After lunch, when we saw the hotel brochures and postcards at the reception,
a man named Don approached us and talked about their hotel. When we chatted,
I asked him if we could go up and see the tower. He paused for a moment,
then asked the receptionist for the key and said, "Let's go and see."
We visited their hotel just for lunch, but we could see some of the bedchambers
too. How lucky we were! If you don't ask, you can't get anything, That's
true, right?
They say that this castle was built in 1511 and is the only Tudor castle
in England operating as an hotel and restaurant.
There are twenty six bedchambers. We saw two of them both of which cost ￡275 a night per room. Don't you think it is wonderful to stay there for just one night feelihg like you are the King or Queen?
Please see the accommodation tariff below, but prices are subject to change
without prior notice.
| Type of Bedchamber | Inclusive of English Breakfast and Newspaper Per Room |
Inclusive of Dinner, Bed, English Breakfast and Newspaper Per Person |
| Single Bedchambers | ￡105.00 | ￡145.00 |
| Double or Twin | ￡135.00 ～ ￡220.00 |
￡107.50 ～ ￡150.00 |
| Deluxe Four-Poster | ￡275.00 | ￡177.50 |
| Deluxe Suites | ￡350.00 | ￡215.00 |
| Family Gatehouse(two bedroomed, lounge and kitchen) | ￡400.00 | ￡240.00 |
※If you want to get more information, ask Thornbury Castle Hotel.
Room 1
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second left : The entrance of room 1
You approach the room by a stone staircases.
Room 2
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Both bathrooms of room 1 and 2 are modern and luxurious. Usually, in England, walls outside bathrooms aren't waterproof, Therefore, walls in bathrooms of some castles in England have been ruined, because some Japanese stayed there. Japanese love to take a bath and usually wash their body using a shower outside the bath every day. This is a big surprise for English people.
Henry VIII possessed this castle for a while. He came there all the way
from London taking eight days and stayed for about a week. After his daughter,
Mary, took it over, it then passed to another owner who let it go to ruin.
Therefore, the room which Henry stayed at finally went to ruins.
"You can see the ruined part over there. Around there, there was a
room which Henry stayed in.", Don said and pointed out.
We came back to the drawing room. Don broght us some tea which we had asked
for lunch.
I felt as if the time passed slowly, when I was in Thornbury Castle Hotel.
I could really relax.
After a while, we called a taxi to go back to London. In twenty minutes,
a taxi driver came to the castle. He was the same driver who drove us to
the castle. He may be in his twenties. He explained to us about Bristol
on the way to the station. "Do you know the Concorde? Look at that
building. The Concorde are made in Bristol." Really? We had thought
that the Concorde was French, said my friend and I. "No, they are
made in Bristol. Look! It is a factory which makes the Rolls Royce. A lot
of things are made in Bristol." "Wow, then Bristol is quite a
rich city, isn't it?"
He continued to tell us, "There are two cathedrals in Bristol. Actually,
they aren't so good. However, the church is wonderful! It is the best one
in England!" Is it? This time, I came to Bristol on a day return,
so I couldn't see the town of Bristol. I want to go sight seeing next time.
I will go to Bristol Temple Meads and visit the church. We got on the train
to Paddington thinking about the next time.
By the way, the taxi driver said that he wanted to come to Japan and see
the World Cup Succer. Will his dream come true?
to Lunch at Thornbury Castle Hotel
(2002.4.19)
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