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T HE G U IDE S T H A T S H OW Y OU W HAT O THER S O NLY T ELL Y OU P ARADORS P P R ES T AURA NT S M A P S I N NS H O T ELS C H ALE TS B & B F A RMH OUS E S A U BER G E S P OUS ADA S US /Canjkt 19/11/01 H4M30 CT 00 QC KL 5 EYEWITNESS T RAVEL G UIDES C K P 485CV C K P 485CV DK TRAVEL G UIDES GPS_000-001_Half/Title.qxd 5/7/01 11:05 PM Page 3 DK T RAVEL G UIDES EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES DK T DK T RAVEL RAVEL G G UIDES UIDES GRE A T PL A CES T O S TAY IN E UR O P E 11 ge 1 (TEXT BLACK plate) /03 8:57 AM Pag 11:05 PM Page 311:05 PM Page 3 /0 GPS_000-001_Half/Title US.qxd 27/8/ GPS_000-001_Half/Title.qxd 5/7/01 GPS_000-001_Half/Title.qxd 5/7/01 8/ 1 GPS_002-003_UK_Full/Title.qxd 5/7/01 11:26 PM Page 2 DORLING KINDERSLEY TRAVEL GUIDES GPS_002-003_UK_Full/Title.qxd 5/7/01 11:27 PM Page 3 D ORLING K INDERSLEY T RAVEL TT G UIDES EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES D D ORLING ORLING K K INDERSLEY INDERSLEY T T RAVEL RAVEL T G G UIDES UIDES G REAT PLACES T O S TAY IN EUROP E // 00 3 (TEXT BLACK plate) /8/03 9:00 AM Page 01 11:27 PM Page 301 11:27 PM Page 3 /8 GPS_002-003_UK_Full/TitleUS.qxd 27/ GPS_002-003_UK_Full/Title.qxd 5/7/GPS_002-003_UK_Full/Title.qxd 5/7/ 7/ / 0 GPS_004-005_UK_Contents.qxd 9/7/01 5:11 PM Page 4 4 Cley Mill, Great Britain; 5 Hotel Real, S p ain; 6 Verbano, Italy; 7 Wald & Schlosshotel Friedrichsruhe, G ermany; 8 C h âteau d e Vau l t d e Lugny, France . C ONTENT S H OW TO U SE THIS G U ID E G G 6 N O R WA Y 10 S WE D EN 2 4 D ENM A R K 38 I REL A N D 52 G R EA T G G B R I T AI N 66 S OU T HER N E N GL A ND 7 8 C ENT RA L E N GLA ND 93 N OR T HER N E N GLA ND 103 S COTLAND 11 0 W A LES W W 1 1 6 T HE T T N E THERLAND S N N 1 2 0 B E L G I UM & L UXEMBOURG L L 132 G ERMANY GG 142 S OU T HER N G ERMA NY 1 5 2 C ENT RA L G E RMA N Y 1 6 8 N O RTHERN G ERM A N Y 1 80 A USTRIA AA 1 84 S WI T ZERLAN D 1 98 F RANC E 212 N O RTHERN F R A NC E 2 2 6 C ENT RA L F R A N C E 2 38 S O U T HER N F RA N CE 2 4 7 P O RTUGAL 266 S PAI N 2 80 N ORTHER N S PA I N 292 C ENTRAL S P A IN 307 S OU T HER N S PA I N 31 5 I T AL Y 32 8 N OR T HER N I T AL Y 3 4 0 C E NT RA L I T AL Y 3 5 8 S O UTHERN I TALY 3 7 2 G R EECE G G 380 I N DEXE S 3 94 Ed ite d an d p ro d uce d f or Dor l ing Kin d ers l ey b y Duncan Peterse n Publishing Ltd, 31 Ceylon Road, London W1 4 OP Y P RO J EC T E D I T ORS M arion Moisy (1st edition), C h ris Barstow ( u pd ates ) A SSISTA N T E DITORS Nico l a Davies, Zoe Ros s D E S I GN ER S Beverle y Stewart, Chris Fole y E D ITORIAL A SSISTANTS Cat h erine Iszar d , Mar k A d coc k E DI TO RIAL D I RE CTO R A ndrew Dunca n A RT D I RECTO R M el P ete r se n D orling Kindersley Lt d L ouise B Lan g , Nick Inman, Nanc y Jones, Kate Poole, Dave Pu gh M AIN CONTRIBUTORS F iona Duncan and Leonie Glas s C O N TRIBUTOR S P hilip Lee, Judith Hampson, David Sandhu, Jenny Rees, Dorine Sc h erpe l , Ce l ia Woo lf rey, Sara h Toyn b ee, Kat h y Arno ld, P aul Wade , Robin Gauldi e M AP S Colourmap Scanning Lt d Re p roduced by Colourscan (Singa p ore ) P rinte d an d b oun d b y Sout h C h ina Printing Co., Lt d , C h in a F irst American Edition , 2000 R e p rinted with revisions 2000, 2001, 2002, 200 4 04 05 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 P u bl is h e d in t h e Unite d States by