Would definitely recommend - Review of Apsley House Hotel, Bath, England

Read article : Would definitely recommend - Review of Apsley House Hotel, Bath, England

We were looking for a peaceful, romantic getaway that was close to the town but felt like it was in the country and Apsley House fit the bill perfectly. We arrived Friday night after the reception had closed and were given directions to let ourselves in, which were very easy to follow.

The room was immaculate and the bed was divine - we felt like a king and queen in the gorgeous four-poster bed (Wellesley Room, ground floor) and slept brilliantly. The shower was also fantastic, with gorgeous complimentary Molton Brown lotions to use, and the towels were amazingly soft and luxurious.

Breakfast was incredible, including the sweetest, freshest fruit I've ever tasted, served on the lovely French Dresser, and beautifully cooked breakfasts prepared by the kitchen. Impressively there were ample gluten-free and vegetarian options, which was fantastic. The view was delightful and the service impeccable.

As there are only a dozen rooms and the bar shuts at 10pm, the whole house was wonderfully quiet in the evenings and the hot chocolate in the room made for a cosy bedtime experience watching a late night movie on the wall-mounted tv.

The garden was very well taken care of, although sadly the weather wasn't great while we were there. Everything about the house exuded class and elegance, right down to the napkins at breakfast which are made of the softest linen.

Last, but by no means least, the service was first class. The managers were relaxed and inconspicuous but always ready to help with guidance to add to the enjoyment of our stay - and their smiles were infectious. The website and local information provided in the room was also very helpful.

We were able to walk into Bath City Centre or catch a cab there or back (approx £7 each way) so we were able to enjoy everything the city had to offer during the day and then sink into bed at the end of the day. Had we had time (and good weather) no doubt we would have ventured for a walk into the countryside, going down to the waterside and perhaps visiting some of the local pubs.

It really was the perfect choice for a weekend break, I can't think of a single flaw - even the other guests were lovely! The only problem was that we couldn't stay longer.
Highly recommended.

Wonderful collection of 1700 and 1800 fashions - Review of Fashion Museum Bath, Bath, England

Read article : Wonderful collection of 1700 and 1800 fashions - Review of Fashion Museum Bath, Bath, England

In many ways quite an old-fashioned (now there's irony) museum. Things labelled behind glass. But the audio description is very good and the objects themselves are rare and fragile.

Most of the exhibits are female fashion and there’s an emphasis, particularly in the later years, toward the ‘special’ rather than the everyday. I guess that’s at least in part because the clothes of the poorer section of society simply haven’t survived but the exhibition is underrepresented in male fashion of the last 150 years in particular. That’s said, that’s probably not why you’re in Bath and the Regency collection here is great. Worth visiting.

24 Hours in Bath, England - with Kids

Read article : 24 Hours in Bath, England - with Kids

Writer, New Yorker, traveling mom and The Vacation Gals contributor Holly Rosen Fink recently visited Bath, England, with her family in tow. Here’s her report:

On a visit to the UK with my family that spanned quite a number of miles, there was one particular city I looked most forward to visiting: Bath. Full of nostalgia for a visit taken there in my 20’s many years ago, I had vivid memories of standing on Georgian terraces, eyeballing breathtaking architecture, taking a ride on the city’s canals, drinking cream tea, retracing Jane Austen’s steps and visiting Roman baths.

Ancient Roman baths

The rub? We only had 24 hours and our time was limited. So, I had questions. Would Bath live up to my expectations? With my family in tow, two pre-teens, would I be able to take in the history and beauty of a city so beloved and so full of historic buildings that it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

How to Spend a Day in Bath, England

Bath is the perfect city to explore by foot. It’s also one of the most beautiful cities you will visit. There is a picturesque bridge in the center of town, lined with views of scenery out of a storybook. There are parks lining the river that overlooks the Pulteney Bridge, covered with boutiques and art galleries.

