Warwick

We checked in to the family-friendly medieval-themed hotel at Warwick Castle, where families can enjoy live jousting and banquet dinners. Here’s what we thought…

It’s not every Saturday that you’re greeted by a 14-foot knight in shining armour sitting atop a giant horse – but that’s exactly the memorable welcome we received when we checked in to Warwick Castle’s medieval-themed hotel.

The Warwick Castle Hotel, which opened its doors in July 2024, is nestled within the 64-acre grounds of the historic 11th-century castle. With 60 rooms available to book, it’s the perfect overnight getaway for families and history buffs seeking a royal experience, and a great getaway during the summer holidays.

What can you do at Warwick Castle?

Our day began at the castle’s Zog area, a playground filled with friendly dragons that kept my little ones entertained while I savoured a quick coffee from the refreshments huts.

Next, we ventured into the Horrible Histories Maze; we may have gotten lost for longer than anticipated but the kids had a blast collecting stamps scattered throughout the maze for their passports, reports OK!.

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For those with a strong stomach, the castle’s dungeon and gaol let you experience the smells and sounds of the torture chambers of days gone by. Meanwhile, the Princess Tower provides an opportunity for the young ones to dress up in their finest gowns.

We then made our way to the main arena to witness an exhilarating War of the Roses live event featuring jousting knights on horses. The performance was superb, and we all rooted for the Earl of Warwick.

We also made a beeline for The Falconer’s Quest show, the UK’s largest birds of prey attraction, where we watched birds from around the globe soar above us.

The castle itself is impressively preserved, and we certainly clocked up our step count as we ascended the stairs to the ramparts and towers, peeking through the stone slits where arrows once whizzed by and gazing down at the spots where waste was hurled onto unsuspecting attackers. The climb rewarded us with breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.

We also explored the Great Hall and State Rooms, grand spaces filled with 17th and 18th-century opulence and collections of weapons and armour. The castle offers complimentary history tours, which I would have happily joined if my children hadn’t been so keen on getting ice creams (which, admittedly, were a welcome treat after a day packed with walking, climbing and jousting).

Warwick Castle Hotel

As the day drew to a close we made our way back to the hotel, conveniently located just a short stroll from the castle. The hotel’s exterior blends seamlessly with its surroundings, resembling a medieval hall.

Upon entering the reception, we were greeted by talking portraits whose eyes followed us around the room and which gave us a brief history of the castle and its grounds.

The hotel rooms pay homage to the Wars of the Roses, featuring rose motifs, chambers adorned with richly coloured fabrics, wooden beams, and shields adorning the walls. Designed with families in mind, the rooms offer bunk beds, a pull-out bed for an additional child, and a cot. The bathrooms are equipped with both a bath and a shower, along with some delightful herbal toiletries.

For evening meals, the Knight’s Village Restaurant offers a ‘medieval banquet’ buffet in a large hall, akin to a Sunday carvery. However, we opted for the snack bar in the glamping area where the evening entertainment was held, featuring archery lessons and a knight-themed bedtime story.

In between munching on burgers the kids were busy making friends with other sword-wielding children, while we relaxed with a drink amongst other slightly tired parents, content knowing we would end our night in a cosy bed fit for any aspiring knight or princess.

The next morning, breakfast (included for all guests) was a lively event in the hall, serving up a full English or pancakes along with fruit, cereals and pastries. It’s advisable to book well ahead to secure a good time slot.

As we bid farewell to the Earl of Warwick atop his prancing horse and waved goodbye to the talking portraits, we unanimously agreed that our visit to Warwick Castle was a day – and knight – to remember.

How much does it cost to stay at Warwick Castle Hotel?

Rooms at Warwick Castle Hotel start from £159 for a family of four on a B&B basis, or from £199 for a family of four, which includes B&B and a one-day ticket.

For other ideas for family days out this summer, Virgin Experience Days is running a major summer sale, and this offer lets you get a family trip to Legoland Windsor Resort with a huge £48 saving.

Red Letter Days is also currently offering Thorpe Park Resort Entry Tickets for Two, which you can get for £70.

Warwick won the Le Mans 24 Hours, is a former president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club and is one of the most senior driver stewards in F1.

An ex-F1 driver is always one of the four stewards officiating at every grand prix.

Last week Warwick was quoted as saying that a penalty given to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the Spanish Grand Prix after the Dutchman apparently deliberately collided with Mercedes’ George Russell was “right”.

On a gambling website, Warwick said: “Should he have done what he did, in Turn Five with George Russell? Absolutely not. Did he get a penalty for that? Yes.

“It seems to me that, although he dove in, he then did turn away from George, but momentum pushed him against George. It is absolutely wrong and the FIA was right to give him a penalty.”

Warwick is the second driver steward to be punished by the FIA for commenting on races in the past six months.

In January Johnny Herbert was dropped by the FIA, which said his “duties as an FIA steward and that of a media pundit were incompatible”.

The FIA’s decision to suspend Warwick came a day after controversial statute changes were passed by the organisation’s general assembly.

The changes are said by critics to “risk further contributing to the erosion of the FIA’s reputation for competent and transparent governance” under president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Ben Sulayem’s time in office since 2021 has been marked by a series of controversies, the majority of which have been focused on the erosion of accountability and good governance and the introduction of measures that enhance his power and reduce oversight.

When there are questions about how stewards arrived at decisions during a grand prix, the FIA refuses to comment on the basis that stewards are “independent from the FIA”.