A girls weekend away suggestions please - not a hen party!

[Gem13]

3 of us - mid 30s - looking for a nice weekend away to cheer up a friend who won't be holidaying this year (and wants her 2.5 DS to go cold turkey from feeding through the night). One of us is pregnant

We basically want to hang out, chat, read, eat good food and wake up when we want to. We all have young children so it would be an escape.

Any suggestions? I fancied a spa for luxury and nice food but fear that will be too expensive. A country house hotel style place would be good, although again not too pricey. 2 of us are south east, 1 is south west so south middle would be ideal!

My best friends and I did York last summer which was ok - avoid going on a race day and its a bit hen partyish. Recently did Chester which was fantastic, great place to go.

We usually stay in a marriott or novotel type place and save the money for spa/restaurant etc. We usually go for a town because then we can potter about a bit and alleviate mummy guilt by buying the kids presents (then forget about them totally)

how about Oxford? or if you want villagey Henley? Or Winchester/Salisbury would be quite good if you want south.

i've got a friends that does an annual 'do' like this with a gang of her mates. they usually rent a barn conversion in the cotswolds or herefordshire

I had a fabulous girls weekend in Bruges once. Went there by train.

centre parks we had a great time .

I've had great girlie weekends away \link{http://www.stmoritzvillas.co.uk\here in Cornwall}. They're very close to Polzeath, there's a pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. A couple of pubs within walking distance for food. The 4 bed villas with upstairs lounges have lovely views.

Centre Parcs? Longleat?

Bath? (Lots of hotels to choose from for different budgets, shopping, chilling, etc).

Given where you all live I would go to London. I regualrly do that with my friends - we stay in an apartment. Check out londonapartments.co.uk or similar. Then you can cater for yourselves or eat out, and there is so much to do in London. Also there will be dvd/video and CD player so you can take things along to entetrtain you

Ooh I've been on a great girls weekend...if you're after a get away in a nice house..escape etc. try looking on this website...

\link{www.sawdays.co.uk}

These are 'special places to stay'...

I can personally recommend Cambo House in St Andrews..you get the whole wing of a manor house with fabulopuse views, grounds, rooms etc. and to top it all off the Laird is a photographer and can take some no obligation photos as a momento!

PS..Not exepnsive either if there are a few of you...worked out about £90 for 3 nights...

PS..Not exepnsive either if there are a few of you...worked out about £90 for 3 nights...

Thank you all for your replies.

Bruges is possibly too far for friend who is making DS go cold turkey (just in case he is distraught - friend would never forgive us!). Centreparcs and Bath are a bit 'coals to Newcastle' as we all used to live there, ditto London.

The sawdays website looks fab, I've already found some 'restaurants with rooms' which appeal massively! Will look around Winchester as that is half way for everyone.

Cheers again.

What about a hotel called Brands Hatch place its not too far from Bluewater , is one of the handpicked hotels and if people want to pay more can upgrade to an executive room which has a plasma in it and is more spacious. Its a smaller hotel compared to some. Me and my hubbie go there without the kids to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We actually get brilliant rates on last minute .com for this hotel (and I am a travel agent yet can't get it as cheap as them)
It has a health club sort of attached to the hotel so you can book treatments etc (receommended to pre book) yet a lot cheaper as it isn't a specific spa hotel. I have had pedicures etc there and they are good.

Another one two lots of friends recently come back from is the Coppid Beach hotel. One lot of girls went on a hen do on a Fri night and got it half price they loved it. This one is in Bracknell though so not sure if teh same area you are looking at. They booked it direct with teh hotel. think its www.coppidbeach.co.uk

Or another I go to is The Holiday Inn in Milton keynes. There is loads to do in MK. You could go indoor skiing for a laugh (not the pregnant one) there is a wind tunnell, good nightlife, great shops- try www.holidayinn.co.uk

Good Luck

I wouild go for a spa - Champneys often has good deals also look at the Tesco Clubcard deals as they do some spa breaks and it works out really cheap. We did one last year with a pregnant friend it was wonderful - Champneys also has triple rooms so you can have a Pyjama party!!

Gem in winchester there is the Hotel du Vin which is lovely

Or near there is Lainston House \link{http://www.exclusivehotels.co.uk/home.asp?hotel=lainstonhouse&Lang=EN\here} in lovely countryside with a good restaurant

Or how about the New Forest

You could try Rhinefield House that is quite reasonable i think (not stayed there)

Also look at laterooms.com you get much cheaper deals on there

When are you going?

We're open dateswise I think. Friend who needs cheering up wants 'a date to look forward to'. I have in mind September but I'm not sure about the other two's thoughts.

I'm not too sure we're up for a wind tunnel or nightlife - food and sleep are our main requirements!

Good point about laterooms.

Check out the latest M&S Magazine - there seem to be quite a few hotel group offers in there for the summer. usually a set price for DB&B but usually for two people but might be able to book for more?? Need to find nice country hotel with spa etc or what about health club?

Good luck and have fun.

If you want to go abroad I know a great place in Chamonix France. Amazing food, great wine, gorgeous chalet, hot tub, big fluffy quilts, beautiful views and the shopping. I have gone away there for a weekend with my SIL and we sat in the hot tub, looking at the mountains with a glass of wine in our hand whilst our hosts cooked us a BBQ french style.

Visit www.antjamski.co.uk

Chalet le Sache

Careys manor in Brockenhurst (new forest) is country hotel with great new spa (even cod agrees!) Lovely food, nice walks. Can really recommend it, and have been recently. We went in Feb on a really good weekend offer, might be worth seeing if they have one on.

You can hire bikes just a 5 min walk away, (its all flat round there) excellent pub 2 mins walk up the road, and the hotel can organise horse-riding. This is for if you suddenly feel energetic!

Lymington is a good place to wander round, see all the boats in the marina, nice shops.

Brockenhurst is not far from Winchester, journey wise. (I know Winchester was your ideal)

Bathn gets my vote.

Bath...is what I meant.....

I've just returned from a girls' weekend in the cotswolds. We stayed at Rofield Barn (see rofieldbarn.com) - it was beautiful and close to the M5.

There were six of us and the total cost was £495.

The barn really was outstanding and the attention to detail was great (fresh flowers, fresh bread/milk/butter/juice and cake on arrival).

Had a day in Cheltenham and a drive over to Bourton on the water. Thoroughly recommended for chilling out!!