Top Ten reasons to visit Windsor

Posted: Tue 22 March 2011 at 15:45

Windsor Castle Tickets

Windsor is a delightful town in the Royal County of Berkshire.  Nestling on the River Thames with oodles of history, easy to get to by road or train there are so many reasons to visit, here’s our Top Ten:-

1. Windsor Castle

The largest inhabited Castle in the world and Queen Elizabeth’s favourite residence.  See St George’s Chapel, the State Apartments and the Changing of the Guard.  This year the Round Tower opens to the public for the first time in 40 years.   Lots of holiday activities for children plus don’t miss Queen Mary’s Doll’s House, the Castle provides a stunning back drop for photos too.

2. Theatre Royal Windsor

Built in 1793, Windsor’s beautiful Theatre produces a wide variety of performances from classics to pantomime.  Fantastically located along the High Street in the shadows of the Castle, walking distance to restaurants and bars.

3. Restaurants

Windsor boasts a huge variety of places to eat.  From cafes to fine dining, there is something to suit all tastes and budgets.  There are great bars too and for those with the energy a thriving club scene.

4. River Thames

Windsor sits on the River Thames about 20 miles west of London.  Jump on a French Brothers boat trip all the way up to Hampton Court, or for the brave at heart hire your own motor boat.  Alternatively, and less energetically, head over to the Brocas and kick back with your picnic blanket.  Enjoy the best views of the Castle and watch the boats go by.  Don’t forget to take some bread for the swans.

5. Parks

Windsor is surrounded by acres of Crown land.  Fantastic for walkers and picnickers alike!  Check out Savill Gardens with it’s stunning new Rose Garden, Windsor Great Park and Virginia Waters or head down to Alexandra Gardens just next to the river.  With multiple activities all year round from mini-golf to bungee trampolining, Alexandra Gardens hosts an ice-rink in the winter months and the Windsor Wheel throughout the summer.

6. Shopping
A great selection of individual and High Street shops and two stylish department stores make Windsor a fantastic choice for shoppers.  From monthly farmers’ markets to craft fayres and the latest in High Street fashion, there’s plenty to keep the shopaholics happy.
7. Horse Racing
Not only is Windsor located just a hop and a skip from world-renowned Ascot racecourse, but it also has a fabulous and unique figure of eight flatcourse all of it’s own.   Voted best small racecourse in the South East of England, this is a great day out for all the family.
8. Events
With it’s proximity to London and convenient plane, train and automobile links, Windsor is superbly located to host regular calendar events throughout the year.  Events include the Windsor Horse Show with the Royal Tattoo in May and Royal Ascot in June.
9. Art Centre
Windsor has a thriving local art scene going on at the Firestation, with comedy, music and cinema.   There are numerous galleries in Windsor and Eton plus the Contemporary Art Fair which takes place in November each year.

10. Eton High Street

With it’s charming unchanged High Street and imposing College, there is plenty to do and see in Eton, located just a short stroll across the pedestrian bridge from Windsor.  Lots of cafes, bistros, art galleries and individually owned shops for an unusual and interesting meander through this historic town.
 If you are planning a weekend trip to Windsor or relocating permanently, please get in touch to see how we can help with your accommodation needs  www.accommodation-windsor.co.uk.

Before & After at the Courtyard, Windsor

Posted: Fri 18 February 2011 at 16:00

Looking for a new property to add to our portfolio back in 2007, we were excited about viewing the Penthouse apartment at The Courtyard.  Set back from the High Street in a charming and secluded courtyard, yet just moments from the bustling shops, restaurants and Castle, it couldn’t be better located.

Big too, with two bathrooms AND allocated parking.  There was only one problem… the hideous décor…

The apartment had been a bolt hole for the owners who lived in Dubai, and on viewing the property we surmised that the last time it had seen a paintbrush was circa 1988.  However, it was spacious, light and superbly located – with parking.  We never met the vendors, dealing solely with the agent; and the only sticking point was their insistence that all contents were included in the price, so our first job was to hire a man with a van… and it was out with the chintz.

Money was short and time precious, so we painted, replaced as much furniture as we could afford and rented it out within a couple of weeks of completion.

Courtyard Before Refurbishment After Refurbishment Courtyard Apartments Windsor

 

 

 

 

Our first guest was a dream – he booked initially for a few weeks but ended up staying for over a year. 

