Family Hotel in the North

[yamamoto]

Need a w/end away! Anybody been to a good family hotel in the North, Fowey Hall looks great but its 8 grizzly hours away... Would like a beech, 5* food for us, just the perfect place really!

[Northerner]

When you say North, how far north do you mean?

[roisin]

Que? Isn't Fowey Hall in Cornwall? I'm confused.

[yamamoto]

M6 Junction 40, which is 5 horrible are we nearly there yet hours from London and 8 even worse hours from the looks lovely and just what were after Fowey Hall...

[Northerner]

What?!!

[yamamoto]

Looking for a spot within 3 hours of Penrith, Cumbria.

[Janh]

Men!

When you say beach (assume you don't really want a tree) you do realise that NW beaches are not beaches as we know them, Jim? You really wouldn't want to paddle there.

If you want really classy food there are a couple of excellent hotels in the Lakes whose names escape me for the mo - bear with me.

[Janh]

Have a look at this page .

Fifth down is near Grange over Sands which is a lovely place for kids, has a beautiful park and a playground overlooking the "sands".

[Flip]

I went to Pontins at Blackpool for the bank holiday weekend with ds1. The room was basic but the food was gorgeous. I paid £48 each for me and ds1 for three nights and that included breakfast and evening meal. It was an excellent base and lots to do on site.

I wasn't very sure about Pontins at first but I think I'd go back again just for a break with ds1. I can just let him go which is nice.

[dogwalker]

Blackpool! How about North Wales but I don't mean Prestatyn or Rhyl. A little bit further along there are some nice beaches on the Llyn Peninsula.

[roisin]

Hey, Janh, we have some really lovely beaches here ... No nice hotels though

[dogwalker]

where are you Roisin?

[roisin]

Sorry dogwalker - Janh knows where I am - Barrow-in-Furness. (not a pretty place, but near lots of pretty bits!)

[Janh]

Oh, I know there are, roisin, sorry, it's just that they would be soooo much nicer if Sellafield weren't there! I just feel, sadly, that NW beaches can be broadly classified as

a) muddy
b) sewagey or
c) radioactive

which is a shame.

[yamamoto]

Beech trees are cool.
Live in the middle of the Lakes (which are great BUT our kids want sea and sand which does not glow!) Went to Northumberland last year but payed loads for very moderate accomodation. N Wales would be fine if we could find a nice place.. I think the family who run the Luxury Family Hotels group live in the Lakes but dont do business in the North.

[Janh]

Oh - it's no longer the fifth down - there were only 6 when I posted the link, now there are dozens! (Will try to see which one it was!)

[Janh]

blimey, yamamoto, you couldn't be more cryptic if you tried - I thought you lived down south and were looking to come up here!

Shall we start again? You want a lovely hotel near a beach within 3 hours of Penrith which is near where you live now??? Correct?

[Janh]

Had you thought about going east? Scarborough, Whitby, Robin Hoods Bay? Or north-east - Northumbria? (Or is that what you meant in the first place?)

[roisin]

What about Glasgow? Yes, I know it doesn't have a beach, but there are some really nice hotels there, and loads to do. Or York?

Anyway our sand doesn't glow ... there are notices at the beaches displaying the radioactivity levels for the measurements the previous month to prove it! It has put me off swimming here though.

I'm off out - I'm sure someone will recommend something for you. I too hate paying extra for hotels, and then not getting the quality you expect. How old are your children btw yamamoto?

[dogwalker]

Or how about the Dumfries area. Lovely beaches there but I don't know about hotels as we have a touring caravan. sorry you lot who don't like caravans.

[yamamoto]

Janh - the same Janh who doesnt like volvo cars..? ha ha!
Last time I went to Glasgow had car windowscreen broken by house brick thrown from M-way bridge, Police said it was normal on that section of road...WHAT! (saved by super tough windowscreen Janh )
My childhood holidays were on the beeches of N Devon and Cornwall and I was looking for something similar for my kids in the North. Loved Northumberland but would like to try somewhere else.. Just looking (refers to 1st message) for something LIKE Fowey Hall.

[Janh]

I never said I didn't like Volvos! In fact I love Volvos. (Just they're not the right size for everyone.)

roisin, hope I haven't upset you now!

Southport might do?

Tree Tops Country House Hotel, Formby
(There is a National Trust reserve with red squirrels at Formby)
Prince of Wales Hotel, Southport
Carleton House Hotel, Southport (positively not 5* food but lots of activities nearby)

We have had holidays in Dumfries and they were nice but where we went - Mull of Galloway - was more than 3 hours past Penrith. Solway Firth is nearer but I think you're back to mud there?

[tamum]

It's not close enough probably but The Three Chimneys in Skye would fit the 5* food and family-friendly criteria. They don't make a big song and dance about child-friendliness, but if you look at the Tariff page there's plenty of concessions to children.

[juniper68]

The Royal hotel Scarborough is lovely and child friendly ( good food) don't think it's 5* though?

[juniper68]

have a look at this

that;s it, it's 3 star but our kids keep asking to go back and we were only there a couple of months ago

[Janh]

That May madness special offer looks good, juniper!