Introducing the list, the magazine said: “Why put yourself through the stress of international travel, when the long weekend of your dreams is a couple of hours away?
“A swish city escape or a few days in a country lodge can do wonders for your mind, which is why we’ve scoured the country on the hunt for some of the UK and Ireland’s best hotels for your next mini-break, from Claridge’s and Gleneagles to Adare Manor and The Samling.”
The Arden Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon could be the ideal spot for you if you’re exploring Shakespeare’s hometown soon.
What GQ said about The Arden Hotel in Stratford
Location: Chapel Ln, Waterside, CV37 6BA
GQ said: “No matter what they tell you, theatreland doesn’t start and end with the West End. And if you’re a fan of that plucky upstart William Shakespeare, a short trip north to Stratford upon Avon is a must.
“Not only can you visit the Bard’s grave – in a quiet, unassuming church with no gift shop in sight – there is arguably the RSC’s spiritual home, The Swan, where world class adaptations of his plays are pretty much a constant.
“Luckily, there’s also a superb hotel just over the road: The Arden. With a traditional, homely feel and a gorgeous terrace / garden, it’s the perfect base to explore one of the UK’s most historic and charming towns, while the food at the award-winning No.44 Brasserie is a memorable take on British classics cooked with passion.
“Our pro tip? After dinner walk around the corner to the Dirty Duck pub, a long-time favourite of thespians from around the world. It’s what Billy would have wanted.”
You can see GQ’s full list of the best places to stay in the UK and Ireland via its website.
Visitors have left The Arden Hotel impressed with some sharing their experiences on Tripadvisor, praising the food, service, rooms and more.
The hotel has earned a 4.5/5-star rating from 1,671 reviews and one visitors said: “Thank you so much for such a wonderful stay! We booked this hotel for the evening of our wedding after we got a good deal on a standard room with breakfast included a few months ago.
“I received a call the evening before from the hotel about our stay and I informed them it was our wedding day and we would be checking in late in the evening.
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“When we arrived the ladies on reception were so lovely and took our bags to our room, where we found out we had been upgraded to the Acer room (suite) which we were not expecting! It was a huge gorgeous room and the hotel had left Prosecco and chocolate for us which was so amazing of them!
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“We had a lovely stay and the next morning our breakfast was gorgeous too! We are local to Stratford but would definitely stay again and recommend to family/friends”.
Another called the hotel “an absolute gem”, adding: “Our first visit to Stratford and we couldn’t have chosen a better place to stay. The location is perfect for everything and the staff are exceptional.
“The room was comfortable, clean and with lots of little personal touches made very luxurious. Have already recommended to friends and we can’t wait to go back.”