Windsor Castle is the oldest, largest (and most beautiful) occupied castle in the world. Over 900 years old, the Castle is said to be Queen Elizabeth’s favourite residence… and who can blame her. (more…)
What’s on this April 2014
Posted: Tue 1 April 2014 at 16:54
Windsor Wheel on The River Thames
There is lots to do during April in and around Windsor. Get your diary ready and see our list below of events taking place. Click on the link for more information. If you are planning to stay locally please get in touch to see how we can help with your accommodation requirements.
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What makes Windsor so special…?
Posted: Sun 16 March 2014 at 10:35
With Windsor Castle as a backdrop and within 20 miles of London it ticks a lot of boxes location wise. Add in the history, charm, Royal connections, fabulous shopping, tourist attractions, rail and road links, high employment, low-crime, great schools (both state and private) and you start to build up a picture of what draws people to this unique area.
Windsor has a thriving social scene with bars, restaurants and clubs for all age groups. It’s big on families too so really easy to make new friends and settle the kids in. There are lots of local attractions including a Leisure Centre with swimming pool, fabulous National Trust properties, Royal Parks, its own Theatre, International Racing and Legoland theme park and all just a hop and a skip from London with all of its shopping, activity and employment opportunities.
The town centre is delightful, nestling on the River Thames with stunning swans, summer boating, kayaking, river trips and a Duck Tour – it’s fun to live in a tourist town and never have to leave. The pavements can get a little congested in the peak season, but equally there is a vibrancy and excitement to living in Windsor; and knowing people travel from all over the world to visit your town.
Lots of clients use Accommodation Windsor as a stop gap, whether relocating from overseas or closer to home, its a chance to settle in and have a look around the area before taking the plunge and buying or renting something longer term. With prices from just £595 pw for a 2-bed town centre apartment, properties are available to let from a minimum of one week for as long as you want to stay.
Our stylish and well-located Properties are fully furnished right down to the garlic press and prices are inclusive of all utilities meaning that you can move on when you’re ready to do so.
Our helpful and knowledgeable team can also advise on schools, doctors’ surgeries and all the essential local amenities that you need to know about to make life a little simpler. Windsor is a relatively small town and a hugely welcoming community and you will find lots of networks and support groups to help you and your family settle in.
Let us know what you think makes Windsor so special…
Changing the Guard and The Fat Duck
Posted: Thu 6 February 2014 at 10:02
Windsor is best known as one of Her Majesty’s official residences, with Windsor Castle inspiring the town and local residents. There is no better way to truly capture the resplendence and spectacle of royal life than to witness the Changing of the Guard, as they march up Windsor High Street and into the Castle – a duty that has been carried out since 1660. The stately ceremony begins outside the Guardroom, situated in the Lower Ward of the Castle, and takes only 10 minutes. Usually the guards are joined by an official band, to increase the grandeur, but this is dependent on weather conditions.
If you want to witness the ceremony, you must be positioned on the High Street at 10:50am to avoid disappointment. The Guard March is a year-round occurrence, taking place at various times throughout the year – SEE THE CALENDAR OF GUARD MARCHES
You can also witness the Changing of the Guard inside the castle; this ceremony usually takes around 30 minutes. The old guards then return to the barracks at approximately 11:25am.
After a morning of witnessing this regal procedure, why not dine in style at one of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s finest eateries – Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck. Situated in Bray, Berkshire, The Fat Duck is only a stone’s throw away from Windsor town centre. Run by one of the UK’s most famous chefs, The Fat Duck offers a tantalising menu full of sensory experimentation. At £195 a head, it is a pricey dinner, however the 3.5 hour menu of 14 courses is an experience to remember.
The Fat Duck is open Tuesday – Saturday, with lunch served from 12 noon – last orders at 2pm, and dinner served from 7pm – last orders at 9pm.
We recommend staying overnight in Windsor as there is so much to do and see – try Alma House – a boutique B&B on Alma Road – walking distance to town centre.
