Archive for the ‘hotel break weekends’ Category

The lads have decided to go to the grand Prix at Silverstone said Sally and I thought of you… It is taking place on the weekend of the 4-6th July, I can get tickets for the Grand Prix but they need somewhere to stay close by – they are too old for roughing it in a tent. Have you any idea how hard this is going to be I murmured weakly – accommodation is booked up  a year in advance there will be nowhere close by trust me!

If you have any hints and tips where to stay for the next Grand Prix do let me know- reply back…

Undoubtedly the next hottest show to hit London’s West End, tickets are now on sale for Oliver’s January 2009 debut. Since the role of Nancy was cast on Saturday, my phone has been red hot. We really fancy going to see the show and making a weekend of it has been the request from a wide range of my closest friends.- couples, families, my elderly mum and her gang of chums and even from some of the girls. I have been able to offer them a wide range of options and prices depending on where and when they wanted to stay. The good news is that whilst the theatre tickets have been snapped up , January is a great time to go to London when hotels tend to discount prices and rail deals can also be available. What do you think about the choice of Nancy – do post back your thoughts.

My former colleague and dear friend contacted me from Fife. The Rotary Club fancies a weekend knees up in London, sometime in the Autumn. We did it a few years ago and it was a great success. Can you recommend something? We want first class rail travel, coach transfers between hotel, station etc, a top london theatre show matinee performance and a black tie dinner dance at the Ritz on the Saturday night.

Well within a couple of  hours I had the whole thing sorted and a great deal for him at  under £300 per person. So watch out London you are due to be invaded by the Scots in autumn who are going to paint the town red…Reply back if you have advice on what else they should do to make the most of their weekend south of the border.

Cat called me today …desperate for help. I’ve been lumbered with organising my sisters pre-nuptial knees up weekend she stated breezily – what we need is something not too far from where we live , with a nice spa so we can have a few treatments and chill.

Money is tight ( you know how much weddings cost these days !) so nothing too over the top and ideally we would like to stay over if funds allow! Great I said happy to help – how about you stay on Sunday night then I can usually get a good deal on the room rates etc, which should make an overnight affordable, yes we’re pretty flexible -go for it she said….

How radical do your want for your treatments I said, thinking colonic irrigation and seaweed wraps! Sometimes weekends limit the range of treatments on offer. Nothing too bizarre said Cat , I think  facials. pedicures, massages etc will suffice.

De Vere Oulton Hall might be an option – nice 5* country house hotel – pretty accessible via m62 and De Vere  often do great offers at weekends. Seaham Hall again another obvious one to look at – one of the top spas in the UK, maybe a little too pricey.Aldwark Manor ,just north of York - another one definitely worth a conversation with and again likely to deal on a weekends night stay – especially a Sunday.

I am just about to hit the phones to see what I can sort out. Meanwhile -if you have some great experiences of girlie spa weekends or places you can recommend -do share them with me…

My worst nightmare today – Mrs Bouquet called. Hi Margaret how are you? Came the measured tones down the phone, the heavily Yorkshire accent trying to be posh was just not what I wanted to hear. I am looking for some advice on my next weekends break.My heart sank yet further…

I really desperately need to get away for a well earned rest – life has been so hectic recently and “he” really needs a break he is working sooooh hard. Well that I very much doubt I thought knowing very well the individual concerned and his ability to skive off the simplest task – the only thing “he” would be working hard would be his tonsils and as for her well yes “doing lunch daaarling” every day it must get exhausting, a nice problem to have!!

OK ,says I, aiming to sound enthusiastic and (I suspect) failing miserably… what did you have in mind.Weell (pause for effect) A nice country house hotel- not too far to travel, must have a suite or special room upgrade, excellent leisure facilities – spa etc and a very good restaurant – ideally with rosettes.

Right says I – let me see what fits the bill…The De Vere Oulton Hall – would be sure to hit the right note, the only 5 star hotel in Yorkshire – sure to appeal -but Leeds a bit to close to home. The De Vere Slaley Hall – about the right distance, nice part of the world and excellent leisure, not sure about the food – maybe. Seaham Hall perhaps the best spa in the North East but again maybe not far enough away….In the end I offered a choice of 6 country house hotels that fit the bill, all within a couple of hours travel time, all with great leisure and most with rossetted restaurants.

Mrs Bouquet was pleased but didn’t book one, I’m having lunch with “my friend ***” tomorrow I’ll see if she has stayed at any of them. Ah ha thinks I, the reason for the call – Mrs Bouquet had no intention whatsoever of ever booking a break, all she  wanted was a list of the best hotel names to drop into conversation with her arch rival **** about where they may be planning to spend their weekends over the next few months.
Keeping up with appearances or in this case with the Joneses really still is “the thing to do” in certain circles and i was just so pleased to have contributed in such a small way…

If you have a Mrs Bouquet friend I’d love to hear about the lengths she goes to impress about her weekends plans – blog me back….

My very pregnant niece…

Hi  “Aunty Margaret” – oh I so hate that when she is 32 ! Can you help us with a weekends break in Edinburgh. Came the cheery enquiry across the mobile cyberspace.“He” wants us to spend a weekend relaxing before the baby is born. We had fancied some sun but I am too far gone to fly – nobody will take us.
So you chose Edinburgh in April as the most logical second choice – mmmm says I. Do you know just how cold Edinburgh gets. Indeed I can honestly say I have never spent a weekend in Edinburgh when it has been warm even in August – Princes St acts like a wind funnel 365 days of the year!

Nevertheless warming to the task I posed the question, which weekend do you want to go, what is the budget, what are key requirements – you know the sort of thing. Well we need car parking, ideally near the centre, good deal – that’s about it!

Now at this point I think about my niece’s husband – always demanding, always wants the best and guaranteed to complain, but a Yorkshireman through and through and who has got to get good value for money. He is the sort who gets a deal and then asks for a further 50% off the best price. Tricky thinks I …
I considered the options, where I could pull strings through contacts at the hotels to get deals at weekends – room upgrades and VIP treatment. I also thought “indoor pool, beauty and leisure would be good, considering my nieces’ ever growing frame and the need to chillax in between seeing the sites – Edinburgh castle . The Zoo, The Royal Mile etc.

My suggestions ranged from The Bruntsfield Hotel – a little known gem but Best Western Hotel of the year (several years running) in its quiet leafy location on Bruntsfield terrace with parking yet close to the centre to the rather grander 5* Scotsman on North Bridge – sure to appeal to both and really not a bad price at this time of the year (especially at weekends) at £100 a night – a true test of how much of a treat “he” really wanted to give.

Well The Scotsman was tempting, The Bruntsfield ruled out because of distance from the centre and the Radisson SAS on the Royal Mile ruled out too– just because!!. In the end advice came to nought and it was all about the “best weekends deal” available which came down to the Apex International – a good hotel too, just sometimes a little noisy due to its location in the Grassmarket – but noisy nights are something they are going to have to get used to very soon – so why not sooner than later…..

Have you got some interesting experiences of travelling whilst heavily pregnant or tips on the top 10 must have’s when choosing an ideal place to stay in this condition ? Then blog back I’d love to hear your thoughts…

Welcome to the More Weekends blog. In this blog you’ll get the inside track on all the best Places to Stay and things to see and do – each and every weekend of the year. With loads of great special offers and news on new Events, Concerts, Theatre and Shows. Share your own experiences of what makes for great weekends for you and help even more people get more from their own weekends through your own experiences.