Review: The Aztec Hotel & Spa, Bristol -

Earlier this month we travelled down to Cornwall for half term with the kids and, as much as I love Cornwall and being by the sea, the thought of that 350 mile drive always fills me with dread. With three young children, one of whom has car sickness, we learned the hard way that if you’re making that long journey south, a stop off half way is the only way to do it. So when The Aztec Hotel & Spa in Bristol invited us to stay for the night it was the perfect solution – three hours to Bristol, and another three hours from Bristol to Cornwall. Plus, with it being located perfectly off the motorway, it meant we didn’t have to divert too far and add any more unnecessary time in the car with the children!

The Aztec Hotel & Spa is part of The House of Daniel Thwaites – a group of spa hotels and inns owned by Lancashire brewer, Daniel Thwaites PLC – with properties right across the country from the South Coast to Cumbria. With many of the hotels offering family friendly accommodation, we were excited to discover what The Aztec Hotel & Spa could offer and we weren’t disappointed.

As we entered the hotel there was a gorgeous fresh flower display and full COVID instructions including the Track & Trace details to keep everybody safe. The hotel has many COVID measures in place including pre-scheduled dining times for both breakfast and evening meals as well as pre-bookable spa and pool slots with limited numbers. We felt very safe on arrival and, after a quick check-in, were shown to our room.

With Lewis not travelling with us on this occasion, we had a family room for five which is quite rare for us staying in hotels. Often we are split between two interconnecting rooms so it’s always lovely when we can all stay in one room but without feeling cramped or the children having to share a bed.

With a large king sized bed and three single beds, as well as a large table and chairs, a tea and coffee station, fridge and en suite bathroom, our room was both spacious and stylish and the perfect space to relax in after a long drive with the kids. I loved the geometric wallpaper and splashes of colour as well as three stylish mirrors on the wall made the room feel huge, even with all five of us in it!

As you all know, suffering with insomnia, I am very particular about hotel beds and it’s the first thing I try out in every hotel we stay in. The bed here was so comfortable with the most amazing pillows and later, after a swim with the kids and dinner in the restaurant, I was asleep by nine thirty which is a real miracle!

The room had plenty of hanging storage, space for our luggage so it wasn’t cluttering up our room with the children, as well as a trouser press, iron and ironing board. The robes and towels were all sealed within individual packs due to COVID safety measures and I felt incredibly secure in the knowledge that the hotel and housekeeping team had done everything possible to make sure our room was as sterile as possible.

In the corner was the all important fridge, a real necessity with the hot weather we’ve been having, and inside we found three cartons of juice for the children, oranges and a Choc-Dip snack which they were delighted over. There was also a bottle for water and another for milk, both of which can be re-filled from the water and milk stations in the corridors outside, as well as three plates and cups for each of the children and a delicious chocolate cookie too. I thought that was such a lovely touch and really made us feel welcome as a family.

The children were over the moon to discover they also had their very own V.I.Little P robes waiting on their beds alongside fresh towels and an activity pack. Usually during our hotel stays it’s just Gaz and I who have robes to enjoy so they literally couldn’t put them on fast enough and very much enjoyed how important they made them feel to be a V.I Little P!

In the en-suite was a large sink area, a shelving unit, toilet and a huge shower with a colourful geometric design which was a really lovely feature. The bathroom was spotlessly clean with endless hot water in the shower which is exactly what you want during your stay.

I’ve shared before how I often think the standard of a hotel’s toiletries speak volumes about the hotel itself and so I was really impressed to discover The White Company miniatures in the bathroom. I love this brand and it’s one I associate with luxury high quality which actually sums up the hotel perfectly.

We had been booked into the spa at 4pm on the Friday and 9am on the Saturday so after unpacking we changed into our swim wear and robes and made our way to the spa. Due to COVID measures they discourage guests from using the changing facilities (although the spa is open to non-hotel guests) and I actually found this really worked in our favour. I’m sure any parent will appreciate that getting three children changed for and after swimming is quite the challenge and so being able to do this in the comfort of our own hotel room made it a much easier experience all round.

With us having the children we didn’t use the full spa facilities but we did enjoy using the pool and relaxing on the loungers whilst the children played. With numbers being restricted due to COVID the pool was lovely and quiet and on entering we were asked to make sure we stuck to our own bubbles within the pool area and the pool itself. In the jacuzzi there was a limit of one bubble at a time and this seemed to work really well.

After a swim we were all ready for something to eat and headed down to the bar whilst we waited for our booking. The bar area is lovely and, unlike many hotels we have stayed in, we didn’t feel out of place with having the children. There is nothing worse than staying in a hotel and feeling as though children are not welcome but here that was certainly not the case.

