Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Rides and Touring => Topic started by: mike on 15 April, 2008, 01:23:47 pm
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Lets try and build a list of great hotels - either bike related or for romantic weekends away with the significant other.
I'll make a start:
My favourite hotel in the world is in Florence, Italy http://www.torrebellosguardo.com/en/index.htm. It's just stunning for a romantic weekend away.
Florence is an amazing city, provided you dont go in July or August. The hotel is on a hill just outside the city centre, close enough to walk in if you want to, but you might prefer to get a taxi back after all the icecream.
It's far enough out of the city to be an oasis of calm and tranquility and has breathtaking views down across Florence. The hotel building itself (an old monastry) and surrounding gardens are stunning and very cool in the heat of the summer. The pool is on a terrace overlooking the whole city - close enough to look out over it all but far enough away not to hear it. The rooms are very basic, wooden shutters, not much light, very old beds and bathtubs etc, but it all seems entirely appropriate.
the only frustration was that there's no food in the evenings but they'll recommend the restaurant at the bottom of the hill - a great family-run bistro which is another amazing place!
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A UK one from here:
www.crabandlobster.co.uk
I have to admit a bias as I got married there!!!
It is what, if you wanted to pidgeon hole it, could be known as a boutique hotel, but set is the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside. They have a range of rooms, all modelled on the top hotels from around the word. These include Raffles, Sharow Bay, La Mamounia and La Touserok. So far we have stayed in the Raffles room and the Turnbury room. June this year will see us staying in the Ruka Lodge, complete with it's own hot tub and sauna!!!!
Oh and the restaurant associated with it (Crab and Lobster) is one of the best fish restaurants in the North.
And for the less Northern biased amoungst you the people that set the C&L up have done the same in Cheiveley, called The Crab at Chieveley.
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The Montana art deco hotel Lucerne
http://www.hotel-montana.ch/
Superb art deco rooms, fantastic restaurant and a great setting above the lake, and all a short stroll from Lucerne town centre. As with just about everything in Switzerland it ain't cheap, but its very very good.
For romantic how about the Wordsworth Hotel, Grasmere
http://www.grasmere-hotels.co.uk/index.cfm
This is where me and Mrs Aidan got married last year. And where we will be spending our anniversary this year ;D
Lovely hotel, lovely food, very friendly staff and a fantastic location. I am biased though ;)
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I have a soft spot for the Comfort Inn in St. Albans. The last time I stayed there all the staff were screamingly gay.
The Bath Waterside Hilton isn't bad either.
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The Lord Milner Hotel, Matjiesfontein.
Failing that, Le Manoir au Quatre Saisons.
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Had a pleasant stay at The Tregea, Padstow (http://www.tregea.co.uk/) in 2006. It was the sort of place where they leave you in the bar when they go to bed, with a pad to write down what you've drunk. Also the bath room was a real room off the room with real daylight, rather than that lazy design where the room as a whole is a rectangle with the bathroom stuck just inside the door.
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Hotel Monte D'Oro, Vizzavona, Corsica. Faded opulence under the mountain. Superb food. Intriguing fellow guests*.
*Lord Lucan and some Sardinian bandits when I was there.
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I love this place http://www.four-pillars.co.uk/Thames/home.html
I had a lovely weekend there just before my birthday one year. Fantastic setting and wonderful food. Plus I had wonderful company and lots of fun.
Only set back - they don't let you keep bikes in your room - well I was in a suite, with a four poster bed....
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I have a very soft spot for Gotten Manor (http://www.gottenmanor.co.uk/) on the Isle of Wight - a couple of very romantic weekends have been spent there! Tip:- many cats, don't leave your car windows open if it's cold!
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Just up the road is The Hermitage (http://www.hermitage-iow.co.uk/). Not a hotel but a very nice B&B. Mrs Woofage and I stayed there for our WA last year (the Michael Hoy suite). Not cheap, but worth every penny!
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just up the road from Woofage is a lovely B&B - http://www.lavenhampriory.co.uk/ - where Mrs Mike and I went for our wedding night and a couple of times since for special occasions. The best breakfast I've ever had!! {fat bastard smiley}
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Did I mention the breakfasts at the Crab and Lobster? No? Oh, wellllll it's the only place I have stayed at where they have steak on the breakfast menu (and apparently it is very popular!!!)
Their normal fry up is spectacular too, just don't plan to do anything in a hurry that day though :)
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Mine's a Bavarian treasure near Passau. The Zur Triftsperre (http://www.zur-triftsperre.de) is right by the banks of the River Ilz. The cheapest rooms (20 Euros/night with breakfast) face onto the river. There are some rapids right outside the window and there's a beautiful noise from the river overnight. It's only 3 miles from Passau, but is in the middle of nowhere locally.
The husband of the management team is fine and speaks English, but the wife is a little Faulty-esque. Not too bad though. Just don't mention the war :)
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Best place to stay in the Pyrenees - Hotel Les Sorbiers, Bareges. Right on the Col du Tourmalet, it's run by Rob and Rachel - cyclists and amazing cooks. http://www.lessorbiers.co.uk/
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Any of the Premier Apartments chain of hotels are a great alternative to Travelodge et all for when you're away on business/event. Large apartments with a fully fitted kitchenette with washing machine etc and separate lounge. Usually only a tenner more than Travelodge too.