Stay at the William Cecil & Top Things to Do in Stamford, Lincolnshire
Operated by the Hillbrooke Hotels, the William Cecil in Stamford has 27 stylish and quirky bedrooms that offer great beds with Egyptian linens, flatscreen TV offering more than 30 channels, tea and coffee facility, power shower with White Company bathroom products and complimentary WiFi for the guests. The hotel’s eccentric style and a relaxed and friendly service in quirky surroundings is sure to bring back the guests yet again either it is for a short stopover or for a relaxing long weekend.
We stayed at the impressive room called the Queen of Palmera at the William Cecil. The bedroom itself was very spacious with lots of corners for BabyN' to explore and to run around. The comfortable bedding was great for a good night's sleep, and the duvet tog was just right! Although our bedroom was facing the main street, our sleep wasn't disturbed by the traffic passing by and we all woke up fresh the next day, ready for the breakfast and to explore Stamford before heading to our next destination in the North East.
The other amenities available at the hotel includes a hair dryer, iron and ironing board, travel cots (available on request) and ample complimentary parking for the hotel guests.
The bathroom at the William Cecil was extremely massive, something very rarely seen at hotels. Also, the bathroom had a free standing bath as well as a shower and complimentary The White Company toiletries that includes a shampoo and shower gel, soap and a lotion. Its' absolutely relieving to know when a hotel provides complimentary toiletries because that can really help in keeping the weight of the luggage lower, and I've always been a fan of the The White Company products - so this was a great selection made by the hotel!
An A la carte and bar menu enables guests to enjoy plenty to choose from at the property. Also, the hotel’s sister inn, The Bull and Swan located just 150 yards away is also an option for informal dining. It is indeed a memorable experience dining at The William Cecil whether one chooses to eat at the hotel's award-winning restaurant or at the bar! The meal prepared by the Head Chef Craig McCready and his team using the fresh local and seasonal produce isn't just beautifully presented, but equally tempting to the tastebuds too! The hotel has received 2 AA Rosette awards mainly because of the passion the team puts into creating seasonal menus using the best ingredients.
Beginning with the nibbles, I ordered Red Chilli and Mango King Prawns (£5.5) which were served with Dill Aioli - a delicious creamy and flavourful dip prepared with mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic and dill. It was absolutely fantastic - I really liked the taste of mango and it complimented with the prawns well!
The starter for us was the Pearl Barley Risotto (£7.50) that was cooked with peas, mint and whipped goats cheese. The serving was quite generous and it was a filling bowl of risotto.
Moving on the mains, as you can see in the photos below, they were beautifully presented and had a piquant taste. The first dish, the baked hake fillet (£19) was served with kohlrabi, a German turnip along with butternut squash, spring greens and nasturtium.
The second main was loin of line caught cod (£19) that consisted of cod brandade, artichoke and asparagus. We requested the dish to be served without chicken reduction.
Breakfast is served at the William Cecil from 7:00 am - 9:30 am between Monday to Friday and 8:00 am - 10:30 am on Saturday and Sunday. The buffet table had already been laid with fresh fruits, juices, milk and cereal, croissants and yogurt and for the hot breakfast, we selected ours from the menu card on our table.
It was the Vegetarian Burghley Breakfast for me that was served hot and had two vegetarian sausages, grilled tomato, flat mushroom and scrambled eggs - my choice of eggs from a few options available. Husband breakfast was Scottish smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and a toasted bagel. BabyN' doesn't eat anything immediately after waking up, so we didn't order anything for him but we were all fuelled up to conquer the rest of the day!
The other options for hot breakfast included in the menu were hot porridge with a choice of honey or sugar, warm Belgian waffles with maple syrup and cured back bacon, Egg Benedict, Eggs Royale, grilled flat mushrooms on a choice of toast, grilled kipper with fresh lemon wedge, smoked haddock with poached eggs and continental breakfast to name a few!
Just after finishing the hearty breakfast at the hotel, I was intrigued to visit The Bull & Swan, the sister property of the William Cecil in order to check out their kitchen garden. That's because the hotel uses the same ingredients grown at the kitchen garden in the food which is served at the restaurant. It was lovely seeing the fresh plants and the garden also has an area with benches and sofas where the guests can enjoy an outdoor cinema twice every week (Thursday at 7:30 pm & Sunday at 12:00 pm) between April and October along with their favourite drinks and freshly baked pizza from the pizza potting shed.
