My husband and I were so close to getting a weekend away just as we locked down. I’d stopped breastfeeding the little man when he was 13 months old and he was taking a bottle. I knew I would be able to leave him with my Mum and we were all set but it was not meant to be. So like everyone else we waited and as soon as we were allowed, starting thinking about our weekend away again. It just so happened that our 8th wedding anniversary was approaching so was perfect timing. We already had a voucher ready to use from Buyagift! This was originally meant to be a spa, hotel stay and dinner but unfortunately this was now unavailable, so we needed to change. I saw the offer of staying at Coombe Abbey Hotel in a feature room with dinner and I was sold!
We had been to Coombe Abbey when I was 38 weeks pregnant with our second daughter and it had some fond memories for us. It wasn’t too far to drive and we love Coombe Abbey park which is just next door.
Using Buyagift to Book Coombe Abbey Hotel
The process of booking Coombe Abbey Hotel was easy. When we realised our voucher could not be used where we thought, we simply went online to the Buyagift website and exchanged it for Coombe. This was a little cheaper so we were emailed the new voucher for Coombe and a separate voucher with some credit to use on Buyagift again.
To book Coombe Abbey Hotel, we just needed to call and we were given a number when we re-deemed the voucher easily on the Buyagift website. The process was simple and we had no issues.
Coombe Abbey Hotel wanted the voucher printed out however, so bear in mind! My hubby was categorically told this when he called up.
Staying at Coombe Abbey Hotel
Coombe Abbey Hotel is a beautiful place in Warwickshire which offers so many experiences, including stays for families and couples. They offer dinner, afternoon tea, host wedding and conferences and host events, such as a Medieval Banquet! I fell down a rabbit hole just looking at some of the amazing rooms on offer!
We booked the night away for a Sunday to Monday, as quite often it is difficult get a Saturday due to weddings and events on at Coombe. Parking was easy but you have to pay £5 a night and are given a token to get out when you leave.
Check in was at 3pm but we arrived around 2.15pm and could get into our room. You have to wear a mask when walking around all public areas of the hotel but could take off when sitting having a snack, drink or dinner. There is also hand sanitiser everywhere.
I just loved coming into Coombe Abbey Hotel. The decor. It’s dark and kind of spooky but in a good way! It always makes me think I’m staying in a National Trust house somewhere. They have installed plastic screens on reception to keep you and staff safe.
Our room had a label on to say was cleaned and ready for us when we arrived.
Part of our Buyagift experience was we would be staying in a feature double room. We were lucky to have one of these with a four poster bed and a Victorian roll top bath. Amazing!
I love going into a hotel room and seeing where will be staying for the night and I was really wowed with our feature double at Coombe.
The room was clean and fresh and I had no complaints. It was quite a dark room, as you can see by the pictures but that just helped with the atmosphere! There were tea and coffee facilities and you got robes in the bathroom. We also had free WiFi and were given the code on arrival.
I’d decided to have a strict no phone rule when we were out of the room and this was great! I loved having no distractions and just being able to chat and enjoy being together.
We headed out for a walk at Coombe Abbey Park straight away. This was very busy I must say. We went out again on the Monday morning after breakfast and it was deserted but if you are feeling a little nervous being around people I would consider not going in peak times at the weekend. I’ve not been bothered but I felt uncomfortable around the water area and we headed for a longer walk.
After a lot of walking and chats, we realised we were both pretty hungry and went for a snack in the bar. We shared a sandwich and samosas and had a hot drink each. The price of the food was reasonable. £7 for a sandwich, salad and crisps and it was delicious. However drinks were not cheap. I only fancied a pot of tea and it was £6! This is by far the most expensive cup of tea I have ever seen. Bare this in mind if bringing money or planning spending money on extras.
The staff however were very friendly and it was lovely service. They all wore masks too.
We both headed back to the room after to chill and get ready for dinner. When we booked the room we had to pick a time to book dinner and my hubby had gone for 7.30pm.
