Mumcation - where to go

[Happymchappyface]

I’ve asked for a Mumcation for my birthday in March. I’m now looking for a place to go. Any suggestions welcome including hotel recs.

Requirements

City easy accessible by train from London
cathedral city so I can go to Sunday service on my birthday
lots to see and do / places to walk
ideally a pool or gym in the hotel.
UK only.

Thank you

City break for sure. I’m a Londoner and not keen on country house hotels.

budget is flexible. Not crazy but not budget either.

does anyone know any nice hotels in Winchester?

Winchester is lovely.

My ds competes there at the leisure centre twice a year and I love walking around the river walk, into the city, the cathedral and walk past Winchester college.

We are only 30/40 mins drive away but it feels like a nice break getting to wander around it

www.chesilrectory.co.uk

Restaurant recommendation

The Wykeham (pronounced wickum) Arms in Winchester is a really great (posh) pub with rooms.

I live too close to have ever stayed in a hotel in Winchester but I do love just mooching about there, there are lots of lovely shops and cafes as well as the river walk, cathedral, St Giles Hill, St Catherine's Hill, also the Hospital of St Cross.

Chester, in case winchester doesn’t work. I went once with friends abd had a nice time. Winchester is easier from London though. Ely is nice too

Thank you @MrsRigmarole I can’t stay in a pub though …

Hotel du Vin, or the old vine are lovely. I second the chesil rectory for dinner!

Did anyone else misread the title as Mummification? 🤣🫣

Nope.

Salisbury. Beautiful city, everywhere's walkable, lovely little independent shops to poke around, cafes that do fantastic brunches, good restaurants. Milford Hall hotel has a good quality spa - if its a little out of budget there's also several lovely small hotels and B&Bs, and a fantastic Thai masseuse on Castle Street, Mimosa.

Agree with all the PPs who suggest Winchester!

Great cathedral (Jane Austen's buried there). Arthurian history. The New Cross Hospital, Almshouse of Noble Poverty (beautiful gardens, church architecture, etc.), THE FREE DOLE (but you must ASK for it), lovely walk to it through the water meadows: hospitalofstcross.co.uk/visiting-st-cross/

Best Japanese restaurant I've eaten in: www.kyotokitchen.co.uk/home-1

Plus surely everyone likes a Miz-Maze... www.worldwidewriter.co.uk/st-catherines-hill-winchester.html

I read 'Mummification' 😂

It genuinely wasn’t meant as sourcasm OP. The only bit that was clear about the word is that it applies to a woman.

Then again, I also get annoyed when people call a trip away within the country they live in a staycation 😁

DURHAM!!!!!!!
City is very picturesque with cathedral and castle and is an easy 3hr train journey from London
Hotel wise - the Indigo in the centre is beautiful or the premier Inn north of the city is cheaper and a convenient bus ride away.

I'm totally jealous and will be following to get ideas for later on this year when I am doing the exact same thing!

Make sure it has a spa and loads of nice coffee shops and Cafes nearby

Oxford; you could stay in a hotel like Malmaison or in one of the colleges https://www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/city/oxford/home/ depending on your preference. Lots and lots of choices for Mass including Christ Church cathedral. City walks, walks along the Isis (Thames) and around the Meadows, walks in the Parks and along the Cherwell, and if you want to walk more you can go out to Port Meadow or even up to Blenheim
Palace.

Durham?
Beautiful cathedral, river, shops, pretty city generally, all levels of hotels. East Coast mainline for trains

Durham could be an idea … not need since I visited the uni over 20 years ago!

oxford is a no - I’ve been so many times for work.

Im going to have a proper look at Wincester

Norwich?

Edinburgh! I'm doing a mumcation there shortly...

Edinburgh?

The train journey from London is fabulous. Book yourself a first-class seat and sit on the right-hand side so you get the coastal views.

Plenty of hotels and loads to do.

Noticed a couple of Salisbury suggestions. Winchester is much nicer for shops and for mooching. I’ve heard the Winchester Spa hotel is good, never been but heard good things. I love the Hotel du Vin in Winchester but sadly no spa.

Did someone upthread suggest Chichester? I'd still put Winchester at number 1, but Chichester's great too. Cathedral is super, with some brilliant modern art. Pallant Gallery excellent. Roman museum too. Small, walkable, historic centre and great shopping. As a single woman I've had plenty of nice lunches at the Brasserie Blanc - civilised and welcoming. The Ivy is nice too, but I haven't eaten there alone.

Peterborough’s a cathedral city. Easy to get to from London.