Knight’s Village at Warwick Castle Review – Staying in a Knight’s Lodge

knights lodgeLast weekend the family and I whizzed off for a mini break full of Medieval fantasy and Knightly charm. Sit back and enjoy our Knight’s Village at Warwick Castle review complete with a mini video tour of a Knight’s lodge!

Staying on a weekend in the middle of the Summer holidays at a hugely popular tourist destination might seem a bit mad but that’s the beauty of Warwick Castle, no matter how busy it is (and it was!) there’s always plenty to see with outdoor displays such as falconry or jousting and most of the indoor areas require no queueing. There’s also the brand new outdoor Horrible Histories maze which is definitely worth a visit. To see some of our favourite attractions take a look at some of my previous posts.

horrible history maze

Checking In

The Knight’s Village has its own dedicated parking area within the large main car park which is brilliant if you’ve just had a long drive. Check in is technically from 3pm but every overnight stay comes with two days entry to the castle so it’s worth getting there early and checking your bags in at reception so you can enjoy a full day of fun. The Knights village also has its own priority entrance into the castle which means no queues!

jousting warwick castle

After a long hot day we were all very tired as we bumbled back to the village. We were met at the gate where staff asked for our name and immediately gave us our lodge’s keycard (no waiting at reception as we’d arrived early).

The Knight’s Lodges

Inside the lodge

The lodges are all semi-detached buildings hosting up to 5 guests in two bedrooms plus an en-suite wet room. Note. There are larger lodges available for bigger parties.

Every lodge boasts an outdoor deck with medieval style bench. Ours faced straight towards an open area with huge trees and a large wooden wagon, it was perfect for keeping an eye on the kids as they played.

Each lodge has a theme of either Archer or Falconer, ours was a Falconers and was decorated with Falconry equipment hanging on the wall.

knights village at night

The interior decoration is wonderful and really enhances the experience of staying by the castle, it also seems to excite children exponentially! The beds are also really really comfy.

On a personal note I was impressed with the Elemis toiletries in the bathroom and having the wet room to wash off my grimy mini knights definitely helped!

Take a look at just how great the lodges our in this mini video tour.

The Entertainment

knights village entertainment

To be honest the kids hardly needed any extra entertainment. The Knight’s Village was pretty full and it seemed that every child was out of their lodges/tents and making friends. Our three immediately knew the names of every child staying nearby and at every available opportunity they were all outside playing. It was a huge gathering of miniature knights and princesses and they all had a fantastic time and didn’t want to leave their new friends.

knights lodge wagon

As for the organised entertainment there’s have a go archery (with long bows) which is amazing!

Knight’s Training Camp which all the children loved!

There’s even a school for Jesters!

vird of prey experience

We also paid a little extra (the rest of the activities are free) to get up close and personal with a bird of prey experience where we got to fly some of the castles falcons. This has to be my favourite activity as I’ve always wanted to try it.

Food

knights villagefood
We didn’t eat in the Knight’s Village, instead opting to walk into Warwick for Fish and Chips but the staff were supremely helpful even providing a map and recommendations.

In the morning breakfast was an all you can eat buffet with continental and cooked options, fruit, cereals and even freshly cooked pancakes. I love breakfasts like this because they suit everyone no matter how picky.

Could our stay have been improved in anyway?

falconry warwick castle

I could only think of teeny tiny mini niggles but here goes.

The Lodge only had two mugs inside – considering that it will almost exclusively be families staying it seems a bit bizarre to only provide two of the guests with drinking facilities. Kids get thirsty quickly and access to a glass of water would have been helpful. Thankfully we’d taken bottles with us. However I’m sure you could request extra cups from reception as we requested soya milk and extra teabags and were immediately accommodated. I just think they ought to be there as standard really.

If you find you can’t get the TV to work (we couldn’t at first) it’s probably because of the fabulous gold frame around the outside, a quick change of position solves this though.

Would I recommend staying in the Knight’s Village?

