Premier Hospitality

Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle
Written by Roma Publications

A leading addition to Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle

Knight’s Village opens at Warwick Castle.
All Rights Reserved F Stop Press Ltd

An exciting spot for a short family break, Warwick Castle offers a memorable experience for all the family with more than 1,100 years of history, magic, myth and adventure to be discovered and explored. New to the attraction this summer is the exciting year-round Knight’s Village, consisting of 28 cosy lodges situated in a picturesque woodland grove by the River Avon.

An overnight lodge package includes free second day Castle tickets, VIP parking and evening mediaeval entertainment for the whole family. With two options, the themed lodges include 24 Woodland Lodges and four Knight’s Lodges.

Sleeping up to five, the fully set-up Woodland Lodge comprises a double bedroom, two bunkbeds and an additional pull-out bed, as well as a cot. There is a wet room with shower, and features such as Cable TV, free Wi-Fi and temperature control.

The Knights Lodges are a themed two-storey space with a mezzanine level, sleeping up to seven guests. In addition to the features and sleeping arrangements that the Woodland Lodge offers, this space also includes a downstairs open-plan lounge with a TV and pull-out sofa bed.

Premier Hospitality caught up with Liam Bartlett, Operations Director at Warwick Castle, to discuss the new accommodation. Liam said:

“The new lodges opened on the 1st July and the feedback has been great. As well as talking to families, we ask guests to complete a survey and so far the feedback has all been positive.

“Planning was granted in late 2015 and we were building – adhering to the strict regulations to safeguard the environment and our grounds – from then until just before we opened.

“In 2014 we launched tent-based mediaeval glamping which always proved popular and after the first year was significantly upscaled to include wooden beds and floors, electric lighting and plush furnishings. The glamping tents now sit amongst the lodges, creating a real village feel.”

Knight’s Village includes a new restaurant and a reception as well as the 28 lodges. Dotted through the established woodland, the lodges are themed to represent an authentic pastime – archery or falconry – and are styled differently to match their theme. Upon arrival, guests are designated to the archery or falconry team.

Offering a mediaeval-themed banquet setting, the 120-cover pitched roof restaurant boasts shields, swords and weaponry for a thrilling and fun dining experience. Guests can look forward to an ‘all you can eat’ buffet for both breakfast and dinner. They can also make use of the bar with a whole range of hot, cold and alcoholic drinks available.

Liam commented:

“We had to make sure that there was a clear concept for our guests to enjoy and that the design was complementary to the landscape. The build has to be executed with the utmost care and consideration for our trees in the woodland and the area known as Foxes Study. All the trees were protected and we embraced a ‘no-dig’ strategy that sees resources such as water and electricity taken to the lodges via a network of raised wooden boardwalks.

“All of the lodges and the main building are built on piles so there were no aggressive groundworks to install.

“The project was amazing to work on and already looks so well established. We now have another way to stand out and have created an overnight destination where families can explore the Castle and extend their adventure with a magical sleepover in Knight’s Village.”

Willerby Holiday Homes

2016 is seeing the 70th anniversary of Willerby Holiday Homes, a company with a long established reputation for high quality, beautifully designed products. Their arm Willerby Special Projects specialise in creating alternative accommodation and is devoted to each stage of the process that it takes to create their off-site modular timber frame buildings, from design to manufacture and installation.

Willerby Holiday Homes cater for a handful of sectors including leisure, social and private housing, student and key worker sectors since they established in 2009 and worked with the likes of Alton Towers, Haven and Warner Leisure.

Merlin Entertainment Ltd placed Willerby in charge of the design, production and installation of The Knights Village project, relying wholly on the company to produce a unique, modular design with a medieval theme. Kirsten Bolton of Willerby Holiday Homes said:

“The Knights Village has helped demonstrate our ability to work with the client and meet all their expectations and needs. Warwick Castle offers unique experiences to visitors by providing accommodation that can take guests back to medieval times, so for Willerby it was a great opportunity to be creative and showcase our work – all for the enjoyment of the general public”

Kirsten added:

“Willerby will continue to demonstrate their passion to ensure that our products meet the expectations and need of the customer. We have become synonymous with innovative design, stylish interiors, and above all, exceptional quality standards.”

About the author

Roma Publications