a transfer service for you. London is a two to three-hour drive away from Thornbury Castle, or a two-hour train ride from Bristol.


Accommodation at Thornbury Castle

Best Castle Hotel in England: Thornbury Castle Suite

Thornbury Castle has a serious air of exclusivity about the place, and a large part of that aura is cultivated by the fact that the hotel has just 27 rooms and suites for guests to choose from. Thornbury Castle is a member of the luxurious Relais & Chateaux hotel group, so you can rest assured when booking that luxury is first and foremost the priority. 

You’ll love how the castle’s rooms and suites merge modern luxury with the castle’s enduring history. That history has been preserved in the decor and furnishings, and each of the rooms and suites is named for a famous historical character that once stayed here. Our room was named for Edward Stafford, the unfortunate Duke who built the castle. Each room has a unique layout, and ours was set across two floors, with a spiral staircase leading upwards into one of the castle’s old towers. 

The Edward Stafford room (as all rooms at Thornbury Castle do) featured a pod-coffee machine, two flat-screen televisions, Egyptian cotton sheets, feather and down bedding, and a fully-stocked minibar. There was even complimentary chocolate to enjoy on arrival, as well as a small decanter of locally distilled Sloe Gin. The Sloe Gin was topped up during the evening Turndown service, which was very much appreciated. The bathroom had underfloor heating, luxury bath robes, a large walk-in rainshower, marbled surfaces, and toiletries by Milton Brown. 

Next door was the Henry VIII Suite, where the king himself stayed many centuries ago. This is the most opulent suite in the hotel, as you might expect. The room features a four-poster bed as well green velvet chairs fit for royalty, sweeping views from Elizabethan windows, and 65 square meters of history-laden space to enjoy. 

Other suites include the Jane Seymour Suite (named for another wife of Henry VIII) which is accessed via a spiral staircase, the Catherine of Aragon Tower Suite (which features the largest four-poster bed in the United Kingdom), and the Henry VII Suite (inspired by Henry VIII’s father). 

Every room, whether it’s a deluxe or a tower suite, features unique period features, artworks, portraits, and homely touches. It would be easy to return on multiple occasions to experience the different styles and characters each of the rooms has. 

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Above and Beyond

Where to Stay in England: Thornbury Castle Chef

The staff at Thornbury Castle were professional, yet welcoming and friendly. They all knew their history, too, and were quite happy to chat about Henry VIII or to name the cast of characters immortalized in portraits hanging from the hallways. 

The team was happy to help carry baggage from our car to the room, were thorough in showing us around our room at check-in, and were impeccable with the later Turndown service. 

Luxury Castle Hotel in England: Thornbury Castle Staff

The wait staff was on-hand quickly and attentively when we took seats in the hotel’s lounge for drinks, and in the garden for a cold ice coffee in the sunshine. The restaurant staff was equally friendly and thorough, providing excellent table service befitting royalty. 

Best Castle Hotel in England: Thornbury Castle Car

The staff at Thornbury Castle certainly went above and beyond the call of duty during our one-night stay at the hotel. We’d organized an early wake-up call in order to visit the nearby Bristol Balloon Fiesta for sunrise, and the night team not only made sure we were awake early but had a much welcome platter of hot coffee and fresh pastries waiting for us in reception (at 5 am in the morning!).

Disaster struck, though, and we discovered that our car had suffered a flat tire. Although we missed the Balloon Fiesta, the staff had no trouble letting us back into the room for a few extra hours of sleep. Later in the morning, the staff then helped us pump the tire up and find a nearby garage that could fix the puncture.

The excellent service is to be expected, really, given that the staff are all well trained and versed in traditional etiquette. 


Dine on Delectable Cuisine

Breakfast

Luxury Castle Hotel in England: Thornbury Castle Dining

The morning’s flat tire did have the unexpected silver lining of allowing us to not only spend more time in the comforts of our luxury suite but allowing us to enjoy the excellent breakfast service (in addition to the early-morning croissants and pains au chocolat).

Breakfast took place in the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, a beautiful yet intimate location on the ground floor of the castle. The elegant tables are surrounded by authentic portraits and original coats of arms, and we guessed the names of the Tudor characters on the wall as we waited for our orange and grapefruit juices to arrive.

The breakfast menu included a traditional Full English Breakfast, which featured sausages and bacon sourced from a nearby farm, as well as Stornoway Black pudding. A vegetarian and vegan version was available but needed to be preordered the night before. 

