Recommendations for perfect weekend break, euro city or uk, romantic small hotel, good food essential...

[CountessDracula]

dh and I want to go somewhere really lovely for a weekend for our wedding anniversary this year (end sept). We have rather neglected our anniversary for a few years since dd has been around, we have had a bit of a tough time recently which we have come through and have really sorted out and we are madly in lurve . We would really love to go somewhere relaxing and beautiful and stay somewhere small and intimate and fab. Nothing too designery really, maybe with nice antiques and big snuggly bed and a balcony with a view...

All suggestions welcomed...

in I guess though would rather go to Florence or Venice or Budapest

I am being fussy yes!

Hi, I am Outragedfromtunbridgewells and have just returned from Hotel hermitage this weekend.

It was really lovely.

The lounge, breakfast room and roof terrcae with view over ponte vecchio were gorgeous. Lounge was refined with antiques etc. We had breakfast on the roof terrace and drinks in the evening. Yhe rooms were nice, but not exciting. We had one on the back which had a lovely bathroom with a jacuzzi, our friends had one on the front which had the view of the bridge but was smaller, only had a shower and did get noise from the traffic.

I LOVE Florence we had a FABULOUS time.

I think a balcony in the centre of a city is a tall order.

Next though (we like to plan) we are going to Bologna. We've been told it's got a great atmosdphere, less tourists and the best food in Italy.

Not been in 5 years, but the Four Seasons Milan is in an old Monastery right in the middle of the city, and fab.

is Milan all that though?

felicity thanks for that
I would like a lvoley room with balcony if poss

we loved Milan, food was absolutely fabulous (but then again, we were there for a football match so had most of our time mapped out ). Lots of things to see.

Defo not as good as Rome or Florence, but worth going to. There's great food, and divine shopping. The Hotel is near the shopping district, Duomo etc. And let's face it, you're not gonna have tons of time to sightsee.

Milan is the one place I don't like much in Italy.

We went to venice on our honeymoon. Had a crappy hotel but the city is romantically to die for.

We had great food in Florence this weekend, but we nearly always have great food in Italy.

Try Bologna!!! and tell me all about it

Or why not fly into Nice, rent a luxury convertible (great for driving along the coastline) and spend the weekend exploring the Riviera? Fab hotels in Cannes, Antibes, Monaco etc with good food, interesting architecture, beautiful mountain villages, etc.

How long are you going for?

If more than 2 nights, then stay just outside Florence in one of the gorgeous old hotels with grounds and BALCONIES, very romantic, and pop into the city a couple of times for lunch, a stroll and a bit of sigseeing.

Florence is surroundede by countyside you wouldn't have to stay far out to get a romantic country feel.

Jura that hotel in Paris looks great. i love Paris too.

OOOOh paris/italy/italy/paris, it's SO hard.

I think Italy just wins though. Only just.

ooh yes, south of France.

Cassis is lovely - there's a great hotel that overlooks the beach (and has balconies).

\link{http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187147-d19430 4-Reviews-HotelduJeudePaume-ParisIlede_France.html\tri p advisor doesn't rate that Jeu de Paume one!)

We are going to S of France in 2 weeks!

sorry

Milan is crap CD. Very industrial. Go to Tuscany or Naples. Italy shuts down for themonth of August when most every Italian goes on Holiday. Or, what about the Itallian riviera. Yummy seafood.

Or, if you want a bit off the beaten track, Trieste is supposed to be nice. I've never been, though, so can't speak from experience. It is near venice, so you could manage both.

have you done Lake Como?

Seconded Ele - Milan is crap - Florence is lovely, and slightly less touristy than Venice (Venice lovely off season). Hotel Arts at Barcelona is modern but lovely and good views over the harbour. Tehre is a lovely old hotel in Seville.

Deauville is nice and we stayed in a lovely four/five star old hotel there - would have to look it up but I think its the only one

yep milan shite

Hotel Bristol in Warsaw is lovely but not that much to do for romantic weekend.

Further afield from an Airport in Italy Lucca is lovely

St Petersburg - fantastic compact city, culture overload, stay at the the Nevsky Palace or the Astoria. Food is getting better!

Ignoring many of the suggestions, I really think Florence is the most wonderful place and as I got engaged there, pretty romantic also. I've always fancied staying here Villa San Michele but it is in Fiesole, and so a bus or taxi ride away from the city. I love Venice also, but would recommend going in winter.