Most definitely, it was more than just a stay, it was a real experience and one which we will all remember. The kids are asking to go back and I think visiting during a busy time when there are lots of other little ones to play with is actually an unexpected bonus. From a parents point of view it’s great to be able to sit on your deck watching the kids with a cup of tea and let them have that little bit of independence while keeping a close eye.

We have always loved the castle anyway and there’s more than enough to fill two days, so staying overnight really enhances your visit. It actually allowed us to take a leisurely pace and really enjoy all the exhibits rather than rushing about trying not to miss anything.

Details

For more information pop over to Warwick Castle’s website

Stay at Warwick Castle in their new Woodland Lodges in Knights Village

Warwick Castle Knight's Village Key VisualWarwick Castle always makes for a fabulous family day out but now you can extend the fun overnight and stay at Warwick Castle in their new Woodland Lodges in Knights Village. Just imagine waking up in a tranquil woodland glade close to the River Avon and right on the doorstep of the castle! It sounds like such an exciting new development and we can’t wait to go and stay once they open from 1 July 2016. Read on to find out just what’s available and then take up my fabulous reader offer to save on your stay!

Built to complement the Tower Suites and seasonal Glamping the brand new Woodland Lodges (and banqueting hall where you take breakfast) feature wonderful Medieval style touches, such as lofty ceilings, wooden beams, stonework and green oak wood-styled exteriors. Everything, right down to the door handles and light fittings has been designed to create a magical ambiance. Find yourself whisked away to times gone by or let your imagination run riot with dreams of Wizards and Dragons!Warwick Castle (1)

The semi-detached Woodland lodges can sleep up to five guests in two bedrooms, or for larger families there’s the Knight’s Lodges which can accommodate up to seven guests over two storeys, including a mezzanine level with grand galleried master bedroom. Each Woodland Lodge has been themed to an authentic medieval occupation: Archer or Falconer. You can learn about both (and watch during some amazing displays) in the Castle during your stay.IMG_7545

The lodges are bound to appeal to families as well as groups of friends seeking fantasy and adventure in their private accommodation including wooden deck, living and dining area and there’s plenty of storage for all your gowns and chainmail (or regular clothes if you prefer!)Warwick Castle

Geoff Spooner, General Manager at Warwick Castle, said: “This is a new chapter for Warwick Castle as from 1 July we’ll offer guests year-round lodge-style accommodation to complement the Castle’s two sumptuous Tower Suites, set within the fourteenth century Caesar’s Tower, and our superb seasonal Mediaeval Glamping Village.”

He added: “With the 400th anniversary of the death of Warwickshire’s very own William Shakespeare being marked globally in 2016, Warwick Castle – just twenty minutes from Stratford upon Avon – is the ideal place to stay to discover over 1,100 years of English history. We’re also very proud of our links to Capability Brown, who designed parts of our grounds in the eighteenth century and whose genius will be celebrated nationwide throughout 2016.”IMG_7519

Warwick Castle’s captivating daily shows and attractions include birds of prey displays, have-a-go archery, live actor experiences such as The Castle Dungeon and The Princess Tower, Trebuchet Talk, The Great Hall and State Rooms, Kingmaker and Time Tower. Have a look through some of my previous posts to see some of our faves.IMG_7502

All the lodges offer great facilities including an en-suite, wet room, TV, fridge, coffee maker and central heating. Breakfast is provided in the banqueting hall and a buffet style feast in the evening can be added to your stay for £18.95 per adult, or £9.95 per child.

Prices for sleepovers from 1 July 2016 start from £203 per lodge per night including breakfast and two day Castle entry. But I have a fantastic reader offer for you all where you can save 10% if you book before the end of March.

Reader Offer

WARWICK CASTLE – KNIGHTS VILLAGE – EXCLUSIVE EARLY BOOK OFFER – SAVE 10%

Book a short break in your very own mediaeval themed Lodge or Glamping Tent in Warwick Castle’s brand new Knight’s Village before the end of March 2016 and receive 10% off flexible bed and breakfast rates for being a reader of the Angel Eden Blog.

