Luxury Reading

Just 22 minutes by train or 40 miles by car from London, Reading is the capital of the Thames Valley, the corridor east of London and one of the UK’s most dynamic economies. At the heart of the Great West Way, and offering 5 star hotels, fine dining restaurants and attractions ranging from scenic cruises and riverside spas, to award-winning theatres and culture-packed museums, Reading makes a perfect base for a luxury break in the South of England.

Reading has a lovely scale to it. Large town or defacto city, everything is walkable – the town centre, access to the river, the Abbey Quarter district and the modern railway station. Big enough to offer a diverse experience without the drawbacks of the big city.

You’ll find Reading has one of the best choices of accommodation in the South East outside London, which makes it a great base for exploring. It’s easy to visit nearby Windsor, Henley or Oxford as day trips from Reading, as well as some beautiful stately homes and National Trust properties.

Things to do during your luxury visit to Reading
There are so many things to do and see in Reading for visitors who enjoy the finer things in life. Here are some ideas to make the most of your luxury visit to Reading:

• Stand on 900 years of history at the Abbey Ruins
  Reading’s rich history and its university provide a rich cultural and heritage visit. At the centre is Reading Abbey Ruins, open 365 days a year to explore. The burial place of a King of England, Henry I’s grave is the last remaining lost royal burial chamber. In its medieval pomp, Reading Abbey was one of the largest buildings in Europe and for 400 years from the mid-12^th century, it was a hugely important place of pilgrimage, government, trade and worship. Self-guided or guided tours can be arranged. Start your tour in Reading Museum, which tells the story of the 1000 year-old town and the origins of the Abbey. It also boasts the only full-scale replica of the Bayeux Tapestry.

• Visit sites of literary greats
  Exploring the Abbey Quarter, you can visit Jane Austen’s old school in the Abbey Gateway, peek over the wall at Oscar Wilde’s cell in the former prison and view Reading’s latest artwork, Create Escape by renowned street artist Banksy on the wall of Reading Prison.

• Embrace local culture at Reading’s museums
  The University of Reading has provided Reading with three museums. The Museum of English Rural Life (or The MERL as it is known locally), is the national museum of food, farming and the countryside. Agricultural collections and a charming garden make this a little gem. It also hosts a beautiful collection of Ladybird books. The University is also home to the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology and will be re-opening its Cole Museum of Zoology in new premises later this year.

• Indulge youself at Reading's Thames-side spa 
  Thames Lido opened a couple of year ago as a spa, open-air pool, upmarket restaurant and bar. A major conservation project, the owners have conserved the old Edwardian Ladies Bathing Pool and turned it into a destination in its own right on the banks of the Thames.  It’s easy to spend the whole day there.

• Have afternoon tea on the river
  Cruise from central Reading upriver to Mapledurham on a Thames River Cruise round-trip or join one of their sundowner or live music cruises. With a drink in your hand, enjoy the sights of one of England’s most picturesque areas.

• Take a trip to the country
  Out of town to the west, the National Trust’s Basildon Park is a stately home and vast estate. Its neighbouring attraction Beale Wildlife Park is a family-friendly outdoor experience. To the south, Silchester Roman Ruins preserve the walls and amphitheatre of the area’s Roman past. Go east and Stanlake Vineyard offers tours and tasting in its lovely courtyard while Stonor Park is a privately-owned country estate open to the public.

• Watch a show at the Mill Theatre
  Set majestically on the banks of the River Thames, The Mill at Sonning is the only dinner theatre in the UK. The intimate theatre seats 215 in the semi-round allowing the audience to feel involved in the performance. The elegant restaurant has views over the Thames. A spinning waterwheel features in the cosy bar. Every ticket at The Mill includes a home-cooked two-course meal.

Luxury accommodation in Reading

The Reading accommodation market is divided between upscale major international hotels brands and serviced apartments. If you’re looking to extend your trip to Reading, you won’t be disappointed with the range of places to stay.

You’ll find brands such as Voco and Crown Plaza, Novotel, Hilton and Malmaison, as well as smaller group hotels such as the 5-star Roseate. The Roseate boasts a new spa and yoga packages while the Novotel has the best indoor pool in the town centre.  In nearby Sonning, The Great House and French Horn both offer riverside accommodation in Reading's picturesque riverside village.

The majority of the luxury accommodation market is in the town centre and its serviced apartments meet the needs of major corporate business clients as well as leisure visitors staying in Reading for Royal Ascot, Henley Regatta or the Reading Festival.

Fine dining

Reading’s Michelin-starred restaurant L’Ortolan is a short cab ride south of the centre or try the 200-year-old renowned French Horn near the river at Sonning. In the town centre, try the new restaurant at the five-star Roseate Hotel – the Reading Room, with its secret courtyard garden or its famous afternoon cream-tea. London Street Brasserie is an award-winning restaurant in the heart of the town where absolutely everything is made on the premises. The Spanish/North African menu at The Thames Lido comes with pool-side views of the restored bathing pool. You could even combine lunch/dinner with a pre-meal dip!

Reading has a rich brewing heritage and while the old breweries have gone, they have been replaced by new microbreweries and vineyards.  The Tap Room at Double Barrelled is an urban beer fans dream, while head north of Reading to the beer garden at the Loddon Brewery for an equally refreshing selection of real ale.

Travel tips

Make Reading a base on your Great West Way trip.  The new national trail starts in London and ends in Bristol, but Reading makes a good base for exploring the eastern end. A three-night stay would allow plenty of time to explore Reading as well as make easy day trips to nearby Oxford, Windsor and Henley.

One of the real attractions of Reading is its easy scale. Everything around the town centre is walkable, while those arriving by rail will have a five-minute stroll to their town centre hotel. A number of town centre hotels have bikes to offer guests to help you explore along the Thames or beyond the centre. You can hire every form of water craft, from a cruiser to a narrowboat, dragon boat to a SUP to get around on the water.

Travelling by car, base yourself at one of the south Reading hotels such as the Hilton or Voco Reading for ease of access. Travelling by train, the town centre hotels such as Malmaison, Roseate, Penta or Novotel are only a short walk from the station. Reading is also blessed with an award-winning bus company and taxis are plentiful at the station.