Important Information - The William Cecil at Stamford
Check-in: 3:00 pm
Check-out: 11:00 am
Parking: Complimentary car park spaces available
Check-out: 11:00 am
Parking: Complimentary car park spaces available
Breakfast: Complimentary hot breakfast is served
In-room amenities: Hair dryer, ironing facility, complimentary toiletries
Location: St Martins, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2LJ
Top Things to Do in Stamford
There's plenty to see and do in the historic and beautiful town of Stamford, which has also been voted by The Sunday Times as the best place to live in 2013. You could either ask any of the team members at the hotel for recommendations or check out the brochure and magazines in the bedroom for all the details.
All Saints Church - Dating back to the 13th Century, the church was rebuilt by the Brownes due to the damage caused during the Wars of the Roses. Located in the Red Lion Square, this church is opened daily and has Browne family memorial brasses, a carved angel roof, stained glass windows and a reredos of the Last Supper.
Barn Hill - The well-preserved cobbled stoned street behind All Saints' Church has been used as a setting for locations for the BBC TV series Middlemarch and the Merchant Ivory movie (2000) as well as The Golden Bowl.
All Saints Church - Dating back to the 13th Century, the church was rebuilt by the Brownes due to the damage caused during the Wars of the Roses. Located in the Red Lion Square, this church is opened daily and has Browne family memorial brasses, a carved angel roof, stained glass windows and a reredos of the Last Supper.
Barn Hill - The well-preserved cobbled stoned street behind All Saints' Church has been used as a setting for locations for the BBC TV series Middlemarch and the Merchant Ivory movie (2000) as well as The Golden Bowl.
Stamford Meadows - Just 0.5 miles from the William Cecil and known as the Water Meadows originally, the Stamford Meadows are quite popular for enjoying a picnic, walking or feeding the birds. The level walking along the River Welland while coming across the picturesque view especially early in the morning are fantastic.
Stamford Museum - The museum displays exhibitions and galleries and also organised a series of lectures annually - these are quite popular and its archives are available for the researchers and students to view.
Stamford Priory - Founded by the Benedictines of Durham Abbey in the early 12th Century, St. Leonard's Priory's purpose was to manage he order's southern estates and prepare students for entry into Oxford University. However, it fell into despair and today only the ruins remain of which nave, arcade and the west front are a feature.
Stamford Shakespeare Festival - This auditorium has been been purpose built in the landscaped grounds of the Elizabetharn Tolethorpe Hall near Bourne for hosting outdoor Shakespeare plays that attract 30,000 visitors annually and prior to performances, theatregoers can dine in the Hall or picnic on the lawns. Tickets can be purchased from the Stamford Arts Centre.
Burghley House - Located just within walking distance form the William Cecil, the Burghley House is under the possession of the hotel’s owners. Known to be the finest Elizabethan house in England, and and the most famous family estates in Europe. Built over a period of 32 years, the Burghley House offers fun and history and the recent addition known as Historical Garden of Surprises is a fantastic addition. Features of the garden include a moss house, the swivelling Caesar busts, water basins, jets and mirrored maze - enjoyed by everyone! Although the grounds are open throughout the year, the Garden of Surprises opens from mid-March until the end of October. Please note that the Burghley House is closed on Fridays' but the Garden of Surprises remains open. Direct access to the grounds of Burghley House is available through the William Cecil, and a stroll around the beautiful grounds is absolutely fantastic!
Belvoir Castle - Located in a rural countryside, the castle has been the home to the Manners family for 500 years, and has been the seat of the Duke of Rutland since three centuries. The stately rooms open to the public, contain many works of art.
MaShaaAllah it looks so cute especially the bathroom and bedroom 💗
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty hotel. It looks like they catered well for your little family too, with the extra bed. I went to school near here so I know it well.
ReplyDeleteThe rooms here look so nice and traditional, and it seems like a great family hotel x
ReplyDeleteI love the quirky decor in the room. The bed frame is truly unique. The baked hake looks delicious too - such an under-rated fish.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful hotel. Anywhere that offers white company toiletries is already a winner in my eyes!
ReplyDeleteI really love the look of the hotel. It's so beautiful and traditional, and the sturdy wooden furniture is lovely!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a beautiful place! I would love to stay somewhere like that!
ReplyDeleteOoh, what a lovely place to stay. I'm dreaming of a visit now as the decor is right up y street <3
ReplyDeleteLouise x