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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

Harrogate Hotels !

28 replies

Cocobabe · 15/04/2008 11:37

Can anyone recommend a luxury hotel in harrogate area for me/mum/and dd (4yr) - we want to shop/pamper/and something to do for my dd

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 15/04/2008 11:37

Hotel du Vin is nice

marthamuffin · 15/04/2008 11:39

Second Hotel du Vin. Go to Harlow Carr RHS gardens for dd - beautiful, she can run around - plus there is also a Betty's Tearoom there, bliss...

Loshad · 15/04/2008 11:40

second hotel du vin, staff are lovely, food great. Not stayed there but dsis has with her dc's and enjoyed it lots.

Novacane · 15/04/2008 11:55

The Balmoral is a lovely boutique hotel, very opulent and luxurious. We recently stayed there for a week when our heating broke down. (long story)
I live a couple of doors down from hotel du vin, and although very nice, not very good value for money, and at the moment there is building going on out the back, with unsighlty portakabins and piles of sand!

CountessDracula · 15/04/2008 12:19

I've stayed in the Balmoral

It is quite nice but rather florally (unless they have done it up recently) - lots of yellow which is not my cup of tea. Very comfy though

Original poster
Cocobabe · 15/04/2008 13:50

Both hotels looks nice from the website but do their restaurants allow kids in evenings?

OP posts:
Novacane · 15/04/2008 14:12

It was just done up last march, its all opulent and boutiquey now, lots of maroons and silvers.

My DS ate in the restaurant on an evening at the balmoral, it was scrummy yum yum.

Let me know if you want more ideas of what do to while your here, i will be happy to help!

Original poster
Cocobabe · 15/04/2008 15:59

Do the Balmoral do any beauty treatments ?!
Any suggestions where we cld go that my dd 4yr old would enjoy ?

OP posts:
Sunshinemummy · 15/04/2008 16:14

I would agree with Hotel du Vin - it's lovely and I don't think there are any issues re. children.

Fullmoonfiend · 15/04/2008 16:14

go for a stroll in the valley gardens (central) with lovely play park and very pretty, ducks to feed etc, crazy golf. There is a cafe there too or is with 5 mins of lots of other lovely cafes/shops etc

Harlow Carr Gardens as someone else mentioned nice for all of you (and Bettys Cafe).

Notyummy · 15/04/2008 16:27

I used to live in Harrogate. Have stayed in Hotel du Vin (dh proposed in one of the suites there!) and eaten there many times. Food is excellent. Ring them and ask about kids. I believe the chain in general is accommodating to kids, as we were in the Hotel du Vin Cheltenham in January, and there were a number of kids staying, including a tiny baby at dinner asleep in a car seat (2 months old max!).

Nowhere else in Harrogate touches it for laid back luxury IMHO. Popped into the Balmoral since the refurb, and it is nice, but the staff are not as good as the Hotel du Vin. Just walk out of the hotel and straight down the high street, and on the left are a number of salons that do treatments. The hotle will also be able to recommend some in advance.

Notyummy · 15/04/2008 16:28

Take novacanes point about the building work at Hotel du Vin. Worth asking about noise, but neither of the hotels have a great view from the back anyway, so it won't make much difference in that respect.

Original poster
Cocobabe · 15/04/2008 16:41

i assume both hotels are central in town -easy to walk to the shops ?

OP posts:
yorkshirepudding · 15/04/2008 16:47

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yorkshirepudding · 15/04/2008 16:50

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yorkshirepudding · 15/04/2008 16:51

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Fullmoonfiend · 15/04/2008 16:59

I am always a little of the idea of people coming for a holiday...

LyraSilvertongue · 15/04/2008 17:03

DP and I stayed at the Old Swan.
It was beautiful and very central.

Notyummy · 15/04/2008 17:06

HdV seems to have good sound proofing. Dh is very light sleeper and was happy on the occasions we stayed there (both at weekends).

geekgirl · 15/04/2008 17:10

LOL FMF, me too

I suggest giving Betty's a miss if the queue is long. It's alright but not worth queuing for hours for (and totally overpriced to boot). There are several alternatives - the tea room above Farah's sweetshop (Montpelier quarter) is very nice and quaint, for instance.

The Pump Room museum in the Montpelier quarter usually has some hands-on displays for children - generally it's something along the lines of dressing up as a Victorian, and also Victorian toys to play with. It's only a tiny museum and a bit 'thrown together', but my children always enjoy a visit.

We also have the most excellent independent children's shoe shop here - Shooligans, it's on Cheltenham Parade.

Original poster
Cocobabe · 15/04/2008 17:17

wow thanks girls for all the fab tips ! now will share it wiv mum and see which she fancies as shes paying !
love the idea of crazy golf wiv dd ! hehe

OP posts:
Novacane · 15/04/2008 17:20

Hotel du vin is better location, literally slap bang in the middle of town on the very pretty West Park. The shops are 100 yards away.

as for spa treatments, a couple of the main hotels do them. the majestic do them, and the Academy health spa is very popular for treatments, they do offers sometimes mid week too. child friendly. It has a very nice ambience if thats your sort of thing. This place is about a 20 min walk away from the centre of town.

The turkish baths are in the centre of town, they do treatments- I'm not sure what it is like, it's just one of those places Ive never come across, but is popular with tourists.

HarrogateMum · 15/04/2008 17:26

Rudding Park! Its the best, I had my wedding reception there and have NEVER had a bad experience. Admittedly its not in the middle of town but its sooooo lovely, when we went for our 10th wedding anniversary they gave us a free bottle of champagne just because we mentioned that it was our anniversary, didnt even mention that we were married there.

One of the waiters was tryign to persuade me to take my kids for Sunday lunch, he said itw as fab for kids and the conservatory area of the restaurant always seems to have kids eating in the evening.

I love love love it. I would go and stay the night if itw asnt less than a mile from where I live (and I might still just do it!)

Fullmoonfiend · 15/04/2008 17:31

Turksish Baths is fab and gorgrous but no good with a child in tow. Academy is a great idea as they also have a good creche if you need it. You may need to check if they will let you use the creche before you book any treatments though.
here

The Balmoral

hotel du vin

the crown

The Majestic

Old Swan

The Bijou

Novacane · 15/04/2008 18:17

I agree about Rudding Park, but it is a short drive out of town. Its just a lovely lovely place, DP has all his work dos there.

As for noise, I live on West Park (where hotel du vin is) and it isn't noisy mostly-(although we did get woken last night come to think of it)

As for LO, as long as you bring a ball she will be happy, we have the stray which is open common ground in the town, valley gardens etc.

Can second Milans coffee shop, if you sit in the garden room there is some toys to play with in the corner so you can relax and have a nice cuppa.

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