No matter where you are in Britain, there is always a multiplicity of beautiful things to see and exciting things to do, and all within easy reach. As we roll into autumn the colours of the trees all around us are a particular attraction. One of the best places to see these glorious colours is Westonbirt Arboretum in the Cotswolds (other arboreta are available!).
We recently spent a long weekend in Pembrokeshire - confirmation, if ever we needed it, of what an interesting, spectacular and beautiful county it is. We chose to stay at Penally Abbey near Tenby, with a lovely view out over the sea and Caldey Island.
We never cease in our quest for the very best small hotels, so here are a few of our most recent discoveries, starting with a house once owned by the Luttrell family of Dunster Castle. The Great House in Timberscombe is a Grade II listed building that is the epitome of gracious living.
Tripadvisor just published their list of top city destinations in the world, and it was gratifying to see a lot of Little Hotels' destinations featuring highly. This is what they said about our favourite cities.
Little Hotels doesn't do 'bland'. Big chain hotels are not for us, so every hotel we list has its own individuality and character. Some have more character than others though!
Anyone who has watched the TV programme Saving Lives at Sea will have heard the phrase "We are an island nation" (and probably be quite fed up with it!). It's true of course, Great Britain is an island, and perhaps there's something in our blood that draws us to the coast.
Five new hotels that have recently caught our eye and been added to Little Hotels. Choose England, Wales, Scotland or Italy. Portmeirion is possibly the most famous village in Wales. You may know it as the Italianate village created by by architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. Or you may know it as the location for the 1960s cult TV series The Prisoner starring Patrick McGoohan.
With it's sparse population and extensive mountains, lochs and islands, it comes as a slight surprise that there are only two national parks in Scotland. However perhaps it's those very factors that mean that the wilds of Scotland don't really need the protection of national park status.
A recent trip across the centre of England gave us an interesting comparison of two regions of the country, one very well-known and one less so. As we travelled through the Cotswolds we saw pretty towns and villages built of honey-coloured stone and tree-covered hills. In Cambridgeshire, sandwiched between the Midlands and East Anglia, we saw more pretty towns and villages built of honey-coloured stone.
The Welsh national parks – Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons – cover an impressive 20% of Wales. They are perfect for active holidays, walking, cycling, mountain-biking, horse-riding, wild-swimming, but also ideal if you simply want to drive around on quiet country roads and soak up the outstanding views.