Our guest travelled regularly and was relaxed about us having access to the property whilst he was away.  During each of his extended trips, we nipped in and blitzed another room.  His only concern was raised when we told him about  plans to knock through from the lounge to the kitchen to create a breakfast bar.  He was worried that with the new open plan layout he would be disturbed by noise from the washing machine / tumble dryer when he was relaxing or working in the lounge.  Good point!  So with the help of our builders, we sourced and installed a Miele super silent model.

Windsor Short Lets Makeover Project    Accommodation in Windsor

The photos featured below show the process from 80’s disaster zone to  stylish flagship property. 

We started with the main bathroom; clean but old-fashioned, It had to go.   With stylish new tiles and a funky white suite, it’s now a haven for relaxation.

before bathroom makeover     after bathroom makeover

We knocked through from the lounge to the kitchen opening up the space and creating a new breakfast bar.  The lounge was dreary and dated with dark grey carpets and lots of swags and tails at the windows.  We laid solid wood floor throughout the lounge and hallway and soft, neutral carpets in the hallway and bedrooms.  We ripped out the melamine units making the lounge appear instantly bigger.

Out with the old and in with the new fitted kitchen.  We fitted an  integrated silent washing machine / tumble dryer, dishwasher, fridge and freezer.  Granite worktops and black ceramic floor tiles add drama.

    

Peach walls, velour headboard and white melamine furniture.  It must have been stylish at some point.  We re-decorated, re-carpeted bedrooms, added oak flooring to hallway and living room, replaced the furniture and put in a new en-suite – that’s better!

ensuite before makeover    ensuite after makeover

This apartment was awarded 4 GOLD stars by Visit England in subsequent years.  Modern and stylish but with a homely feel, the property is spacious with lots of natural light, and delightful views to both Bachelors Acre and Windsor Castle; just about as close to town as you can get.  We’ve installed flat screen TVs and top spec SKY+ package, ensuring high occupancy and lots of happy guests.  To find out more about pricing and availability at the Courtyard Penthouse apartment please contact us on 01753 833747 or stay@accwindsor.co.uk.

The Courtyard penthouse Windsor self catering    Bedroom Penthouse Apartment Windsor

Accommodation Windsor – a small company with big ideas…

Posted: Tue 8 February 2011 at 10:54

There are a number of accommodation providers in Windsor; from Guesthouses and Hotels to private Landlords and Agents, offering properties to rent on short or long-term agreements.

 So why choose Accommodation Windsor Limited?

We are unique in this area providing a fantastic variety of properties available for short-term lets from a minimum of one week and we will always be open and honest in our dealings with you.

We focus on Windsor and Eton – we love this area and think it has a lot to offer to both visitors and those relocating to the area.  We have a wealth of experience and knowledge of Windsor and have an office superbly located in the town centre.  Easy to find and best placed to provide you with all the advice you need on your property’s location from schools to supermarkets.  Check out our article on What Makes Windsor Special.

We know our properties – a handful we own, but the majority of the sixty or so properties in our portfolio we manage on behalf of our Landlords and we know each and every one.

We know how the heating works and how to turn on the TV.  

We regularly visit our properties and strive to improve the standard on an ongoing basis.  We also provide a comprehensive information pack which contains everything you need from local maps to appliance user guides.

We know about accommodation – having been in the town since we bought Alma House Bed & Breakfast in 1998.  Whatever your accommodation needs we can help; from providing one night accommodation in our B&B to short listing properties for rental or purchase.  We have previously bought and sold property in Windsor for ourselves and clients.

We regularly introduce buyers and sellers and are often approached for advice on buying property in Windsor, whether as an investment or a home.  

We’re here to help – with a friendly and innovative team.  Our office is open from 8:30am to 6pm Monday to Fridays and 9am to 2pm on Saturdays.  Outside of these hours we have an emergency mobile and call-out staff for those situations that simply won’t wait until the morning.

We’re flexible in our approach – we tried to standardise things but you are all so individual!  For this reason we have learnt to adapt to your needs.  Whether it’s an awkward flight time or you want some flowers and champagne on arrival – we’ll do our best to find a solution that makes your stay with us as smooth and stress-free as possible.

We have great relationships with our Landlords – many of whom have become personal friends.

We love to work with positive and professional Landlords who are keen to maintain and improve their properties recognising that this is beneficial not only to you, the client, but also to their investment.