Café Orchestras and Coriolanus
Posted: Thu 30 January 2014 at 12:23
This weekend in Windsor is set to excite as both Shakespeare and Eastern Europe collide. The Budapest Café Orchestra and Shakespeares Coriolanus will be gracing the doorstep of Norden Farm Centre for the Arts on 30th Jan and 1st 2nd February respectively.
Traditional folk and gypsy music from Budapest, Hungary, will be performed by Chris Garricks lively and eclectic orchestra. As a professional jazz violinist, Garrick has performed with Dame Cleo Laine, Nigel Kennedy and John Dankworth. He will be joined by accordion player Eddie Henson, who has accompanied Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo, and is also supreme accordion champion of Great Britain. Adrian Zolotuhin from Russia and Kelly Cantlon complete the group; together they recreate the magic of gypsy campfire music and the atmosphere of a traditional Budapest café. They will perform for one night only at Norden Farm on Thursday 30th January, 8pm. Tickets are £15 (£13 conc).
In addition to this Eastern European show comes the home-grown talent of Shakespeare. The West End production of Coriolanus, starring Tom Hiddleston as Coriolanus and Mark Gatiss as Memenius, will be broadcast live from the Donmar Warehouse in Covent Garden. As one of Shakespeares lesser-performed works, this is an exclusive opportunity to enjoy the blood-soaked tragedy, set in Rome against a backdrop of political manipulation and revenge. Interesting parallels are drawn between this ancient society and the public figures of today, comparing public and private identities. National Theatre Live offers a unique chance to enjoy the best London theatre at home. Coriolanus will be broadcast on Saturday 1st February, 8pm, and Sunday 2nd February, 2pm. Tickets are £15.
Fallen Angels and Voodoo Fire
Posted: Wed 22 January 2014 at 14:32
The end of January sees a wide variety of cultural performances come to Windsor and Maidenhead, from West End comedies to guitar heavy gigs.
From the 21st 25th January, visitors to the Royal Borough of Windsor can revel in the highly-acclaimed comedy, Fallen Angels. The Noël Coward play, which enjoyed a fruitful autumn tour in 2013, will continue touring this spring visiting Maidenhead along the way. Best friends Julia and Jane are played by Jenny Seagrove and Sara Crowe, who enjoy a little too much champagne as their detached husbands leave to play golf, and the promise of a visit from an ex-lover of them both materialises. As the drink flows, truths and jealousies are revealed and the evening descends into chaos. The intense finale peaks as their husbands unexpectedly return.
The play will is being performed at the Theatre Royal Windsor, Tue Sat 8pm, Thurs 2.30pm, Sat 4.45pm. Contact number: 01753 853888. Ticket prices vary.
Voodoo Fire, a Jimi Hendrix tribute band, will also be visiting Windsor and Maidenhead on January 25th at the Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, for an evening of live rock n roll. The band will perform a set-list of Hendrixs greatest hits, including Voodoo Child, All Along the Watchtower and Purple Haze, among many more. The band consists of Johnny Cranmer on guitar and vocals, Phil Tidy on bass and vocals, and Terry G on the drums. The trio have been praised for their accuracy and loyalty to Hendrix himself by none other than Brian May, legendary guitarist in Queen.
The evening starts at 8pm on January 25th. Tickets are £16. This is a standing event with limited allocated seating.
Norden Farm to host Mozart Birthday Concert
Posted: Tue 21 January 2014 at 15:55
Norden Farm will play host to a celebratory concert honouring Mozarts contribution to classical music and composition. The concert will be performed by the St Johns Chamber Orchestra and will feature a number of special guests, including Jay Wilkinson on the flute, Elizabeth McNulty on the harp, Simon Watterton on piano, and baritone operatic star Ross Ramgobin.
These high-calibre guest performers are guaranteed to bring an expert flair to the performances, with McNulty having previously performed at the Fabulously French concert, also at Norden Farm, and Ramgobins career being backed by the Royal Opera House.
