Warwick Castle – Knight’s Village Review

Being a lowly history website, we rarely receive any perks of the job (cue the violins), so when Warwick Castle offered us a complimentary overnight stay we jumped at the chance.

Indeed, after a brief tussle in the office over who would be the lucky person to snag the tickets, I somehow came out victorious and triumphantly returned home to pack the bags, check the oil levels in the car, and get the family ready to go… a military-level operations in and of itself.

We were to stay at a Knight’s Village Woodland Lodge, a set of 28 semi-detached lodges set within the castle grounds. Originally opened in 2016 to complement the castle’s Tower Suites and Medieval Glamping Village, the Woodland Lodges also – we were told – featured evening entertainment and an on-site restaurant.

Here’s how the trip unfolded!

 

Arrival and Check-in

As we imagine is the case with most visitors, we arrived at Warwick Castle by car. Luckily, finding the correct car park for the Knight’s Village was a simple case of looking out for the Stratford Road Car Park signs. Once parked up, the Knight’s Village reception was only around 100 metres away, and the walk was easily accessible for push chairs.

Check-in was a rather straightforward affair, and although they recommended that we booked in advance for dinner then and there, we decided to take our chances (more on dinner later).

Once checked in, we walked along a raised walkway through woodland to our lodge, passing the glamping site (pictured below) as we went.

 

The Lodge

We stayed in Lodge 21, nestled towards the back of the village which – considering we had a two year old in tow – was perfectly quiet and away from the main thoroughfares.

The property itself included a double bedroom, bunk beds, and a shower room. In terms of presentation it really was quite stunning, and it was clear that a lot of care and attention has gone in to the lodge’s construction. The blend of old and new worked particularly well, with a modern flat screen TV and a stylish bathroom juxtaposed against an old style bed frame and shields and swords hanging from the walls.

As well as the inside space, there was a small outdoor sitting area in front of the property which provided a nice space to sit, enjoy a coffee and the charming woodland view.

One thing I would say is that although the property was perfectly formed, it was a little on a small side. Not a problem for my family of three, but those looking for a bit more room should definitely look at the more spacious Knight’s Lodges which can sleep up to five people.

Pictured above: The front door to lodge 121

Pictured above: The main bed

Pictured above: Child’s bedroom on the left, bathroom and shower on the right

 

Dinner

Although we didn’t pre-book dinner, we had no problem in turning up to the dining hall at around 6:30pm. However, this may have been because we were staying just after the summer holidays had finished, and we probably wouldn’t recommend being so blithe during peak season!

Dinner itself was a fun affair, being held in an old style banquet hall. The buffet was similar to what you’d expect from a Sunday carvery (fitting nicely in to the overall banqueting feast theme), and refillable low-sugar soft drinks are included in the reasonable price of £18.95 per adult and £9.95 per child. Alcohol is served from a small bar at the back of the hall, but you’ll need to stump up some extra silver florins as beers, wines and spirits aren’t included in the price.

Whilst dining, we were however rudely interrupted by two knights (as you do) who were rowling up the dining crowd for the evening entertainment. All jokes aside, this was a lovely touch and really added to the experience; our two year old was transfixed!

Pictured Above: The Knight’s Village Banqueting Hall

 

Evening Entertainment

The evening entertainment was focused almost exclusively at children, so this may be one to skip if you’re planning a romantic retreat. Our two-year old was a bit too small to join in with the activities, but the older children did seem to be having fun with falconry, sword fighting lessons, and various other kid-friendly shenanigans.

The evening entertainment is held on a field directly adjacent to the Knight’s Village camping tents, and offers lovely views of the River Avon.

 

Breakfast

After a very comfortable sleep in our lodge, we headed back over to the banquetting hall for breakfast. This was very much a similar experience as dinner, albeit without any interruptions from medieval knights.

Food on offer at breakfast was your standard fare of continental and cooked, with coffee machines replacing the soft drink fountains. In short, not bad!

 

The Castle

After breakfast we decided to check out of the lodge, move our bags to the car, and make our way over to the Castle.

One nice touch about the Knight’s Village is that there’s a dedicated entrance way to the main castle grounds, accessible by either your lodge’s keycard or – as we used – a temporary keycard for those who had already checked out.

It’s about a ten minute walk from the Knight’s Village to the Castle, and without going in to a full review about Warwick Castle itself, there’s a whole lot to see, so make use of the two day pass that comes included with all overnight stays.

One thing we would say is that although Warwick Castle is fantastic for kids, it is very commercialised. We’re talking medieval music being blasted out of speakers as you wander around the inner court, a Now TV promotional stand in the shape of a castle tower, and burger stands galore. As someone who grew up just 5 minutes from the castle, it’s changed a lot since I was a child, and although not necessarily a bad thing for tourists it’s a bit OTT for my delicate sensibilities.

 

Final Thoughts

If you or one of your children have an interest in history, an overnight stay in one of Warwick Castle’s lodges is a no-brainer.  Prices are reasonable, the lodges are stunning, and two day’s worth of castle tickets are almost worth the price of admission just by themselves.

Yes, everything might be a bit overly commercialised and Disney-esque in its approach, but if that’s what needed to ignite a child’s interest in history then you won’t hear any complaints from me.

4 stars out of 5

See Warwick Castle’s latest offers here

 

Top Tip

Calls to the Warwick Castle short breaks phone line are an eye watering 13p a minute, plus any extra charges added by your phone operator. Our advice is to use their geographic landline number of 01303 490080, or alternatively visit the castle’s online help centre at https://help.warwickcastlebreaks.com/hc/en-gb.