A classic Broadway star is reborn
Lygon Arms Worcestershire B&B for 2 from £225
A CHARMING historic olde worlde hotel on Broadway? That would be a Broadway melody to savour. New York, alas, has little to offer in this regard.
Broadway, Worcestershire, however, is quite another matter. This model Cotswold village, once on the must-see list of every US tourist, has a hotel that used to be one of our most celebrated.
The last time I visited the Lygon Arms was towards the end of its heyday in the 1980s when it had been acquired by the Savoy Group. Both the Cotswold stone hotel – and the chocolate-box-pretty village in which it sits – were gorgeous and delightful. And it had everything a colourful, historic hotel should have, including a ghost.
With a history dating back to the 1300s, it had – as you might expect – plenty of famous connections. Both King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell stayed here (Cromwell the night of the decisive Civil War Battle of Worcester). King Charles supposedly had a hidden staircase to his room through which female companions were brought for his delight.
In the 1960s, the hotel’s scandalous image was burnished when Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor stayed before they became husband and wife (for the first time!).
For the past couple of decades, the hotel regularly changed hands and sadly, the Lygon Arms went into a bit of a decline. Its acquisition by the company that owns Cliveden and Chewton Glen has led to a lavish refurbishment and ushered in a glorious g new era: the Lygon Arms is back and better than ever.
There are 86 rooms in i various wings, a wonderful w spa and an excellent e swimming pool. It also has a very fine restaurant, situated in the large space where Cromwell famously spent the night. The Lygon Arms (lygonarms hotel.co.uk, 01386 852255), you would have to conclude, is a Broadway hit all over again.
The place: A picture-perfect spot for a hotel – handily placed for other lovely Cotswolds towns.
The accommodation: Tip-top: no effort has been spared in the recent refurbishment, which has updated the rooms yet succeeded in retaining their period charm.
The food: The hotel has cleverly aimed at a smart, efficient brasserie style. The menu is appetising and affordable – the root vegetables, sage and red onion cobbler is just £15.