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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

What's the best UK hotel in your experience?

56 replies

desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 13:55

Can't find winter sun holiday with kids club within our budget, so sod the caribbean - we are dumping DS with his grandparents and going to have 4/5 nights on our own in a luxury country house hotel somewhere in the UK.

Am thinking Babington House/Cowley Manor style. Any suggestions?

OP posts:
notasheep · 15/01/2006 14:14

You MUST surely go to Manoir Quat Saisons!

notasheep · 15/01/2006 14:15

We are saving up to go!

puff · 15/01/2006 14:19

agree about Le manoir - have eaten there but not stayed but the rooms look heavenly, esp the one with 2 baths side by side in the bathroom

tiredemma · 15/01/2006 14:19

The Lygon Arms in Broadway is to die for. Has a spa there aswell.

www.thelygonarms.co.uk

also burford house in burford, cotswolds.

Original poster
desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 14:21

looks absolutely gorgeous - but too 'country hotel' for me - want the modernity of babington or cowley. also don't want serious food - want to be able to relax and be a bit less formal.

OP posts:
spacecadet · 15/01/2006 14:27

stonehouse court hotel is lovely, stonehouse, cotswolds, had my honeymoon there.
stonehouse court

WideWebWitch · 15/01/2006 14:33

Ooh, one of my favourite subjects! I like the look of these but it depends on your budget and location I guess.

Hotel Tresanton in Cornwall
Driftwood, also in cornwall
St Endoc, Cornwall
Drakes in Brighton
Hotel du vin although I've only stayed in the Bristol one but it was very good, I'd recommend it
Malmaison, my sister stayed in the Clerkenwell one last month and said it was very grown up and sexy
The Grove looks fab as does
One Aldwych
and my sister also stayed here at Threadneedles recently and said it was great
Why not Babington?
You should also look at my favourite hotel drooling websites, Mr & Mrs Smith and Driftwood, also in cornwall 0

WideWebWitch · 15/01/2006 14:34

How weird, I typed 'conde nast traveller' as the description in that last link (which it should be!) and it absolutely wouldn't preview or post like that, v strange! So it is a diff link to the Driftwood one.

WideWebWitch · 15/01/2006 14:35

Weird, the address is driftwood too. It wasn't even the last one I copied and pasted. OK, try again Conde Nast traveller

puff · 15/01/2006 14:36

Tresanton is lovely - have stayed there, love St Mawes, well Cornwall full stop really

Original poster
desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 15:04

knew i could count on you lot.

Spacey - looks lovely....

WWW - Tresanton - I am toying with the idea of going there seriously...only worry is that if its pants weather will we be a bit stuck - or is eden project and tate modern worth visiting? mind you, probably will be spending a lot of time in our room .

Babington - this is my dream location, but it's so ridiculously expensive (can it possibly be worth it?) £295 room only - doesn't even include breakfast - i think that's really off!

I live in brighton so drakes is out! but does look lovely.

driftwood i ruled out, but can't remember why.

One aldwych spent wedding night there - fabulous.

have been drooling over mrandmrssmith for the last 2 hours!!

Thanks chaps, will look into all suggestions
x

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 15/01/2006 15:07

Oh just imagine the wind and the sea outside and being cosied up in your huge bed with your dh... And walks along the beach to blow the cobwebs away and fish and chips and seagulls and room service...

Original poster
desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 15:09

www - you've got me now! have you stayed there?

You have haven't you puff? no spa though is there - like the idea of being able to go for a swim etc....

oh god i can't wait for this!

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 15/01/2006 15:12

No, I haven't, I've just drooled over the site. You could always start a thread asking if anyone else has (puff said it was nice though) plus you could google search on reviews. What about one of these, my sister has stayed in one of them and said it was fab, Niche Retreats, boutique holiday lets in Cornwall, they look v nice and will unpack your Tesco.com delivery if you arrange for it to arrive before you do. I'm thinking Lobster, Champagne, salmon...

Original poster
desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 15:15

you are a genius www! They look fab, but I think better suited to going away with friends. I want out and out indulgence - being cooked for, not lifting a single, little f-ing finger!

OP posts:
puff · 15/01/2006 15:16

I think it must have been newly refurbished when I went.

I love Cornwall out of season - mind you have been in early Feb, with sunshine and v mild temps.

Haven't been to Eden, but good idea. Lost Gardens of Heligan are fab - oh there's loads to do down there in between lolling and ahem !

Original poster
desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 15:19

how long ago did you go puff?

OP posts:
puff · 15/01/2006 15:21

pre kids, so 5 years or so

Original poster
desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 15:23

i read some reviews that said it was a little faded and in need of decoration these days...but do i care? it's a lot of money though....aaargh, i don't know what to do or where to go!

OP posts:
puff · 15/01/2006 15:25

are you wedded to staying in the UK? Paris via Eurostar is so easy, or Barcelona is fab

trice · 15/01/2006 15:30

Inverlochy castle was nice. Very romantic as it is remote and lovely scenery

MaryBS · 15/01/2006 17:54

How about a Spa hotel, something like Ragdale Hall? I've been to Ragdale for pampering days and its FANTASTIC!

www.ragdalehall.co.uk/

Or there's Champneys

CountessDracula · 15/01/2006 18:01

Isn't chewton glen always claiming to be the best hotel in the UK?

CountessDracula · 15/01/2006 18:01

Hotel du vin in Winchester v nice

ladymuck · 15/01/2006 18:04

Whatley Manor - it's wonderful, and I got the recommendation from MN. No under 12s allowed. Superb food and a very nice spa And is in the country.