UNITED KINGDOM |
| Practical Information: |
| Easy Jet and Ryan Air are both low cost Airlines from the UK |
| The Man in Seat 61 always has good train information |
| You can get trains through nationalrail.co.uk/ or Virgin trains |
| ENGLAND |
| England Historical Timeline |
| LONDON |
| Apartments and Hotels: |
| One Aldwych - Very close to the theatres. Great location, extremely comfortable, great indoor pool |
| Trafalgar Hotel - it's hip and trendy and very close to Trafalgar Square |
| Malmaison Hotel - As with everything in London, it's hip and trendy. A little further from central London but a good value. |
| Number 5 Maddox Street - 1,2 and 3 bedroom apartments - newly renovated in a great central location; a good value |
| Andaz (formerly the Great Eastern Hotel). We stayed here in 2001 after the re-opening. The east end was fun but everything closed down at 5pm; hard to find a restaurant. But the hotel is very comfortable. |
| Museums and Destinations: There is so much to do in this great city. Here are the links to a few of our favorite places |
| Restaurants, Food and Shopping: |
| Oxo Tower Restaurant - the best view and good food |
| Top Table - booking website for London's best restaurants |
| Open Table.com - yes, this favorite restaurant website is also in London |
| Fortnum and Mason - food purveyors to the Kings and Queens and a lot of other really wealthy people |
| Burlington Arcade (it's the largest Arcade in London) |
| Vinopolis - it's a complete wine education and a day of fun |
| NORTH OF LONDON |
| Wiltshire |
| Wiltshire practical information |
| Apartments and Hotels: |
| The Bishopstrow House is a grand English Country Manor. Very comfortable, good Full Board packages and a stylish hair salon if you need a haircut. We chose this place because of it's proximity to Stonehenge. |
| Museums and Destinations: |
| Stonehenge - No matter how many times you've seen photos of it, it's nothing like the real thing. |
| White Horse of Westbury |
| Longleat - OK, it does have a silly zoo and a train running around the property but the Elizabethan manor is definitely worth the visit |
| Cumbria - The Lake District and Northumberland |
| Cumbria practical information |
| Nothumberland practical information |
| Apartments and Hotels: |
| Holbeck Ghyll Country House - You're really in the thick of the English countryside up here |
| Museums and Destinations: |
| Hadrian's Wall - It was built by the Romans around 120 AD |
| Bamburgh Castle |
| Long walks in the country and on the shore |
| Cotswolds , Herefordshire |
| Cotswolds practical information |
| Apartments and Hotels: |
| Since the Cotswolds is so close to London, many people come here for a short holiday away from the city. There are lots of comfortable places |
| The Cotswold House Hotel is a more contemporary place is you're getting tired of the quaint country hotels |
| The Calcot Manor is a renovated farmhouse with a very famous spa and restaurant |
| Museums and Destinations: |
| Blenheim Palace - if you want to see another large English Manor. This is the birthplace of Winston Churchill |
| Roman Baths in Bath (of course) |
| Hereford Cathedral and the Mappa Mundi (13th century map of the world) |
| York (Cifford's Tower, York Minister and the walk through the city) |
| SCOTLAND |
| Scotland Historical Timeline |
| EDINBURGH |
| Apartments and Hotels: |
| The Howard - we stayed here in 2001. Comfortable and a very good breakfast but we'd probably stay somewhere else next time |
| Malmaison Edinburgh is the original Malmaison hotel. It's a bit away from the city center but it's an architectural master. |
| The Glasshouse - a lot of glass and great views |
| Balmoral Hotel is a renovated classic old railway hotel. It's really beautiful and close to all central sites. If you can afford it book here!! |
| Museums and Destinations: |
| Edinburgh Castle and the National War Museum - try to get there for the 1 o'clock gun salute |
| Palace Of Holyroodhouse - unless it's closed for a Royal visit. The Royals still use it as a residence and the Queen's Gallery |
| The Royal Mile |
| The National Museum and Royal Museum of Scotland |
| National Gallery of Scotland and the Portrait Gallery |
| Restaurants, Food and Shopping: |
| We never ate any haggis but you can probably find it here. |
| Shopping for Scotch is fun |