But we had kids in tow, ages 11 and 13, who can can do their fair share of complaining, so we opted for The City Sightseeing Bus Tour, a good option for a hop on, hop off tour. We planned the day carefully and first hopped off at the Roman Baths, a preserved Roman bath constructed around 70 A.D. The audio tour helped hold my youngest son’s attention. It’s included in the admission charge and features snippets of dialogue by the great travel writer Bill Bryson. The displays do a wonderful job of explaining the history of Bath, the Roman occupation, the significance behind all the artifacts, and the excavation process.

Afterwards, we nipped into Bath Abbey, an Anglican place of worship (and a former Benedictine monastery) for more than 1,000 years, with stained glass windows and majestic stone columns where famed philosopher Thomas Malthus is entombed.

For lunch, we headed to Sally Lunn’s Tearoom, a quaint café decked out in Victorian décor, known for its scones, but they also make a mean cottage pie or lamb and beef pastie. The house is one of the city’s oldest edifices and also contains a museum. After lunch, we hopped on a canal ride to explore the city via the Kennet & Avon waterways. This was a great way for kids to wind down, and the guides gave a good amount of history about the city so my husband and I were entertained, too.

Scene from a Bath canal ride

After the boat ride, it was time to take in a few of the museums Bath has to offer. The Museum of Bath Architecture offers a look at the architectural influences and history of the town’s transformation from provincial town to a world famous one full of classical designs, and its position in the Royal Circus gave us time to gape at some of the most fantastic architecture any of us had ever seen.

Then we stopped by the Victoria Art Gallery, which is free to get into and features historical and contemporary European and British artworks, as well as the Royal Crescent, a Georgian town house built in the 1700’s, where we saw what life was like inside these iconic buildings for wealthy families and their servants during the eighteenth century. From the bus we managed to get a glimpse of a number of hot air balloons launching nearby in Royal Victoria Park, which was quite a spectacle.

Since we had limited time, I chose the next two museums carefully. We spent the latter half of the day at Fashion Museum Bath, a collection of 30,000 items of historical and contemporary dress, with 150 dressed figures representing the changing styles and fashionable trends from the 16^th century to the present day. My 13-year old daughter particularly enjoyed this museum experience and once again, the audio tour was a necessity.

Victorian fashions on display in Bath.

We ended the day at the Jane Austen Centre, where we learned about Austen’s life in Bath and the impact the town had on her writing. A costumed tour guide gave us an introduction and we watched a video about her life and career, which left me wanting to re-read all of her novels and go back to Bath for its annual Jane Austen Festival. The museum itself is very informational and very thorough, so if you’re a Jane Austen fan, you’ll be pleased.

Bath is one of the UK’s most beautiful cities, and I feel privileged to have spent a day showing it to my kids, on whom I hope it left a lasting impression.

Tips for your day in Bath:

• There are several free walking tours of Bath. The Mayor of Bath’s Corps of Honorary Guidesoffers guided two-hour walks, which are very positively reviewed. You can also download audio walking tours of Jane Austen’s Bath and the city’s highlights from the Vist Bath website.
• Bring a good camera. The city will demand a photo tour of your visit.
• Request audio tours to keep the kids entertained in museums.
• Museums can be pricey, so ask for Family Saver Tickets or for child’s priced tickets.

Holly Rosen Fink is passionate about culture and travel. She’s the founder of The Culture Mom and has contributed to Findery, MiniTime, Ciao Bambino, Family Vacation Critic, Go Girlfriend, CBS.com, Savvy Source and has been featured on Huffington Post, Yahoo Travel, Parade and other travel websites. Disclosure: Holly partnered with Visit Bath on this story and received complimentary admission to many of the sites mentioned above. However, all opinions are her own. Top three photos by Holly Rosen Fink; photo below by Ted Rosen, sxc.hu.

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Great holiday - Review of Bay Beresford Hotel, Newquay, England

Read article : Great holiday - Review of Bay Beresford Hotel, Newquay, England

Hi

Thank you for commenting on your recent stay with us and I am glad that you found the staff to be brilliant and the public areas fine.

