Hotel Indigo Stratford-Upon-Avon [Review]

Whenever I want affordable accommodation with a touch of luxury during our travels around the U.K I book a Hotel Indigo. So on our recent return to Stratford-Upon-Avon, the Hotel Indigo Stratford was my preferred choice. 

We discovered it was another example of how some of the best hotels for quality and vibe can be found in the U.K’s smaller cities and towns. Read our reviews of the Hotel Indigo Bath and Hotel Indigo Chester.

This luxury boutique hotel is housed in a historic building and offers modern, stylish amenities with old-world charm and character. Its exterior features Tudor-style black and white timber which blends perfectly with Stratford’s history. It also boasts a fantastic location close to all the major attractions and an excellent on-site restaurant.  

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Overview

Part of the centrally located Hotel Indigo Stratford dates back to the 15th century and its design and decor reflects Stratford’s Shakespearean heritage. 

If you’ve stayed in Indigo Hotels before, you’ll know that no two hotels are the same as each property is designed to fit in with its surroundings. There are 93 rooms in three different styles to choose from. The hotel has a restaurant and a gym.

An added bonus of this hotel for me was its beautiful garden and cosy snug room. Both were great places to unwind after a long day sightseeing in this historic market town. 

Location

The hotel is centrally located in Stratford-Upon-Avon town centre. It’s directly opposite New Place where William Shakespeare lived in later life. It’s just a three minute walk to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and a six minute walk to Shakespeare’s birthplace. 

There are a wide range of shops, pubs and restaurants within a five minute walk. The river is around a six minute walk.

If you’re travelling on public transport, the hotel is a short 14 minute walk from the rail station and from the bus station. If you’re driving, Hotel Indigo Stratford is a ten minute drive from the A46. 

Rooms

The 93 rooms are tastefully decorated in a contemporary style with traditional touches. 

Each spacious room offers comfortable Hypnos beds with luxurious Egyptian cotton linens and beautifully decorated bathrooms (some with bathtubs). Other features include blackout curtains (a must for British summer time), high speed Wi-Fi, a safe and a 40” flat screen tv. Rooms also contain tea and coffee making facilities and a useful fridge.

If you’re looking for character, stay in one of the Tudor rooms in the oldest part of the hotel. They offer quirky shapes, sloping floors, lattice windows and wooden beams. It is worth noting that these rooms are accessed only by stairs. 

Alternatively, for white sash windows and fireplaces stay in the Georgian Townhouse rooms. Or, if you prefer contemporary rooms with colourful accents, stay in the modern wing. If air-conditioning is a must have, you’ll need to stay in the modern wing. 

You can choose between rooms with a King sized bed, a Queen bed or twin beds. Some of the larger suites have a separate living area with a sofa and can sleep 3 or 4 people. There are accessible rooms for wheelchair users. Pets are not allowed. 

Cots are complementary and extra beds are available in some rooms for both adults and children for an extra fee. 

You can book on a room-only basis or bed and breakfast or a full package which also includes dinner. If you decide at the last minute to eat breakfast, it will cost £20 for adults and £10 for children under 12. Breakfast is popular so I advise booking a dining time in advance. 

If you have breakfast, don’t miss trying the Marmite butter. I loved it!

For the quality and style of the rooms, I think they are excellent value for money. I loved their thoughtful design, colourful twists and attention to detail, especially in the artwork on the walls. 

Amenities

Dining 

Hotel Indigo Stratford has a restaurant called The Woodsman which, like other Indigo properties, follows a ‘field to fork’ philosophy. The hotel focuses on sustainability and zero waste and uses seasonal produce which is sourced locally. 

Housed in a Grade II listed building dating back to 1500, the restaurant serves traditional British food with modern influences. The decor reflects the building’s history – think chunky candles, wooden floors and heavy drapes.  

The Woodsman offers an all day dining menu, an a la carte menu and a tasting menu (highly recommended!). It also offers a pre-theatre menu with two courses for £30. 

I think the menu offers visitors to the U.K a great opportunity to try foods they might not have tasted before such as Yorkshire rhubarb or venison. We enjoyed dishes of asparagus for starter, Tamworth pork for main (with a side of delicious dirty mash) and for dessert the pistachio and white chocolate mousse and an English strawberry trifle tartlet.

I thought the menu was well priced for the quantity and quality of food we enjoyed.

The Woodsman is open everyday from 12 pm until 10 pm. Sunday menus are available on Sunday between 12 pm and 6.30 pm. Pre-booking is advised as the restaurant is popular with local diners as well as hotel guests. 

Gym

I did not expect a 15th century hotel to have a gym! 

If you like to keep fit on holiday, Hotel Indigo Stratford offers treadmills, exercise bikes, cross-trainers and weights. It’s free for guests to use. 

Parking 

A limited number of parking spaces are available on-site at a cost of £15 per car. Spaces cannot be pre-booked, it is first-come first-served. 

My opinion of Indigo Hotel Stratford

We’ve stayed in several Hotel Indigo properties in the U.K (Bath and Chester are some of our favourites) so we had high expectations for Hotel Indigo Stratford. 

As expected, we loved it. We thought the hotel was easy to get to and in a fantastic central location. It made sightseeing so much easier; in bad weather or on hot days it is easy to pop back to the hotel for a rest and recharge. 

I loved the hotel’s colourful interior design and how well they’ve incorporated historic features and character into a modern hotel. We thought the customer service was excellent, especially our server Annalisa who is a credit to the hotel. 

As previously mentioned, the hotel’s garden is a delight and something that is sadly lacking in many U.K hotels. 

We highly recommend staying at Hotel Indigo Stratford and think its historic features and charm will enhance your trip to one of the most historic sites in the U.K.

Plan your trip to Stratford-upon-Avon

• Stratford upon Avon Travel Guide
• UK Travel Planning Podcast Episode #175: Stratford-upon-Avon Travel Guide – What to Do, Where to Stay and Eat + Easy Cotswolds Day Trips
• Episode #199 – Day Tours from London: What to Expect on an English Bus Tour