Ludlow is easily one of my favourite towns in the UK. The medieval architecture and history, the plethora of nearby walks, the unforgivingly moreish food items… It really has something for everyone. My husband has family in the local area so we are up here fairly regularly. Whilst we usually stay with family, this time we thought we would spend some time at a local hotel. The Clive Arms has an amazing reputation and we were keen to try it out.
Here is how we got on…
The Clive Arms Ludlow | Staying at Ludlow Food Centre
Location
The Clive Arms is found in Bromfield, just a stone throw away from Ludlow. It is a really easy find; it is just next door to the famous Food Centre.
To get here, simply take the A49 (Bromfield Road) from Ludlow and continue. The signs to the Food Centre are obviously laid out and easy to find. When you make the turning, there is a car park that looks out onto the road. If you are staying at the Clive Arms, continue a bit and turn left. There is a small, more private car park here.
Our Room
We had booked a standard superior double room for our stay. We were only here for one night and were using the hotel more as a base if anything else. However, when I booked I had mentioned that it was my husband’s birthday weekend and that we were staying with family. I was therefore really shocked, and delighted, to find that we had been upgraded to a luxury double!
Our room was part of the old stable complex. We had a door that we shared with another room, which took us upstairs to a small landing. The staff were excellent and proactively took the time to take us to our room and stayed to make sure that we were happy with it.
The room was a really good size. There was a large king bed, complete with modern country furniture to really set the tone. We also had a small seating area nearby where we could enjoy a delicious tea to settle in for the night. Next door we had a generous bathroom, which again had been done to a really high-end. It felt luxurious, cosy and made me instantly relax. If I am honest, I absolutely adored our room.
The Clive Arms – The Restaurant
We arrived quite late and had a large lunch whilst with family. Because of this we felt that we could do with a light bite and a local beer.
The restaurant at the Clive Arms is also how you would expect. It is evidently a more high-end place to be and has been decorated as such. It felt expensive and exclusive, whilst still upholding the classic vibe of a country pub.
Of course, they serve the local specialities here. The Ludlow Brewery, being right around the corner, serves their beer here and it is something we always look forward to when visiting. So, Ludlow Gold in hand, alongside a sandwich and some chips, we sat down and enjoyed the ambiance. The food was delicious and, had we not had a big lunch, I imagine that a large meal would have hit the spot. It also wasn’t too expensive, especially when compared with Henley prices!
Breakfast at the Clive
My one small complaint is that breakfast is not included with a stay at the Clive Arms. However, they do include coffee should you eat at the local Food Centre. This is only a few hundred metres away from the rooms.
All of the produce here is super-high quality and comes from the local area. The menu is quite diverse too, and includes everything you could want and more.
We decided to go a bit light; I think we were still full from the day before! I opted for a lovely bowl of yoghurt and fruit, whereas my husband went for eggs Benedict. We could really taste the freshness and the quality as we tucked in. I also thought that the price was excellent considering this.
Final Thoughts | The Clive Arms
Without a doubt, the Clive Arms is one of my favourite pub hotels we have stayed at in the UK. The attention to detail and the quality of this place just shines through. Plus, given what we received was up there with some of the best UK hotels we have stayed at, I was really impressed with the price that we paid. If you are staying in the Ludlow area, you really couldn’t do much better.