Room 212 is an older room, but quite often requested as it is directly out of the lift, and has a bright aspect. Our refurbishment programme is ongoing and another batch of bedrooms will be completed this January.

Have you looked at our Coast and Country range of Hotels, they are in fantastic locations, and have many opportunities for bedroom upgrades that might be of interest to you.

Thank you again for your comments

kind regards

Jackie Cunliffe
General Manager

Okay but does not warrant the price tag and I was not happy with the 'unsafe' walk to Bath. - Review of Dorian House, Bath, England

Read article : Okay but does not warrant the price tag and I was not happy with the 'unsafe' walk to Bath. - Review of Dorian House, Bath, England

We have stayed in Bath before but could not get our usual hotel so we booked 1 night here at £115 for a standard room, on arrival felt a little disappointed as the B&B did not look overly welcoming and there is only parking for 6 cars on the grounds luckily we got the last space (we later learnt that you can park on the road and ask reception for a permit to display), the outer door is always locked so you have to ring for reception to let you in, receptionist was great very helpful and showed us up to our room. The room was very disappointing for the price paid, very small (just enough room to walk comfortably around the bed) and no storage at all, the wardrobe was only 10 inches deep??? Only room to hang a couple of suits, the room was just very tired looking, stained lamps with singe marks on them, marks on the carpet, the bed was very comfy, bathroom very tiny with toilet and shower. In my opinion the hotel badly needs an upgrade, there is no where to put your wet towels when used as no towel rails/heated rails. The B&B is 10 minutes away from Bath centre however what they do not tell you is the hotel is on the more grubbier side of Bath and to get into Bath you have to walk down Wells Rd and cut through one of several short cuts under the train tracks, I did not like these at all I felt very unsafe the area is run down not very well lit the area has abandoned houses and a multi storey car park not a place you would want to walk through at night or alone. We had to walk back at 10.30pm at night (45 degree hill so you need to be fit) and I was not at all comfortable you do not see the nice side of Bath this side of the train tracks so location poor in my view. The breakfast was lovely I can't fault that (veg options) and again service very good. Breakfast is buffet and then cooked breakfast to order, food was excellent. In summary I feel if you could move the staff from this hotel to another one you may have an outstanding one - it was the B&B itself and location that spoilt this for me. Overpriced. (One thing to mention you can leave your car here until 2.00pm on the day you leave which was quite handy). There is no bar here, you have to ask the receptionist for a drink to drink outside in the gardens or the seating area but there is no bar as such and no drink on display.

A pleasant stay - Review of Holiday Inn Express Liverpool-Albert Dock, Liverpool, England

Read article : A pleasant stay - Review of Holiday Inn Express Liverpool-Albert Dock, Liverpool, England

Spent two nights at this hotel on a city break which was very reasonably priced. It occupies a converted warehouse building by the side of the Albert Dock and close to the Mersey waterfront.

Positives : A lovely, atmospheric building which has been subject to a high standard conversion. Situated well away from main roads but conveniently close to museums, art galleries and other visitor attractions in the dock area. The Cavern Quarter, the Walker Art Gallery and the Cathedrals are all about a 15 minute walk away near the city centre. There are numerous pubs, restaurants and cafés very close to the hotel. Our room was large, clean and well maintained. Free Wi-Fi was brilliant as you are able to choose from a number of different networks including that of the Holiday Inn itself. That of the nearby Premier Inn seemed to provide the fastest connection. The hotel has its own bar and dining room where breakfast is served - which was fine. The staff all seemed competent and cheerful.

Possible negatives. I struggle to find anything to say. The hotel's own dining room does not serve dinner so you have to go out. But that is no problem since there are several restaurants just outside. One of them, the PANAM, gives a 20% discount to Holiday Inn customers. The hotel doesn't have its own car park but there is a multi story about 200 yards away which charges £11.20 per 24 hours for the cars of Holiday Inn customers. Parking in that multi story is easy and secure.

Will we stay here again?. No hesitation in answering yes to that. We probably will be back later this year.