Bestwood Lodge Hotel, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Bestwood Lodge was the love nest of Nell Gwynn, an orange seller who went on to become an actress, and Charles II. A number of ghostly-goings on at the hotel have been blamed on Nell – in particular, the smell of oranges in the family room when children stay in the room. No orange peel is ever found, and the smell only ever occurs when children stay in the room, never when adults stay in the room alone.

Staff at the hotel often see figures walking around the corridors, only to disappear in thin air and a number of the staff have also reported hearing disembodied voices, especially in the cellar, where bodies are said to be buried.

One staff member had a particularly scary experience in the hotel when he went to the cellar to change a barrel. The lights went off and a voice said, ‘Can I help you, Sir?’ The staff member in question ran back upstairs as fast as he could go, thinking someone had pulled a prank on him – but no-one had turned the lights off or gone down to the cellar.

Brief History

Bestwood hotel used to be a royal hunting lodge and was built in the 14th century. King Edward III, the first owner of the lodge, sent instructions to the then custodian of Bestwood park to fell enough timber to build a sufficient lodge in the most attractive part of the park for him to stay in whenever he so chose. The original lodge was demolished in 1860 to make way for a large Gothic-style house, which was completed in 1863.

A devastating fire ripped through part of the hotel in 1893, and before the fire brigade could arrive, the local tenants and workmen gathered to form a human chain of water buckets and succeeded in controlling the flames. The fire, unfortunately, destroyed a number of family relics along with 25 paintings. In the last century, Bestwood was bought by Sir Frank Bowden, where it became the headquarters for the army during World War II. It remained the property of the Ministry of Defence until the 1970s when it was converted into the Best Western Bestwood Lodge hotel.

About

The hotel offers 40 en-suite bedrooms, compromising of a mixture of singles, doubles, twins, and four-poster doubles, each individually decorated and designed. Many of the rooms contain period features and all of the public areas of the hotel retain their original Victorian charm. There are two bars and a restaurant at the hotel, all full of stunning Victorian features such as oak panelling, high ceilings, wooden beams and roaring log fires, making for a truly special dining experience. The garden bar hosts barbeques in the summer and the restaurant offers a truly original a la carte menu, prepared with fresh local produce.

Bestwood is also available for weddings, offering a variety of packages from wedding reception only through to wedding, reception, evening meal and accommodation for the wedding party. Conference facilities are also available for business guests, offering space for up to 200 delegates. Best Western Bestwood is the ideal hotel for both country lovers and city lovers alike is ideally situated on the edge of a 700-acre country park but also within close distance of Nottingham city centre.

Features

40 en-suite bedrooms
Flat-screen LCD television
Trouser press
Tea and coffee making facilities
Hairdryer in each room
Free Wi-Fi for all guests
Optional upgrades available for all guests
7 meeting and conference facilities
2 bars and 1 restaurant
Close to Nottingham

Things to do

Bestwood is ideally located just three miles out of Nottingham, making it perfect for exploring all that the city has to offer, including shops, bars and restaurants. For those who enjoy exploring the countryside, a 700-acre country park is right on the doorstep. Sherwood Forest is just ten miles away if you fancy walking in the footsteps of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, and there are a number of museums and art galleries in nearby Nottingham

Room Tariff

Single rooms available from £49.50 per night, based on one person staying in the room.
Double/Twin rooms available from £60 per night, based on two people sharing.
Four poster rooms available from £110 per night, based on two people sharing.

Breakfast is not included in the room rate and is available for £16 per room per night