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...

The vibe v important
not too stuffy
not too rowdy

The Kempinsky hotel on the Bosphorus in Istanbul is a real treat.

rosa
the two in venice

the first a bit busy decor wise
the second a bit down at heel looking decor wise

We're off to France this week end for 10 days. Our first stop will be Deauville - never been but only heard fantastic things. Happily give you a review on return!

if you want France I've always thought the posh hotel in Carcasonne looks wonderful - I've never stayed there - (we were staying in a camper van in a car park but that's student budgets for you)but we did do the walk round the walls in early morning as the town woke up and that was fabulous - as was the equivalent at dusk (which may be more in line with your plans)

and for Venice I can recommend the Gritti Palace but v expensive - they endeared themselves to me by working out that it was dh's birthday (from the passports I guess) and sending up a complimentary bottle of champagne as we were getting ready for dinner.

how about this one in Florence I was quite tempted by it?

Why don't you tell us of somewhere you stayed and loved, so that we get the vibe you are thinking of?

Do you really want to spend time travelling if it's a longed-for weekend away together? Or is that part of it, the getting further away?

Otherwise yes, tell us somewhere you like a lot and then we might be able to help.

When are you going?

Message withdrawn

don't mind if is uk at all www

the places we tend to really love are fairly basic but in local style and in stunning locations, very small
but never really found anywhere in a city that fulfills this

OK, if UK then tell us somewhere you loved. What things do you like doing?
Beach? Waves crashing?
Or art galleries?
Or walking?
Or restaurants?
Or wot?

So what about that onion store place? or is it too near Winchester and too twee?

sea steps cottage here is one of our faves

mebee not, looking at the site

we want a city
good food
somewhere beautiful
not too huge
hotel not too poncey, not too ott, not too designery.
Balcony with a view if poss
easy walking distance to nice restaurants/bars
not a resort

no too isolated
iknow it, lovely
but we don't wnat to hole up somewhere for the whole weekend we have been toghether for 18 years! We would like nice art/galleries yes

Conde Nast Traveller comes up with
London
Paris
Lille
Venice
NY
in that order as the first 5 when you select city/gourmet/cultural! I think you should drool a bit over their site.

What abiout somewhere in Paris then? First class Eurostar v nice then good hotel, the musee d'orsay etc etc

london - we live there!
Paris - been a lot
lille - good idea
venice - top of list
ny - go loads and have a lot of friends there so prob not as we would want tos ee them!

last time i tried to go to teh musee d'orsay it was shut as were all the others as they were on strike!

Sounds pretty much like its a city in Italy you want!

have found where we stayed in Milan but it's not posh at all and is v small (and you need to get the right room - outside ones have balconies, inside ones are quieter). antica locanda solferino . Last time we were there was 1999 I think.

OK, well, Venice I think it should be then. Unless you want somewhere like hotel tresanton or Burgh island

Fregate?

this was tripadvisors travellers' choice last year in Venice

Or this one

this one gets good reviews