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Holidays

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

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?

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Bellie · 15/01/2006 18:10

Lucknam Park near Bath would get my vote - fab hotel in lovely grounds, great food and a great Spa.
Also great shopping in Bath!

desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 18:22

ladymuck - nice choice...looks divine.

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PrincessPeaHead · 15/01/2006 18:45

i'm lucky enough to live within an hour of whatley manor, calcot manor, babington and lucknam park so have eaten at all, stayed at 2 and had a good nosy at the rest.

babington nice but I don't think as nice as the hype. a bit self consciously notting hill which is fine but do you really need that in somerset? not sure. also the most difficult to get to, miles away from any sort of motorway.

whatley manor fab. recently done, quite opulent but modern, incredible food (one mich star and another on the way I should think), great facilities (spa to die for) etc. No hesitations in recommending. And 15/20 minutes off the M4.

Cowley lovely - more traditional than whatley, but done at about the same time so all nice and shiny, fantastic spa, excellent food. Whatley has the edge on food and slightly hipper atmosphere I think.

Lucknam very nice, food second only to Whatley, the most traditional of the lot, also the least recently refurbed so a little bit tired. Has a spa but not cutting edge like the others. Being very picky here though!

So I'd go Whatley 1st, Cowley close second, Babington 3rd unless you want to do the whole notting hill plasma screen thang, and Lucknam 4th....

desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 18:55

pph - thanks for this...v.helpful crit! have ruled out babington -

My short list is:

Whatley Manor
Cowley Manor
Crazy Bear
Cotswold House Hotel

Sadly, am now thinking hotel tresanton too far.

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PrincessPeaHead · 15/01/2006 19:04

can't help with the last two I'm afraid.

what about the new olga polizzi hotel in devon (ie sister hotel to the trestanton)? nr tavistock. the Endsleigh. sounds fantastic, has just opened so they may be doing deals (she says hopefully). the most glorious setting in the world - my dh shoots there sometimes (the next door estate) and always comes back in raptures. article on it here

desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 19:05

pph - too far - but yes it looks creamy

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PrincessPeaHead · 15/01/2006 19:07

oh dear.

four seasons in hampshire? bit full of london bankers and americans and probably 2ce as much as it should be, but meant to be very nice.

sorry that wasn't much of a suggestion, was it?!

Klauz33 · 15/01/2006 19:14

PPH - just booked Calcot Manor for two nights - so tell me its great!!

PrincessPeaHead · 15/01/2006 19:16

it is great!
very jealous.

book your spa treatments well in advance of turning up though, they book up quickly and it would be v depressing not to be able to avail of them!

tortoiseshell · 15/01/2006 19:18

The Broadway Hotel in um, Broadway,(Glos) is gorgeous.

desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 19:19

oooh calcot looks lovely too.

god, this is hard. What a condumdrum though. Never thought i'd be in this position...can't deicde which gorgeous, luxury hotel to book!!

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Klauz33 · 15/01/2006 19:24

We just booked last week but Calcot Manor was choc bloc at the weekends.

Will book my spa treatments and kids club this week.

chestnutter · 15/01/2006 22:16

Seaham Hall on the coast near Durham - I PROMISE the journey is worth it - the Spa is to die for and the rooms are everything you could wish for.

Because it's 'up north' it's cheaper than similar hotels in the south which I think is worth it if you're going for a few days.

desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 22:50

have booked cowley manor....am very VERY EXCITED!

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spacecadet · 15/01/2006 22:52

wow! am v , have a lovely time, you deserve it.

desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 22:54

spacey - shall i leave dh here and take you instead? You deserve it more!

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spacecadet · 15/01/2006 22:55

now theres an idea

desperatehousewife · 15/01/2006 22:55

what are you still doing up? Get to bed woman!

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spacecadet · 15/01/2006 23:04

i was just saying on another thread that it was time i went to bed

WestCountryLass · 15/01/2006 23:13

I would go here:

www.burghisland.com/index.htm

desperatehousewife · 16/01/2006 09:23

yes, always wanted to go, but it's black tie in the evenings - i need something a bit relaxed at the mo. But it is stunning there

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fairyjay · 16/01/2006 09:26

What about Chewton Glen?

desperatehousewife · 16/01/2006 09:27

I've booked my luxury 4 day break now thanks

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tissy · 16/01/2006 09:28

The Three Chimneys on Skye is my all-time favourite. FABULOUS food and the rooms are VERY luxurious

meggmoo · 16/01/2006 09:31

Don't recommend the Chewton Glen, dh and I stayed there it was awful. V.v.v expensive and the staff were crap, food was ok, atmosphere zilch.

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