Until the 17th March 2017, Cheltenham plays host to lots of tweed, Guinness and racing aficionados for the annual Cheltenham Festival. However, the historic English spa town is a delight to visit regardless of popular sporting events. Thus, we pick five of the best hotels and restaurants in Cheltenham, all year round…
Purslane
Purslane is a small, independent family-run restaurant in the heart of Cheltenham which specialises in the freshest, sustainably-caught seafood from British waters combined with the best local, seasonal produce the Cotswolds has to offer.
www.purslane-restaurant.co.uk
The Daffodil
The Daffodil restaurant is a hidden gem, tucked inside a beautiful 1920’s cinema. The building has many unique period features; the sweeping staircase, art deco features, projectors and beautiful entrance reception, the venue has been sympathetically adapted in keeping with the Hollywood glamour and art deco style synonymous with the venue since the 20s. Refurbished by Laurence Llewellyn Bowen, whose objective was to create a luxurious space with a touch of modernity and austerity; The Daffodil venue consists of a grand reception, a large dining room, and upstairs Champagne and cocktail bar.
www.thedaffodil.com
Queens Hotel
King George III spent five weeks in Cheltenham to drink it’s medicinal waters. As a result, several more Royal parties came down to Cheltenham in the late 18th century, and the spa town exploded in popularity as a fashionable destination.
One of the first purpose-built hotels in Europe, Queens Hotel was built on the site of the old Sherborne Spa, meeting the demands for appropriate lodgings from higher echelons of society of the time. The hotel was declared then, as now, as ‘one of the noblest buildings of its kind in Europe’. Renamed Queens, the entire hotel has recently undergone a complete restoration, revitalising her timeless richness, and reimagining her comforts with the latest technologies in preparation for a new chapter in her majestic history.
www.queenshotelcheltenham.co.uk
No. 131
Classic on the outside and contemporary British on the inside, No. 131 has 11 beautifully designed bedrooms in the heart of Cheltenham. Choose a grand Georgian bedroom overlooking the leafy gardens or a cosy hideaway with an antique Rogeat Lyon rolltop bath hidden in the eaves. Created by interior designer and owner Georgie Pearman, every detail has been accounted for with Egyptian cotton bed linen from Three Thieving Magpies, unique pieces of furniture and original artworks from William Kentridge, David Hockney, Sir Peter Blake, Banksy and Henry Hudson.
www.theluckyonion.com
No. 38 The Park
An elegant Cheltenham townhouse where you can book the bedrooms individually or go crazy and hire the whole place exclusively. It’s an oasis of calm during the day….perfect for a relaxed meeting or get-together, or to settle down with a good book and a tipple from the honesty bar.
But for a truly unique experience, have the 13 bedrooms, drawing room, dining room and courtyard garden all to yourself. Light the fires, put the music on, invite 26 friends, turn up the music, get your own chef to produce a feast like no other and pour yourself a gin and tonic.
www.theluckyonion.com