I opted for the Eggs Benedict, and instead of the ham, the kitchen was quite happy to serve smoked salmon. The poached eggs were poached to perfection, served on a single half of an English Muffin, and drowned in Hollandaise Sauce. Other breakfast options included Smashed Avocado With Chili and Lime on Sourdough Toast and Scrambled Eggs With Smoked Salmon. 

There were ‘Continental Plates’ to accompany the main breakfast course, including fresh fruit, cereals, and Greek yogurt. Of course, there was a choice of barista coffee, too. 

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Afternoon Tea

Cool Castle Hotel in England: Thornbury Castle Afternoon Tea

Thornbury Castle offers a comprehensive Afternoon Tea for both guests and visitors (you don’t need to be staying at the hotel for Afternoon Tea, but you should book in advance). 

I didn’t get to experience the Afternoon Tea, but I was told that it takes place in the library and in summer, it can be served in the garden. The library is the hotel’s lounging area, reception room, and bar, where you can enjoy Afternoon Tea in a wonderfully nostalgic setting (it’s like Downton Abbey)!

Afternoon Tea options included the classic version, served with a selection of finger sandwiches, cakes, pastries, and scones. You can also upgrade to the Champagne package, which includes a glass of English Sparkling Wine from Surrey in addition to the tea.


Dinner

Best Castle Hotel in England: Thornbury Castle Dinner

Dinner at Thornbury Castle will be a highlight of your stay. Make sure to reserve a table when you book your room, as the restaurant has limited seating exclusively for hotel guests. The restaurant is a fine dining affair, although given it was 30 degrees Celsius outside, they didn’t mind smart shorts being worn in summer!

Dinner is served in the same area as breakfast, and it’s a wonderful setting for history aficionados who also have a real love for their food. The dishes themselves aren’t necessarily historic, but the chefs do draw on a rich tapestry of English culinary traditions and source as many ingredients as possible locally. Increasingly, herbs and vegetables are grown on-site, and you’ll see lambs lettuce, and courgettes growing in and around the Tudor Walled Garden if you take a walk outside. 

The Executive Chef is Carl Cleghorn, and the Food and Beverage Manager is Frederic Ballard, both of whom bring a wonderful array of culinary experience and expertise to the table. The waitstaff was once again excellent, and given the small number of tables, service was almost one-to-one throughout the evening.

Dinner was an experience. There’s no rush here, and we were first invited to have drinks in the library where we perused the menu and enjoyed light canapes before our order was taken. Drinks included Gloucestershire ciders, Bath ales, and 6 O’Clock Gins from a local distillery in Thornbury. 

You can choose from the six-course tasting menu or the three-course a la carte menu, with meat, fish, and veggie/vegan options available for all. The a la carte menu changes seasonally, and the main was a choice of pork belly, rockfish, or pea risotto.

The food was exquisite. For starters, I chose the seafood ravioli, which was served with lobster bisque and topped with caviar. My main dish was rockfish, which was soft in the middle with crispy skin on one side, and served with butternut squash and gnocchi. Dessert was a fine selection of cheeses, including cheddar and blue cheeses. 


Other Activities at Thornbury Castle

Unique Castle Hotel in England: Thornbury Castle Massage

Thornbury Castle also offers guests the chance to book treatments, including massages and facials, at the hotel’s treatment room. 

Other activities included traditional lawn games in the garden, where you can play croquet and bowls or try your hand at a spot of archery. In the library, you can play traditional bar games such as chess. 

Thornbury Castle also caters for weddings, while throughout the year, they host different event including history lectures and walks, hot air balloon experiences, and more!

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That’s it – We hope you enjoy your stay at the Thornbury Castle!


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About the Author:

  • Richard Collett

    Richard is an award-winning travel writer based in Southwest England who’s addicted to traveling off the beaten track. He’s traveled to 75 countries and counting in search of intriguing stories, unusual destinations, and cultural curiosities.

    Richard loves traveling the long way round over land and sea, and you’ll find him visiting quirky micronations and breakaway territories as often as he’s found lounging on a beach (which is a lot).

    When he’s not writing for BBC Travel, National Geographic, or Lonely Planet, you can find Richard writing for the Wandering Wheatleys or updating his off-beat travel blog, Travel Tramp.

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