Booster Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 The mrs is 40 next month and I need some ideas for somewhere to get away for a couple of days without the kids. Any suggestions please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 The Shard hotel is open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted July 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Off to London next weekend so would prefer somewhere different tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busby Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 What kind of break are you looking for - city or country? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 champneys? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted July 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Not fussed whether it is city or country. Will have a look at Champneys ta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chick Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 We recently heard from friends that the hotel Runneymede On Thames is really rather very nice too. Think you will have left it too late but you could also try Le Manoir in Oxfordshire or if you fancy something different the champagne region in France, I'd recommend staying at the small champagne house Andre Bergere which is actually on Rue du Champagne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_Bangle Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Rudding Park near Harrogate, if you fancy somewhere up north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted July 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 We may well have a winner!! Many thanks Andy. Have you stayed there? If so, which room do I need to avoid?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Rutting Park?? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 (edited) Hmmm, I'm going to upset the apple cart.... Rudding Park is very good, but I think it is massively over-rated on the likes of Trip Advisor. It is very heavily dependent on the room you get and I have a client who held an event there in the last year and, completely coincidentally, we were talking about it just 2 weeks ago. They lodged a complaint after it let them down on all fronts. From the event itself to rooms, food and service. I stayed there around 4 years ago for a single night and if I'm honest I felt like I'd been ripped off. The price paid (about £300) was about £150-170 more than I would say it was worth. The room was shabby around the edges, the service was so-so and I can't say I felt it was that special. The other thing to say is whatever you do, if you do go there, make sure there isn't a wedding on. It wrecks the entire place for other guests according to a friend of mine (not first hand experience of my own). He went there for his Dad's 75th birthday as a group and they had 7-8 rooms booked and felt like they were an inconvenience to the hotel due to the wedding party getting priority. p.s. I'd go to Edinburgh and The Chester Residence Edited July 11, 2014 by NewNiceMrMe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted July 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Hmmm. Good job I haven't booked anything then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted July 11, 2014 Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 I've been to Rudding Park it was good, but it is an older place. Its lovely inside and the food was lovely. Mind it was a good number of years ago that I went. The one thing that sticks in my mind was it was the hight of summer and there was no air con in the rooms so it wasn't the most pleasant nights sleep, they might have sorted that now. Does it have to be in the UK? You could easily go for a weekend away to Rome, Milan, Paris for a couple of days and see some sights and stay in a nice hotel for not too many pennies. I'm also reaching a milestone this year and that is what we might be doing apparently, will have to see where I get whisked away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted July 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Doesn't have to be in the uk but it is a maximum of two nights. As we are the age we are, we have five 40th birthday parties to go to out of town between now and the end of September. We are very lucky having both sets of grandparents very close by but we really can't take the p1ss for childcare any more than we are doing as they have holidays to fit in round us. Was only thinking of the uk to maximise time spent at the place we go to rather than travelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted July 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 Found a nice looking place called Lime Wood. It has a restaurant by Angela Hartnett. Wife wanted to go to Tom Kerridge's restaurant ages ago so tried to book that and stay somewhere near Marlow. Next available table is May 2015!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameo Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 (edited) I've not stayed at Limewood but have eaten there a few times and the food is lovely. Are there no tables available even for residents? I think they have sister hotels now - the Pig Hotel Bath (http://www.thepighotel.com/near-bath/explore.aspx) is one. Actually, thinking about it I think Limewood has a couple of dining options other than the Hartnett restaurant and one is a lower key dining room called the Pig? If you want to go further afield I took Mrs Cameo to the Scarlet Hotel (http://www.scarlethotel.co.uk) in Cornwall a few years ago for our wedding anniversary and it was wonderful. Great views from the cliff top from their log fired hot tubs - very romantic. Edited July 12, 2014 by Cameo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busby Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 If you were looking for amazing food then you could try Le Manoir but it is incredibly expensive to stay there too so find somewhere nice in Oxford and get a cab for dinner! For a nice relaxing break then Cameron House at Loch Lomand is great as are the houses you can rent on the Cotswold Water Park. As a left field suggestion - http://www.simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk - in Birmingham is out of this world and if you know where to look Birmingham is a great city. The rooms at Simpsons are excellent too but there are a plethora of decent hotels close by if you wanted a choice - Hyatt, Hotel Du Vin, Malmaison, Radisson, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted July 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 Thanks for the ideas, I will have a look at them. Cameo, it is Tom Kerridge's place, the Hand and Flowers that has no availability. Limewood does have rooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 If you want to go big, try one of the tree house suites at Chewton Glen..! http://www.chewtonglen.com If you want a spa, Pennyhill Park takes some beating - Also, the SLH group of hotels are great - Luton Hoo and Stoke Park (my wedding venue back in the day!) http://www.slh.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdiesel Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 If your thinking of Yorkshire, Middlethorpe Hall nr York is very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M8CKN Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 The Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey is nice with lovely countryside walks close by.http://www.thedevonshirearms.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-bmw Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 ^^^^^ What he said^^^^^ I was just about to suggest the same, beatiful surroundings, lovely riverside walks, excellent restaurant. etc. etc. Or alternatively Feversham arms Helmsley. Lovely little town, lots to visit in the area, beautiful relaxing hotel with full spa facilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameo Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 Thanks for the ideas, I will have a look at them. Cameo, it is Tom Kerridge's place, the Hand and Flowers that has no availability. Limewood does have rooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldavo69 Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 We used to have our regional meetings at Rudding Park and I've stayed there too - it was alright, needed an update. What about a cottage in the Lakes near Cartmel and go to Simon Rogan's L'Enclume? A mate did it for his wife's birthday and raved about it for weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 (edited) The Devonshire Arms is a good call. The food there is meant to be excellent although I've not sampled it first hand. The last time I was there must have been 25 years ago and it was only a quick refreshment call from what I can recall. The surroundings are fantastic if the weather is good. The only problem is that if it rains I can't think of a worse place to be. It made it into The Independent's top hotels list last year and that isn't easy. There are a mass of options in the Lake District that would make for a very nice break - but again in the right weather. The one that has specifically crossed my mind in the Lakes is Holbeck Ghyll. There's a story as to why.... Apart from the fact it is in just about every 'best' list you'll ever find, it has what I think are some of the best views anywhere in the UK. If you get sunshine when you're there, you'll probably not want to leave. The story comes from the fact I was booked to stay there about 3 years ago and had to cancel due to MrsMe not being well. Then, every time when we've been able to go again, it has been fully booked. I know for certain (from a relative) that some of the cheaper rooms are looking a bit tired now, but they said it was the best service they'd ever experienced in the UK (and they've travelled a lot more than I have). The food is meant to be very good indeed and the breakfast has a reputation for being among the best anywhere. The key to it though is that it is incredibly friendly. I've always heard it described as a place you can almost feel is your own during your stay, and I think that says a lot about it. Whether it is true 5*+ luxury is something else because I don't know just how worn some of it is now. Edited July 13, 2014 by NewNiceMrMe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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