We employ a full-time Property Manager and Handyman – to ensure that any unfortunate problems are dealt with quickly and efficiently.  If we can’t fix it, we have a long list of people who can.  We work hard to anticipate problems in advance and seek to replace or renew before you’re  inconvenienced.

We employ a full-time housekeeping team – in order to maintain a consistently high standard of property cleanliness and presentation.  Our cleaning team works directly for us ensuring excellent communication.  The team takes responsibility for cleaning, laundering, basic maintenance and weekly servicing where requested.

We’re friendly – having built up great relationships with other agents and short-term providers in the town, if we can’t help you, we’ll find someone who can.  Many of our clients use short term accommodation as a stop-gap to purchasing or renting a home longer term and we are well placed to find an agent who can help find the right property for you.

We provide a personal service – by being local and available.  We’re not a faceless online entity that you’ll never get to meet; our team is friendly and approachable and the office is centrally located near all our properties so you can call in if you need to.

We give you peace of mind – by ensuring that our properties are compliant with health and safety regulations.  We know the rules and check all properties have working smoke alarms, compliant lighting, annual gas safety checks and regular boiler servicing.  That way we all get a good night’s sleep!

We listen to our customers – if you’re not happy nor are we. 

It might be that the property failed to meet your expectations or maybe you loved the curtains; either way we want to know.  We provide feedback forms for each customer in every property and if you are kind enough to let us know what you think, we’ll listen and learn – good or bad. 

We have lots of happy customers  – but that won’t stop us from looking to further improve the services and property that we provide to you.   Please see our Testimonials page for some of our customers’ comments.

Call Accommodation Windsor Limited – for all your accommodation needs contact us on 01753 833747 or Book Online here:  www.accommodation-windsor.co.uk 

Could a Windsor Wedding be on the Cards?

Posted: Wed 17 November 2010 at 12:03

Congratulations to William and Kate on the announcement of their engagement.  Delightful news for both them and their families, but let’s not forget the overwhelming joy felt by wedding planners, designers, journalists and paparazzi across the land.

Here in Royal Berkshire the news is very exciting for us too.  Windsor has already been on London Tonight and that was just on the first day.  Could we be host to yet another Royal Wedding?  Well, it was good enough for Elton…  

Probably St Georges Chapel won’t be big enough, but don’t rule it out yet – the Castle makes a wonderful backdrop for photos. 

Watching the interview on The One Show last night, I cringed a bit for Kate’s interview technique.  She waffled a lot and said “you know” far more than one might have expected.  Although in fairness how many times can you answer essentially the same question?  (And isn’t it ever so slightly intrusive to ask if they were living together as friends or as a couple?  This man is going to be the King for goodness sake!)   Prince William was utterly charming and showed his consummate interview experience, wearily answering essentially the same question in a variety of hats, jumping in a couple of times to help Kate out.  She looked gorgeous and by all accounts she is independent and intelligent and has shown a degree of backbone. 

In the inevitable comparisons to Charles and Diana’s engagement announcement some thirty years ago, lessons have clearly been learnt.  There can be no suggestion here of a dynastic union or any unwilling parties.  After being together all these years and after their brief split, they must be sure about each other by now and from her point of view, what she’s letting herself in for.  They look like a lovely couple and I’m pleased for them… to a point.

Do you think we could leave it there; lovely couple, lovely news we’ve all been waiting for, liked the fact she’s got his mother’s engagement ring?  Can we leave it there please until we get just a wee bit closer to the big day?

Will we allow them to have some semblance of privacy and normalcy in their lives…?  Not a chance.  Will we let her have bad hair days and make outfit faux pas without ripping her to pieces in the tabloids the next day…?  Unfortunately not.  Will she ever live down that roller skating photo…?  Perhaps in time.  Will we try to forget her mother was – gasp! – an Air Hostess…?  No, that one will run and run.  

Well of course there is one huge advantage to this story dominating the headlines and that is a brief but well-earned rest from Wagner and the gang.  Given time, I’m sure the X Factor PR machine will think of something.    The Weasel might get her roots done or Cheryl could sing live.  Perhaps they’ll announce a love tryst between two of the finalists, I can hear Dermot now, “Have you been living together in the house as friends or….”

Do YOU think Windsor would make a great venue for the wedding next year?  Let us know what you think.