Having booked our meal time before our stay, we were greeted at the entrance, shown to our table and brought adult and children’s meals as well as activity packs for the children. I always breathe a sigh of relief when hotel restaurants provide activities for the children, it makes a huge difference being able to sit back and relax during a meal as opposed to trying to keep the children occupied as they wait for their food.

Whilst we looked at the menu the waitress took our drinks order, brought a bread board to take the edge off our hunger and couldn’t have been any more helpful. She was friendly towards the children, asked them question about their day, and answered any questions we had about the menu before giving us time to make our choices. The menu was delicious with a huge range of dishes from steak to lobster, as well as a specials board too.

Having made our choices it was nice just to sit back and enjoy a drink, take in the surroundings and enjoy time with the children. It felt like such a long time ago since we last stayed at a hotel together and I think we all wanted to make the most of every moment of it!

Although it wasn’t long before our starters arrived, in the meantime the children loved doing the activities from their fun pack, playing noughts and crosses and colouring in craft cut outs. Their excitement to be back in a hotel was lovely to see and despite the COVID measures in place throughout the hotel and restaurant, it felt very normal which was perfect.

When our starters arrived they all looked and smelled delicious with Eva choosing the roasted celeriac soup and Harry and Megan both going for their favourite starter regardless of what’s on the menu – garlic flat bread! I had barely had time to pick up my knife and fork before they had devoured almost half of it and it goes without saying they had cleared their plates in no time.

Gaz chose the Asian Spiced Devon Caught Crab Cake which was packed with flavour in a lemon butter sauce and Thai Basil, and I chose the classic Caesar Salad which was lovely and the dressing was one of the best I have tasted.

For our main course the girls chose the chicken fillets, mashed potato and beans and the portions were perfectly sized without being too much or too little. Harry went for a burger and chips which he declared to be “One hundred out of ten” which is high praise from the world’s fussiest eater.

Gaz chose the 35 day aged Rib Eye Steak on the bone with chunky chips, his go to choice at every restaurant, and said it was up there with the best. I went for something different from the specials menu – rump of lamb and pressed potato – which was utterly delicious!

By the time we had finished our starters and main course Harry and I were both too full for dessert but the girls devoured a chocolate brownie sundae and Gaz “forced himself” to sample the Rum Cake with coconut ice cream and a pineapple and chilli garnish, purely for the sake of our review of course……

After a good nights sleep we were up bright and early for our breakfast slot at 8am, again pre-booked before our stay to avoid any over-crowding in the restaurant. We were showed to our table and the waitress explained that although there was a continental buffet on display, it was waitress service only and then there was a separate menu for hot food which was hugely impressive.

The children were more excited to discover instructions on the back of the menu to transform their napkins into boats which at 8am, knowing we had a long drive South ahead, gave us some much needed quiet time to make the most of our last couple of hours of relaxation.

Whilst the children chose a variety of fresh croissants, cereal, waffles and pancakes, Gaz and I both went for a traditional breakfast with the waitress making sure to check that mine was fully gluten free alongside a separate rack of gluten free toast.

When I saw Eva’s banana waffles and ice cream I did question whether I had made the right choice, after all if you can’t have waffles for breakfast on holiday when can you? Eva devoured every mouthful of it, despite still being full from the night before, and even now, two weeks back home, she still talks about how it was her favourite breakfast she’s ever had.

Nothing was too much to ask for with the restaurant staff and when the children decided they’d quite like some bacon after they finished their original choice, it was brought out almost instantly for them. Nothing sets you up better for the day than a hotel breakfast and later, as we drove three hours down to Cornwall, it was one of very few car journey’s we’ve ever made where nobody asked for a snack!
After breakfast we took a walk around the outside area of the hotel exploring the outdoor dining area, a relaxing area to lounge in the sun, and beautiful views of the gardens. Although our stay fell over a weekend, which is the busiest time to stay at The Aztec Hotel & Spa, we didn’t feel that it was overly busy due to meal times being pre-booked for limited numbers, That said, should you wish to stay during their quieter times, mid-week stays are definitely the best time to book.

After one last swim and a soak in the jacuzzi it was time for us to leave and, although we were excited at the prospect of a week down in Cornwall, we all felt a little sad to be leaving the hotel behind. We had such a lovely stay there, felt incredibly welcome, ate the most delicious food and couldn’t have asked for a better room or facilities. We’ve already said that we will return to the hotel to explore Bristol in the coming months and next time, I am ordering those waffles!