Exclusive Spring Offer – Save 10%: >www.Warwick-Castle.com/SpringOffer

Discover more information about Knight’s Village at: >www.Warwick-Castle.com/Sleepovers

T&C’s:
Valid for bookings made before the end of March 2016. Only valid for stays between 1st July 2016 – 31st December 2016. Only valid on Glamping Tents and Knight’s Village Lodges. Offer excludes Tower Suites. 10% discount applies to flexible bed and breakfast rates only. Discount does not apply to castle tickets, dinner or any other aspect of the booking. The offer may be withdrawn at any time. Only valid on bookings made online via the dedicated promotional link >www.Warwick-Castle.com/SpringOffer.
Deposit Policy:
All reservations require credit card deposit of 100% of stay due at time of booking.
Cancellation Policy:
Full refund for cancellation up to 7 days in advance. 50% Refund for cancellation between 7 – 1 day in advance. Room fully charged if cancelled on the day.
To take advantage of the offer visit: >www.Warwick-Castle.com/SpringOffer

 

Lego Castle Launches At Warwick Castle

Lego Castle

Through the mists of time and the world of legend springs forth the brand new Lego Castle range! Whether you have knightly aspirations or long to be rescued from a dragon’s keep, this is sure to be the Lego set for you. It certainly appealed to my family as we traversed the ancient grounds of Warwick Castle to see its launch this weekend past.

Lego Warwick Castle

We began our journey with a treasure trail about the grounds, hunting high and low for dragon eggs. The clues led us around and about until finally we reached the fabled Lego flag and claimed our prize: chocolate coins! Lego Warwick Castle

Next we rode invisible horses to the Lego tent situated just outside the magnificent Warwick Castle gatehouse. Here we built castles, stables and buildings inspired by our surroundings.Lego Building

We met the beautiful Lego Princess who came to thank us for joining her quest.

The event is not just intended for us writerly types though. If you would like to join in, Lego Castle is hosting two weeks of castle-building capers from 12 to 26 August including costumed characters, build a castle play area and a treasure trail. Plus you have the bonus of being able to explore historic Warwick Castle and pretend you are a character from the current TV program The White Queen. Or is that just me?

Warwick Castle

At the launch we were lucky enough to be able to view and play with all the new playsets. We instantly fell in love with the bright red dragon from the Dragon Mountain set (70403, RRP: £34.99) and I have already been told about 100 times how my kids ‘need’ (not want need) the huge new King’s Castle (70404, RRP: £79.99).

King's Castle

As a family we are self confessed Lego nuts, my kids have Lego shoes, Lego clothes, Lego clocks, Lego watches and a copious amount of the bricky stuff itself. I suppose this could be due to my husband and me being a bit overly Lego mad from childhood. It’s wonderful to see the kids share our passion. We are also quite keen on history and mythological tales, so it’s easy to see how Lego Castle might appeal to us.King's Castle

We were fortunate to be given a few boxes of the smallest playset ‘Forest Ambush’ (70400, RRP: £7.99) to take home and try out. In comparison to the licensed ranges of Lego, the Castle range seems far better value (a small box of LOTR Lego will normally set you back £12-£13 as a comparison). The set contains two good knights, two bad, a dog, a cart with treasure chest and disguised forest ambush. The kids (and adults) had a lot of fun playing with these sets, but I think you really need more to fully appreciate the range.

Lego Castle

We were so taken with the characters that we hurried out to buy the Dragon playset the very next day 🙂 and our lounge has become chivalric beyond belief!

I took plenty of photos of the play in action but in the end I thought a video might better illustrate the fun we had, so without further ado I give you a little family animation we call….

The Princess’s Rescue!

The Princess has been kidnapped by the Dark Wizard, can the Knight save her and defeat the dragon?

Lego At Warwick Castle Details

Lego Castle are hosting the activities above between 12 to 26 August 2013.

Book online in advance for the best value entrance fees: adults from £17.10 and children from £11.70. Check www.warwick-castle.com for prices and latest attraction schedule.

Lego Castle Details

LEGO Castle is suitable for children aged 5+ and is available in toy shops nationwide from August 2013.

For further information log on to LEGO.com/CASTLE