The orchestra and special guests will be conducted by Nigel Wilkinson as they perform three very different pieces from Mozarts portfolio, conveying a number of different emotions. Ramgobin expertly highlights the contrasting seduction techniques of Mozarts womanisers in the two Arias from Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro. As well as these exciting pieces, the pleasant and warm feel to the Flute and Harp Concerto will leave the audience feeling relaxed and happy. Finally, the intense Piano Concerto K.450 expertly evokes an intense reaction from spectators, with its strong finale creating the atmosphere of a hunt.
The concert will take place on Sunday 26th January, starting at 11:45am. Tickets range in price, from £15 per adult, £13 concession and £5 for under 16s. There is free parking on site. This is an indoor event with the Café Bar offering food and drink for guests, including a full Sunday roast.
Norden Farm can be found on Altwood Road, Maidenhead, SL6 4PF.
National Trust Days Out
Posted: Mon 20 May 2013 at 15:35
Following the mantra that there is no such thing as bad weather… only inappropriate clothing, some of our best days out with the kids have been to National Trust properties. With beautiful gardens, wonderful cafes (often serving home-grown produce) and play trails / adventure areas for the kids, it’s a great opportunity to get the whole family outdoors. Educational too, with fantastic historical properties, although the kids usually groan when we suggest going inside the houses they always find something interesting to look at from Tudor bedrooms slept in by Kings and Queens to Victorian kitchens (…and a promise to swing by the sweet counter at the NT shop usually helps.)
Sometimes we’ll meet up with a crowd; it’s fun for the kids to dress up and do the mazes and trails with their friends or cousins. On these occasions we tend to take picnics as a big crowd with kids can be overpowering for other diners as well as frazzling for parents, but often if it’s just the four of us, we’ll grab something to eat in the delightful cafes and restaurants. Whenever we travel in the UK, we’ll find a National Trust place to stop and recharge our batteries at a half way point. The properties are everywhere and much nicer than stopping at a motorway cafe (sorry Heston!) After a couple of hours in the car, a stroll around stunning gardens letting the kids run off pent-up energy is just what we need and as we visit regularly, the Family Membership is excellent value for money at under £100 per year (see link for special new member deals).
Throughout the year there are a host of additional activities and especially during the summer months, there is outdoor theatre, live music, guided 
walks and afternoon teas – booking essential. We’re spoilt with Cliveden in Burnham Beeches, Basildon Park near Pangbourne and the Vyne in Basingstoke all on Windsor’s doorstep, but if you’re travelling further afield there are hundreds of place to visit.
Summer Highlights – www.nationaltrust.org.uk/southeastevents
BASILDON PARK – Berkshire – 0118 984 3040
Nature Walks 2013
Every Friday 11am-12 noon
Free Guided walks with a ranger or wildlife volunteer
Climb a Tree on Father’s Day
Sun 16 Jun 10am-5pm
With ropes, harness and karabiners, see www.bigtreeclimbing.co.uk
From £6
Finding Mr Darcy tour and tea
Sun 7 Jul 1pm-3.30pm
Hear about films that have been shot on location here followed by cream tea
Adut £25
CLIVEDEN HOUSE – Buckinghamshire – 01628 605069
Family Camping, Moths and Moonlight
Sat & Sun 13, 14 & 20, 21 July 2pm-11.30pm
With bat watching, moth trapping, bug hunts, camp fires and storytelling. Breakfast provided
Adult £27 Child £17
Wild Wednesdays
Every Weds from 31 Jul – 4 Sep
Drop in sessions for children (must be supervised by an adult)
Child £2
Outdoor Theatre – Babe the Sheep Pig
Tues 6 Aug 2.30-4.30pm & 6.30-8.30pm & Weds 7 Aug6.30-8.30pm
Bring a picnic and some friends to enjoy this tale in the Water Garden
Adult £13 Child £10
THE VYNE – Hampshire – 01256 883858
Outdoor Theatre – Alice, an Extraordinary Adventure
Fri 28 Jun 6.30-9.30pm
Bring a picnic and join the fun
Adult £12 Child 7 Family £30
Summer Holiday fun at the Vyne
Wide range of school holiday activities. See website for more details.