What Makes The Lygon Arms Special?

• The Lygon Arms is located in Broadway, in the heart of the picturesque Cotswolds where a bustling line up of events take place year round drawing in guests from all around the world to the designated area of outstanding beauty.

• Extraordinarily rich history with roots reaching into the 1300s, the hotel served as a connection between Wales, Worcester, and London during the Elizabethan times.

• The Lygon Arms’ name has changed throughout its existence, reflecting the political changes of each era.

• A celebrated coaching inn, The Lygon Arms came into its own as a touch- stone for both sides of the in 1649. The English Civil War pit Queen Elizabeth’s cousin Charles I against the forces of the English Parliament, and some of that played out within the very walls of The Lygon Arms itself.

• The suite, now known as the impressive King Charles I Suite, was where King Charles I and his supporters would assemble. The King’s coat of arms stands regally over one of its fireplaces today. Visitors will also notice that the face of the royal lion is missing, presumably hacked off by Parliamentarians.

• The other side of the English Civil War, the Parliamentary army, also stayed at The Lygon Arms, then known as the White Hart Inn, in 1651. Guests of the hotel can stay in the suite that stayed in the night before the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

• By the 1900’s, the hotel was owned by Sydney Bolton Russell whose son began to restore antique furniture for the hotel in a loft over The Lygon’s coach house. Gordon Russell would become one of ’s leading designers in the 1930’s, creating the iconic Murphy Radio Cabinet and the seating for Coventry Cathedral. Some of his pieces sit in the hotel still today.

• King Edward VII motored to the hotel in 1905 and in 1913, as did his grandson, the playboy prince and future King Edward VIII. The hotel became synonymous with the English middle classes who followed suit, and in the interwar years and beyond The Lygon Arms remained a popular choice for celebrities.

• Notable artists and authors such as J.M. Barrie and Evelyn Waugh and the English composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams spent time at The Lygon Arms. Waugh often visited the coaching inn during times of intense writing and was a close friend of members of the Lygon family, who were the basis of various characters in his novel “Brideshead Revisited.”

• Big names were drawn to the hotel for its historic prestige and The Lygon Arms boasts one of the most glamorous guest books in the world. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor stayed here in 1963 at the height of the scandal surrounding their affair. Other film star couples followed suit including Mary Pickford and Charles ‘Buddy Rogers’, Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, Moira Shearer and Ludovic Kennedy, to name just a few of the famous names who have passed through the doors.

• Today, the hotel’s guest book is filled not just with actors and movie stars, but politicians, prime ministers and even Prince Phillip on its pages.

What’s New…

• New guestrooms: This intimate countryside retreat recently renovated all 86 guestrooms and suites as part of a large refurbishment - unveiled September, 2017. The bedrooms and all areas of the hotel were redesigned by Anita Rosato Interior Design who beautifully captures the rich 600-year history of the property while providing amenities the luxury modern day traveler expects.

• New culinary experience: This past summer, the new vision of the hotel came to life with the debut of two of the most sought-after culinary destinations in the Cotswolds; Lygon Bar & Grill and Lygon Wine Bar.

• New spa: The new Lygon Spa is a haven of peace and tranquility where guests can drop in for the day or stay a little longer. Spa partners include: OSKIA, a British results driven brand that only uses the best patented actives & nutrients; Decléor which is famous worldwide for its holistic approach; and Jessica Cosmetics considered to be the world’s leading authority on nail care.

For further information, or images, please contact:

J Public Relations, [email protected] +44 2038905838

lygonarmshotel.co.uk

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