Ye Harte and Garter Inn, Windsor, Berkshire, England
A hotel that Shakespeare used as a location in 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' is still open for business.
Ye Harte Inn is name checked in Shakespeare's play which provides a good a reason as any to stay there when visiting Windsor. The red bricked mid Victorian 'Ye Harte & Garter Hotel' has more than 50 bedrooms and most of them look out directly over the battlements of Windsor Castle, right across the road.
The receptionist told us that the original Harte Inn stood on the same spot and was a favorite drinking den for the theatrical types for many hundreds of years. It was was the actual setting for a scene in Shakespeare's play. Originally back in the Tudor period, there were actually two taverns (The White Harte and The Garter Inn) on the site but both were burned down in the late 1600s.
Just a few doors away is the Theatre Royal, Windsor, so we combined our stay with a play, just as people have been doing since Shakespeare's time.
After the show we came back to the Hotel and being 'cheesy retro types' as our English friend Keith calls us, we had dinner in Albert’s Fish and Chip Restaurant in the basement. We ate the best plate of authentic English Fish and Chips and then collapsed back in the room for the night.
Our hotel bedroom was well decorated had the standard tea and coffee making
facilities that you get in all English hotel rooms. The room was wireless
enabled and there was Cable TV but no Mini Bar.
In the morning we had a great breakfast in the foyer restaurant (England is
changing for the better; they finally learned how to make coffee here) and
then the shortest walk imaginable, about 20 yards to the front door of Windsor
Castle. We spent hours wandering around this amazing place and loved the staff
who gave us lots of stories about the Queen and her family.
The cost of they stay in Windsors Harte and Garter Hotel, was about $160 which was good value for the level of comfort. we could have stayed in a cheaper hotel, but the chance to live a bit of Shakespearian history shouldn't be missed.
