The Idyllic Forest of Dean Hotel.
I love weekend breaks with my friends. Last week, Victoria (@Philorose), Ollie (@ByOllieB) and I decided to head down to the Forest of Dean for a few days away from the noise of the big city. *rest and relaxation mood on* I don’t get to have a break like this very often, so I was super excited to be in nature and to fully restart my mindset.
We chose to stay at The Speech House Hotel, in the heart of Forest of Dean. This iconic hotel used to be a hunting lodge back in the 17th century, and also has a Royal past. Therefore, we couldn’t say no to have some history lessons from people who have spent most of their life there. *prepares for his Life in the UK test*
Pssst, make sure to check out Victoria’s and Ollie’s blog posts as well. These go really well with a cuppa, so put a kettle on!
The Suite.
My room (Junior Suite) was located on the second floor of the main house. *fancy* It features a king-size bedroom, sitting room and large bathroom. That was the first time in a really long time where I had some proper good night’s sleep. Perhaps I should consider the countryside living? *scared of leaving his busy city lifestyle behind, so postpones his thoughts for a later date*
The furniture is traditional and antique, with vintage wallpapers decorating the walls. At night, I was hosting home-made happy hours in my sitting room, which included a 2-hour dance routine performed by yours truly.
Breakfast was served every morning in the Verderers Court Room. Surprisingly, the court still operates to this day. *intrigued* So, scroll down to see more interesting facts about The Speech House Hotel. *scrolls down*
Here’s my selection of 5 things to see at The Speech House Hotel:
- Open Fireplace – located in the Court Room, the original fireplace remains untouched. I really enjoyed watching the flames burn, whilst sipping a cup of coffee. *orders another soy latte*
- Antlers – in many shapes and sizes, there are 19 of them and they are impressive. Therefore, you’re in for a treat!
- Paintings – The Speech House Hotel has paintings dated and registered as being circa 1690-1710! *jaw drops* I spent hours creating quirky little snapchats and storylines for each painting… Not to mention all the face-swaps, oh dear… *giggles*
- The Royal Spades – used by HM Queen Elizabeth and HRH Prince Phillip in April 1957. They used these spades to plant 2 oak trees across the road. So, make sure you check those trees out and make a wish. You never know, they might have the royal spell on them. *feels lucky*
- The Original Low Raised Court Gallery – the court still operates to this day. However, most cases are regarding tree diseases and Wild Boars, that are extremely savage!
… and there are more things to discover. So, if you’re looking to have a break from the big city chaos, then The Speech House Hotel might be your perfect escape!
The Speech House Hotel
Coleford, Gloucestershire
GL16 7EL
01594 822607