Why Swindon is the best base in the West
As a tourist destination, Swindon isn’t usually top of anyone’s list. An historic railway town, it is used to playing second fiddle to its more popular neighbours - the Georgian city of Bath, the dreaming spires of Oxford and the countryside charm of the Cotswolds.
But at Hamilton Grace, with our luxury serviced apartments based in the heart of up and coming Swindon, we see the extensive benefits spending time here brings to those who stay with us and to the many businesses whose executives and contractors we accommodate.
Now, against the backdrop of the pandemic, with more people choosing to staycation in the UK rather than travelling abroad, Swindon becomes an even more ideal location.
Swindon is not only perfectly placed as a base from which to explore the surrounding towns and countryside, it has many attractions of its own. Better still, staying in Swindon doesn’t carry the premium cost of staying in Bath, Oxford et al.
This Wiltshire town has gone through many changes since its early beginnings as a rapidly expanding railway town. Today, and even against the backdrop of Covid and all the economic repercussions this is having, Swindon is seeing recovery, growth and expansion.
Three reasons to spend time in Swindon
1. Swindon, although a town, is large enough to be a city and is in fact bidding for city status. No longer predominantly a railway town, it is now a vibrant hotbed of innovation and technology.
Even now, with Covid affecting all areas of life, it is seeing growth and recovery, thanks in no small part to its location.
Served by two M4 junctions, 15 and 16, Swindon is nestled along the M4 Corridor. It also boasts excellent public transport links and, thanks to electrification of the railway, is less than an hour from London by train.
With an excellent road networking and ring road (including its famous Magic Roundabout), surrounding attractions such as Bath, Oxford and the Cotswolds (including Cirencester, the Cotswolds’ historic capital) are within easy reach.
Should you wish to travel further afield, you can be in Wales in a relatively short time, and with the removal of the tolls on the Second Severn Crossing, a daytrip to Cardiff becomes even more inviting.
2. There’s actually no need to leave Swindon if you are staying here with Hamilton Grace, because there’s plenty to do.
Swindon is a hive of activity. It has a theatre, arts centre, art gallery, ice rink, many gyms, superb leisure facilities, and dozens of restaurants in the town centre and the historic Old Town quarter. Whatever your favourite cuisine – Indian or Italian, Greek or Spanish – you can find a restaurant to suit your taste.
For shopping, the Designer Outlet offers a wide variety of designer and high street labels, restaurants and a popular food hall.
3. If you’re in Swindon for business, you might want to forge some links with local business people. Swindon is a beacon for enterprise and commerce, and has industries ranging from tech, to retail, to finance.
There are several dynamic business networking groups. Some have moved online, as a result of Coronavirus, but many are staging to face-to-face events, and they will offer a warm welcome to visiting business people. They include, but are not limited to, BNI, 4N and Sterling.
Swindon is a dynamic mix of microbusinesses, SMEs and some very large enterprises, such as Nationwide and the National Trust. This all adds to the richness and diversity of the town, giving you the chance to meet some great entrepreneurial talent.
Food, culture, commerce, leisure: Swindon boasts it all, making it the ideal setting for a weekend getaway in serviced apartments, a mid-week break, or – if you are here on business – a base for both work and leisure.
Why not talk to the Hamilton Grace team about our superb serviced apartments in Swindon, or check availability here.
