You wouldn't want to stay for more than 3 nights in
Woodstock as it is more of a base to visit either Blenheim Palace, which is so
close you can walk in, or Bicester village (20 minutes away by car). The
experience of Woodstock is to get that City grime or airport jet lag off you.
It has the quiet, laid back ambiance you are looking for, enough eating places
and good hotels to recharge your batteries before heading into the Cotswolds.
By the way, most of what I experience is by car as I work
as a chauffeur which enables me to experience these places. Other modes of
transport are available but bad for my business ;0)
From the glare and noise of London, Woodstock is the
first deep breath of Cotswold stone cottages, of village halls, tea rooms and
antique shops. Bijou restaurants vie for your business against traditional
pubs, where the crackle of log fires is a welcome change to the sound of fruit
machines and pool tables. You'll need to adjust quickly to the smell though,
for the record it is called fresh air with just a hint of smoky oak, wonderful,
but be warned it will have you yawning into your Real Ale before 10pm
Woodstock has plenty of places to stay. My client was
guest of the www.hopehousewoodstock.co.uk
and spoke very highly of her stay in the Blenheim Suite. Hope House only has 3
bedrooms and 1 apartment. The Hope House owner warmly welcomed my client into
his establishment which is beautifully decorated with four poster beds, adorned
with Italian sheets and silk duvet covers. No sign of prices in the foyer
(which was as far as this below stairs worker got) or on the website so with
the old adage of 'if you have to ask then you can't afford it', I pushed off to
my more humble abode for the night. Five minutes' drive later and I arrive at www.sturdyscastleoxford.com and
it was a damn site easier to find than Hope House was (which doesn't want
people to know it is a hotel, apparently). My sleeping needs when working, are
simple and always carefully orchestrated by my wife/PA. I must be close to
clients hotel, have parking, it must be clean and, financially, within our
overnight allowance. Nicola very rarely lets me down but tonight she has
surpassed her own high standards. Although I had to do one 'kerb crawlers' lap
of the car park before finding a space, there is ample parking, and, to be
fair, I arrive at 8pm on a Saturday night so I'm out of step with 'ordinary people'
and their sensible jobs. The restaurant and bar are heaving and I stand at the
small reception fully expecting to be way down on the priority list. Then one
of the barmaids appears and spots me, sets a pint of Guinness in flow while
asking, 'checking in?' Then, with a 'sign here and here' I am scuttling behind
her towards my room, (yes, she even took me to my room) and still saw her back
in time to scribe the clover onto the Black stuff. Ok, I exaggerate but she was
as impressive as the room, which may have lacked Italian bed linen admittedly
but was a large, fresh and clean bedroom and en suite. With the flat screen TV
and free Wifi, I have all I need. I didn't eat in the restaurant that night but
plenty of others did which suggests the food is good. Breakfast was large and
served well and all that at £63.00 I will definitely be back...........and I
can bring the dog if I pay the tenner.
Blenheim Palace is the main attraction in this area. Set
back from Woodstock, the Duke of Marlborough's 'des res' sits within its
manicured grounds overlooking the lake, perfect for history buffs to discover
the bygone ages and family secrets up and down the marble staircases. Winston
Churchill was born and raised right here in Tory opulence (he is buried not one
mile away in at St Martin's Church, Bladon) and if you pay for the day, you can
upgrade free to a yearly pass. The weather today is gloriously sunny and 18
degrees, unheard of but welcome in March, so hundreds have dug out the pass to
enjoy, if not the house again, then the gardens, lake and country walk up to
the imposing statue of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill. Dogs
panting and kids on scooters make for a busy thrum around the grounds. The new
restaurant annexe quenches thirst and hunger by serving up meals, hot soup and
fantastic cakes for it's now weary visitors (after you have passed through the
ubiquitous souvenir shop of course).
Now I am not a lover of shopping, and indeed walked
through and past Blenheim's wares without any pang of guilt that I'd not
purchased a paper-topped jar of marmalade or a book on the fish that stock the
estates lake but must point out that one of the best Outlet Centres in the
country is 20 minutes from Woodstock but fear not gentlemen, I have a cunning
plan....
Bicester Village has everything a lady (I may come over
slightly sexist and generalising for this part) needs for her retail therapy,
every high street and Bond Street label/ designer is positioned ready to warm
the credit card with, let's face it, last year's fashions. The discounts are
healthy and genuine and blaze out across the faux High Street that from the car
park look ordinary but, rather like the set of a Hollywood Cowboy movie, once
on the 'strip' things change and come to life. Bicester has everything you'll
need and a few things you didn't know you needed. The shops, of course, but add
in High Street coffee and sandwich stops and a couple of good restaurants and
I'm afraid the ladies of the group have little reason to leave. There is even a
'contemplation room' which has all the multi faith reading material for you to
sit and think about what you've done. May your God help you. Ahh! My plan
though! Gentlemen, we all know if the lady in your life is happy then we too
are happy so here's what you do. Drop off your brood with arrangements to meet
later, she really doesn't want you with her anyway with your tutting and 'yeah,
it looks fine' mutterings. Park the car in their free spaces then look over the
road from whence you came, you'll see a couple of rugby pitches and a huge
sports ground. There is a walk-way between the rugby club and football pitches
that leads into the real Bicester. Strolling towards and through the church
yard is peaceful and takes no more than 5 minutes and then, behold, pubs, restaurants
and coffee shops that are devoid of the queues your good lady has to endure. Go
on a Saturday or Sunday, as I did, and watch Bicester Rugby club play while
sipping your tea. More importantly, my plan is the only way to avoid coming
into contact with the 'type' of person that the designer shops attract. People
who have no more disposable income than you or I but, with their 70% discount,
think they are Victoria Beckham or Joey Essex...........you are welcome. If you
really can't put yourself through actually going then Bicester Village run a
coach from London (several venues) in the morning with a return at 17.00pm for
£25 www.bicestervillage.com
Written by Kevin Willis who owns and works for www.chirtongrange.co.uk For all your
chauffeur requirements from cars to people movers to coaches. All views are my
own and I speak as I find so please check all facts
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