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Five of the Best Luxury UK Hotels

It may not have the weather of the Caribbean or Dubai, but when it comes to the luxury of a high class hotel, no where does it better than Britain. From five star country house retreats to lavish London luxury, discover five of the UK’s best luxury getaways.

The Drawing Rooms, Builth Wells, Mid-Wales

Not content with winning a top accolade from the Good Hotel Guide, The Drawing Rooms in Builth Wells, Mid-Wales has also recently won the AA Restaurant of the Year award for Wales, too, and it’s easy to see why. Describing itself as a ‘restaurant with rooms,’ the Drawing Rooms is a beautiful five-star, two-rosette restaurant with rooms that originally started life as a Georgian country residence in 1725.

With a string of successful restaurants and hotels behind them, it has taken husband and wife team Colin and Melanie Dawson less than two years to have gained a formidable reputation for excellent food and service, most of which sourced in the local area. “There is an incredible range of fresh produce in this area, and it provides me with endless inspiration,” comments Colin Dawson, on his Mid-Wales location. Rooms are individually designed, with stunning bathrooms and underfloor heating, as well as flat screen TVs, DVD and internet access. In the heart of Wales, Builth Wells is a true rural getaway destination close to the Brecon Beacons National Park, where there are numerous walks and outdoor activities available. Take a two night midweek short break at the Drawing Rooms, complete with a three course evening meal, full breakfast, and tea with ‘Bara Brith’ on day of arrival from £180 per person. http://www.the-drawing-room.co.uk

The Manor House, Castle Combe, Wiltshire

Nestled in a beautiful village on the edge of the Cotswolds, close to the breathtaking Georgian city of Bath, is one of the most delightful hotels in Britain. The Manor House Hotel and Golf Club is part of the Exclusive Hotels chain and set within 365 acres of parkland, landscaped Italian gardens and river setting, the hotel is indeed a great place to get away from it all. The hotel itself dates back to the 14th century and the look and feel is in keeping with its lordly heritage. All 48 bedrooms in the Manor House and Mews Cottages are individually designed in a traditional style and are very large and spacious, with superb en suite facilities. The award winning Bybrook restaurant serves up an exquisite array of cuisine using fresh organic ingredients, while nearby places of interest include Bath, the Cotswolds and Lacock Abbey, used in such Hollywood films as Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice and Emma. For Special Offers from £150 per room, per night, with a three course meal included visit http://www.exclusivehotels.co.uk

Ballathie House, Perthshire, Scotland

On the outside of Perth and gateway to the Highlands, Ballathie House is one of the best country house hotels in the country. Set within private parkland overlooking the River Tay, the hotel could not be set in a more beautiful country location: the building, dating back to the 17th Century still has many of its original features and gives off an elegant air to any visitor.

All 42 rooms are individually furnished with en suite facilities, and the hotel is a regular in the AA top 200 list. The restaurant, with lovely views over the river Tay, under Head Chef Kevin MacGillivray serves dishes that combine traditional Scottish classics with a modern twist. And wine aficionados will not be disappointed by the extensive wine list, which has a particular emphasis on claret, with over 60 current drinking vintages to sample. Nearby places of interest include Perth and the inspirational Scottish Highlands. Stay at Ballathie House for two nights mid week on a B&B basis based on 2 people sharing Sunday - Thursday for only £85 per person until 21st December, 2006. http://www.ballathiehousehotel.com

The May Fair Hotel, Central London

The iconic May Fair Hotel has just reopened after a massive £75 million refurbishment programme, which has seen the 80 year old hotel renovated from top to bottom. The renovation takes five star luxury to the extreme, and, not surprisingly for a 400 room hotel, the theory that bigger is best is evident throughout. The Crystal Room, which can seat up to 180 dinner guests at a time, harks back to the hotel’s glory days during the swinging 1920s and is lavish in the extreme - the crystal chandelier which hangs in the middle of the room is a massive six metres by three metres in size and is the largest commercial piece ever commissioned by world-famous Parisian design house Baccarat.

