Stoke Place – A Country House Hotel getaway just a stone’s throw from London. The trouble with many country house staycations is the distance you have to travel from London. By the time you arrive, you are exhausted. After battling with rush hour traffic followed by a long drive, you don’t have any energy left […]
The Wolfscastle Country Hotel, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Wandering to the Wolfscastle in Wales: It’s been many years since I have been to Wales, my family used to take holidays there during my childhood and I remember countless car journeys driving through the valleys on a rainy day, squabbling with my siblings whilst squashed in the back of my father’s Wolsey. This trip […]
Tre-Ysgawen Hall Country House Hotel and Spa
A perfect base for exploring North Wales The Isle of Anglesey lies off the North West Corner of Wales, a quick hop at the end of the A55. It’s perhaps most famously known as the home of the town with the longest name in the United Kingdom (Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch), or as the departure point to Dublin […]
Ye Olde Bell Hotel, Restaurant and Spa
A Nottingham Spa Hotel and Restaurant – a little bit of luxury: It’s amazing where you can get on the train in less than 90 minutes from London. Sitting midway between London and Edinburgh in the village of Barnby Moor, Ye Olde Bell Spa Hotel and Restaurant is just a short cab ride from Retford […]
Stoke Place Country House – Veganuary at its Best
Vegan Fine Dining – a Feast at Stoke Place: I was very pleased to be invited to Stoke Place Country House to try the vegan menu in their Michelin Recommended restaurant The King and Lamb. This stunning house is a hidden gem, a red brick country house built in the distinctive Queen Anne style, a […]
The Montagu Arms in Beaulieu – Review
A New Forest Adventure in Beaulieu – The Montagu Arms: Down in the New Forest something is stirring in the attic… The luxurious country retreat, The Montagu Arms , has created two new ‘Hay Loft ‘ suites adding a sumptuous modern twist to an existing barn, retaining as many original features as possible – and creating a ‘bat […]
Best UK Hotels of the Year – Our Favourites Revisited
Seven Special UK Hotels: We’ve had something of an exceptional year and stayed in some amazing boutique hotels in the UK. As the Editor, I don’t always get to go – but I do always have to read the reviews – and I love a good boutique hotel so I tend to get rather envious. […]
Careys Manor and SenSpa, New Forest – Review
Recharging the Batteries at Careys Manor and SenSpa: What a fine idea, to take a short break just before Christmas at a Spa Hotel. I’ve been intrigued by SenSpa for some time – a Thai spa in the New Forest seems unlikely on paper so I was not entirely sure what to expect. Add to […]
Northcote Manor Devon
In Tarka Land with not an Otter in Sight: Do you remember the film ‘A Ring of Bright Water’? I do – and as a child, watching otters in the wild in Somerset when I was walking with my Grandfather. These days I suspect otter spotting is a rarer occurrence, but the Tarka Line still […]
Stapleford Park – The Perfect Getaway
A Luxurious Country Escape at Stapleford Park Hotel: You know that you have arrived somewhere pretty special when you approach a hotel via a long driveway, drive past its private church, through an arch, park on freshly raked gravel, and enter the hotel to the smell of a log fire, and be greeted by name. […]