We headed down to the conservatory where we were eating. This room is just beautiful! The light and flowers just make it. It was quite busy but everyone was spaced apart well.
Dinner wise, what is included is a starter and main. Dessert and drinks are extra and some dishes have extra charges. I won’t lie; the meal was lovely and it was not cheap. If we had paid for our dinner and drinks it would have come to £90.
We did have some extras as chose some bread to start. This was actually a little loaf! I kid you not. I only managed a bit but hubby scoffed it. The olive oil and balsamic was delicious and we also had some good old butter!
Starter wise we went for a tomato and applewood tartlet with an onion chutney. It was something different for me and I did enjoy it! The chutney was a little sweet but delicious. There was no extra charge for this.
For main we both fancied a spiced cod dish with a 5 lentil dahl. It also came with a small samosa. This did have a £3 extra charge each and we didn’t buy extra vegetables. It was lovely. Fab flavour and the cod was cooked perfectly. I quite like the smaller portions, as I hate feeling full and uncomfortable after eating.
We did have a couple of drinks. I’m a white wine drinker and hubby red. I must admit I love my New Zealand wine, so it was going to be pricier than the house white but it did cost £11 for a large, and I had a small after. Expected in a hotel but seemed more than I have ever paid. Not sure if normal or any inflation during Covid.
However it was delicious wine and we sat and chatted and had a lovely evening. As I said earlier, I love the atmosphere and lighting at Coombe. I could have wandered around for ages but we were in bed before 10pm.
We had a good sleep but woke stupidly early as usual! The joys of having children and our body clocks. After chilling for a while and not having any interruptions I decided to have another bath and we got ready for breakfast. When we checked in we chose a time and went for 8am. This all needs to be booked and chosen.
Breakfast was different, of course due to Covid. There was less on offer. We were given tea and coffee and toast and sent to the other side of the conservatory to choose. There was cereal, muffins and sealed yoghurts on offer. Fruit salad had to be got from the kitchen. It was sad to see less of the buffet options and just reminded me of the times we are in.
We then chose a hot breakfast and there was the usual options. Bacon, sausage, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, beans and hash browns. I didn’t see any vegetarian or vegan options, as in a vegetarian sausage but I didn’t ask to be fair.
The food was nice, if a little cold by the time it hit the cold plates but tasty and well cooked.
We headed to the park for a brisk post-breakfast walk. As mentioned Coombe Abbey Park was deserted and was great to get some morning fresh air in a quieter place.
We had to check out at 10am which is a pretty normal time. We simply paid the balance of the extras and charges we had, as everything can be put on the room. We were also given a token after paying for parking.
Overall Thoughts
We had an amazing stay at Coombe Abbey Hotel. There is an element of luxury and the venue is just beautiful. If you like atmosphere and not the modern look in a hotel (which I don’t really!), Coombe is really for you. The Buyagift voucher covered the room, dinner and breakfast and was worth it. The process of changing our voucher and re-booking was easy too.
I felt safe during Covid times in the hotel. The rooms were clean. Staff wore masks and I could sanitise my hands many times. I did not have to get close to anyone and we were pretty isolated in the room. The hotel felt calm and relaxed.
The feature room we had was stunning and if you look online there are so many amazing rooms, if going away as a couple or you fancy a treat.
I would bear in mind the drinks and food is not cheap and make sure if you have been given a voucher, you plan your spending money accordingly. I hate being shocked with costs when I am out and like to be prepared. A large glass of wine was around £8-10 and desserts at the restaurant were around £7 too.
I love that Coombe Abbey park is next door. It was pretty busy on Sunday afternoon but if you fancy a post-breakfast walk, like we did, it was quiet and lovely to get out.
We will be back again at some point, as Coombe Abbey Hotel is definitely one of our favourite places to stay.
Thank you to Buyagift for our voucher.
Disclosure – we were provided with this stay in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
