So where should I take the children away for the weekend that isn't Brighton and isn't a hassle?

[foxinsocks]

I know, I'm very lazy. But dh about to bugger off for a few weeks. I'm madly busy at work. Will be throwing children at the mercy of friends, MIL, anyone who looks like they vaguely know what to do with them and thought it might be quite nice to take them away for a night in a hotel on the weekend.

We're SW London (v near to start of M3) and wherever it is, we'll drive there but I don't want to be driving for hours.

Can anyone think of anywhere

new forest? isle of wight? dorset? pas de calais?

kent? sussex?

ooh haven't been to the New Forest - are there lots of places to stay there?

(think France might be a step too far - and it means going right round the M25 which is bound to be a bugger).

Broadstairs

Whitstable
Somwhere near POrt Lympe / Dungeness / Hever Castle
Avebury Circle etc
Cotswolds - Bourton-on-the Water / Moreton-in-the Marsh
Arundel (castle / little beach place but i forget what it's called)
Dorset - fossils
New Forest....

What sort of thing do you want to do with them and how old are they (I forget - but they are not toddlers and mites, are they?)

Battle. - Abbey, Battle of hastings fiels all wel ecxplained, close to Hastings / bexhill etc.

Poole
Bournemouth
New Forest.

Isle of Wight, every time
It's almost a criminal offence to live near the M3/A3 and NOT go there foxy

BK - are you indulging in a little wishful thinking here?

mm Arundel, had forgotten about Arundel - there's a castle there and that wildfoul place isn't there (although it's not motorwayable).

They are 7 and about to be 6.

Fossils might be good too - they would love that.

I would go to the isle of Wight but not for one night, i think. or can you really do it there and back and have lost of time there?

have never been to the I of Wight . I'll be on my own with them and have visions of me getting sea sick on the ferry and not being able to drive!

off the top of my head...

Chewton Glen
Tylney Hall
New Park Manor

why not go for 2 nights anyway?

Fox, it's the Solent honey. Not the Roaring Forties (you can tell which 25% of Marina's family doesn't get seasick)
Damn, you could go on the train you know.
Blu, from Foxy's earth it's only about an hour in the car though - the equivalent of Whitstable etc for us lot. She could beetle off on a Friday night and do a two-nighter
I would! And stay at either Seaview, or the Priory, or the slightly bonkers Farringford in one of its Family Suites, or at the Fat Cat in Freshwater.

omg those hotels look fabulous

could do 2 nights but we would set off quite late on Friday so it's probably easier just doing Sat night

(thanks for all your suggestions btw!)

Huh, I bet you mean the omniscient and reliable bk's recommendations

i recommend the priory. have been twice. love the iow! and it's thanks to marina's recommendation that we went in the first place!

iow has the same geology as the dinosaur coast of dorset so also v good for fossils!

lol

really foxy it is very calm on the solent!

i lurve it there but don't think h will stand another visit.

My dh has fairly frequent business meetings on IOW, he usually leave his car in the car park this side and goes over as a foot passenger then gets a taxi to hotel.

I would love to believe you but I can't . But then again, I can't even sit in the backseat of a car without throwing up so even a little wave would probably have me running for the loo!

What has your h got against it bossykate?

only the fact that we've already been there twice! has low boredom threshold [hmmm]