The chandelier alone is worth more than £1million. Elsewhere, the hotel also boasts London’s largest private cinema and a unique spa, which offers surely one of the most romantic, or messy, experiences the capital can offer in the shape of the ‘Cleopatra’ mud bath for two! For the real high-rollers, the May Fair boasts 10 unique luxury suites, all of which feature stunning London views, giant Bang and Olufsen plasma TVs and more. Superior Rooms from £295 per night, two-bed suites from a staggering £5,000 per night! http://www.radisson.com/mayfair

Hackness Grange, North Yorkshire

The Georgian Hackness Grange Hotel on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park overlooks its own tranquil lake set within private grounds. It is an out-of-the-way location ideal for lazy love-ins or outdoor adventurers looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. With just 33 beautiful en suite rooms, the hotel manages to maintain a laidback and quiet atmosphere too, and amenities on offer include: a heated indoor pool, tennis court, pitch & putt golf and mountain bike hire. The restaurant serves a contemporary menu and has excellent views of the nearby river Derwent. Local attractions include the quaint fishing town and home to Captain Cook, Whitby, the seaside resort of Scarborough and magnificent Castle Howard, setting for the acclaimed TV series Brideshead Revisited. Prices from £67.50 per person per night, including a full English breakfast. http://www.englishrosehotels.co.uk

Dale Lovell
11 Dec 2006

Dale Lovell is Editor of http://www.travelconnect.co.uk. (This article can only be published with this footer and a full complete TravelConnect URL included - http://www.travelconnect.co.uk.

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How Not To Tour Scotland?

You are 12th in line behind the caravan at the front. A slow right hand bend comes up and you drift out to see if cars are coming, but you notice the car in front has edged up to make it difficult for you to overtake.
"Look at that castle over there, Dad,"
"In a minute, son,"
Then your concentration slips and disaster strikes. You took your eye off the car behind and now he has whipped in front of you. The speedo tells you you are doing no more than 45mph. They shouldn't allow caravans really, on these roads. You do this from Edinburgh to Inverness and back down to Glasgow.

Back at the office, "How did you like Scotland, would you go there again?""It was very nice, but we might do something different next year." Yes, well, next year you could always spend a week driving around the M25. Great fun.

To-day Gillian and I toured Scotland the correct way. We started out as usual with little idea of where we were heading.
"South?"
"Ok."
"Stalker Castle for soup and a roll?"
"Why not?"

A ride along the edge of Loch Linnhe, with the mountains of Morven across the water. No traffic. Yesterday's cold front had passed over leaving a cool, clear and sunny day. The air was fresh and you could see for miles down the Sound towards Mull.

"How about taking our little North Shian road the wrong way round?"
"Ok"

Single track road, with hardly any passing places. If you meet a car coming the other way the chances are that one of you will have to reverse, but you'll exchange a wave. Didn't matter, didn't pass any other cars. No one goes there. Except us, of course.

Sun came through the trees from South Shian across the water. Low tide made it look soft and wonderful against the light. "Wonder where the old slipway is, we found it before remember?"

This is where the people, and cattle, used to cross in a big rowing boat ferry 200 years ago when they travelled the down the coast from North to South. Cuts off a days walk round the coast, and many famous people in history have used it. It is about a mile across and the Spring tide flows strongly. Took a bit of rowing in the old days with a crowd aboard. They used heavy, caulked, wooden boats then. No glass fibre.

So we stopped to ask Charlie Moore who was planting some larch trees in his garden. The answer lasted for an hour as we swapped stories of the roe deer in his garden, the old ferry, the new pier restaurant owners in the village, and the evening when he froze in his garden as an otter walked by his feet. The answer included his early days in the Orkney Isles. He might have to go back there because the authorities have stopped his licence because of his diabetes. His neighbours get some groceries for him, but he walks three miles to the nearest bus. Lovely man, didn't sound Scottish at all, but that's the Orcadians for you.

Back to the cottage half an hour later taking in little Port Appin and its small passenger ferry to Lismore on the way. Total distance travelled? About 25 miles.

That's the way you tour Scotland properly. You don't go past it in a car. You go into it with the people.

John Winkler
11 Feb 2007
http://www.bayviewkentallen.co.uk

John Winkler used to be the marketing correspondent for The Times in London. Now retired he and his wife have a pretty period cottage on the lochside at Glencoe in Scotland. They let it out for vacations.