Recommendations for a 'girls' weekend away

[DebbieFiderer]

I had an idea yesterday that I'd like to go away for a weekend with some female friends - we are part of a larger friendship group who often go away together (mixture of couples and singles, plus my kids) but I quite fancy a weekend away just the women. We aren't really spa people, I think we would want a mixture of sitting around reading/drinking wine, maybe a bit of gentle walking, or a potter around a nice village with some interesting shops. There are four of us and we would be happy to share two twin rooms, probably looking at somewhere in the south of England (we are spread around from Dorset to Birmingham to Kent). I'd prefer not to have to cook so either a hotel, or self catering with some nice restaurants nearby. Budget probably around £100 each, maybe a bit more.

Has anyone got any recommendations, or even just a general idea of what to be searching for? I really don't have a clue where to start.

Argh sorry I meant to put this in Chat, I really need to pay more attention to where I am posting!

Cheltenham, Bath, arundel, Winchester, Oxford!

I wouldn't be booking anything at the moment tbh.

Should have said, not looking to go anytime soon, just want to have a look and a browse and get some ideas.

What about booking an air bnb house. You have the house to yourselves, take your own food drink to cook or go visit the pubs and restaurants of your chosen area.

We recently (well, before lockdown) stayed here and was fantastic. It is self catering but not far from pretty picturesque villages with places to eat out.
cotswoldwaterparkretreats.co.uk/lodge/waters-edge/ we were 6 and at £180- 210 per night divided by 6 it literally is superb value for money.

Quantocks?
Bath?
Oxford?
Canal boat?

Is this the best time for it? Please don't come up North.

Bath
Cotswolds
New Forest

Forest Holidays has a Black Forest location that is wonderful, get a lodge with a hot tub and you can go to Basingstoke on an evening for your meal or get take away delivered. It's lovely.

Oh that looks lovely stanski!

We rented a cottage near Stratford when we did this. I think we only went to the pub once the whole weekend, and had one afternoon in Stratford itself.

We each took food for a meal over the weekend, and plenty of booze, and mainly sat around in our pyjamas gossiping, with the occasional walk thrown in.

Somewhere like Bath, or Oxford maybe?

I see someone mentioned Cheltenham - my mother had a girls’ weekend there years ago and loved it.

Have you thought about Ludlow? It’s very ‘foodie’ if you like that sort of thing, nice little shops to look around, pubs and wine bars aplenty, lovely scenery... Granted, it’s not in the South, but it’s very accessible.

Stratford, Bath, Oxford, Cheltenham all good ideas, at least I have a starting point for my googling now!

Sally’s cottages have lovely places in uk..

£100 each budget? That will be tight

Staying in Ely with a day trip to Cambridge perhaps?

£100 each budget? That will be tight

Really? In Covid times, when hotels are desperate for business?

@StillCoughingandLaughing

£100 each budget? That will be tight

Really? In Covid times, when hotels are desperate for business?

Yes

You’ll easily get somewhere self catering for 2 nights for £100 each, for four of you that would be £400 for 2 nights, easy to do.

Forest Holidays lodges are good, ideal for a girl's weekend away. I'm not sure if they do just 2 night breaks, it might only be a min of 3.

Really not that tight at all, @Afibtomyboy. Two of the first three results for a weekend in Bath.

The op says she doesn’t want to cook so either food included in hotel or nice restaurants near by

If including food in the £100 each.... no chance if looking for genuinely decent places.

If her budget not inc food, yes possible. Wouldn’t be a budget I’d be comfortable with (if I’m going away with friends, we will splurge as a once A year treat only) but I’m sure possible without food included.