D K Publishin g , Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 1001 4 C opyright 2000, 2004 © Dorling Kindersley Limited, Londo n A L L RIGHTS RESERVED UNDER I NTERNATIONAL AN D P AN P P -A MERICAN COPYRIGHT A A C ONVENTION S . N O PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCE D , S TORE D IN A RETRIEVAL SYSTEM , OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEAN S , ELECTRONI C , MECHANICA L , P HOTOCOPYIN G , R ECORDING OR OTHERWISE WITHOU T T HE PRIOR WRI TT E N PERMISSIO N OF T HE COPYRIGH T OW N ER . P UB LI S HE D I N G R EA T B R I T AI N B Y D O RLI NG K I ND ER S LE Y L IMITED . ISSN 1 5 42-1 554 I SBN 0-78 94 - 9 731- X T HROUGHOUT THIS BOO K , FLOORS ARE REFERRED TO IN A CCORDANCE WIT H E U ROPEAN USAGE , I . E . , THE “ F IR ST FL OOR ” IS T HE FLOOR ABOVE GROU N D LEVE L Th e information in ever y D K Eyewitness Trave l Gui d e is c h ec k e d regu l ar ly . E very e ff ort h as b een ma d e to ensure t h at t h is b oo k is as up-to- d ate as possi ble at t h e time o f going to press. Some d etai l s, h owever, suc h as te l ep h one n umbers, e-mail addresses, and p rices are liable to change. The p ublisher s c annot acce p t res p onsibility for any conse q uences arising from the use of thi s b oo k , nor f or any materia l on t h ir d party we b sites, an d cannot guarantee t h a t a n y we b site a dd ress in t h is b oo k wi ll b e a suita bl e source o f trave l in f ormation. We would be delighted to receive any corrections and suggestions for i ncor p oration in the next edition; on p age 432 you will find a reader’ s r esponse form. Or write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides , D or l in g Kin d ers l e y , 80 Stran d , Lon d on WC2R 0RL. H otel Adler, Germany (large p icture) 1 1 4 (TEXT BLACK plate) 3 11:20 PM Page 5:11 PM Page 45:11 PM Page 4 3 GPS_004-005_US_Contents.qxd 26/8/03 GPS_004-005_UK_Contents.qxd 9/7/01 GPS_004-005_UK_Contents.qxd 9/7/01 03 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 GPS_004-005_UK_Contents.qxd 9/7/01 5:12 PM Page 5 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 9/7/01 3:14 PM Page 6 6 H OW TO U S ETHIS G UIDE T H I SGU ID E i s designed to hel p y ou g et the most from y our trave l s in Europe. Eac h p l ace to sta y – whether a hotel, a bed-and - b rea kf ast or a country inn – h as b een chosen because it is in some wa y specia l , an experience wort h seekin g out in its own ri g ht and more t h an just a b e d f or t h e nig h t . There are 15 sections , each devoted t o a sin g le countr y . The sections run i n l oose geograp h ica l or d er, starting i n Northern Euro p e and ending in Southern Europe. W it h in eac h section t h ere ar e a lways three p arts: introductory p ages , d escri b ing t h e accommo d ation scene o verall; ma p s, showing where the hotels are located; and the hotel e ntries ( ‘ l istings’ ) t h emse l ves. HOW T O US E THI S GU ID E O U R E IG H T S ELECTIO N C RITERIA • Character – in the buildings, and th e interior d ecoration . • A tmosp h ere or am b ience – o f te n i nfluence d by other g uests. • S tyle and taste not only in the in ter i or d e c or a t i o n bu t in the d et ail s – t he placing of furniture, the presentation o f menus, and so on. • A n interestin g , attractive l ocation . • A persona l we l come – genuine, not f orce d – f rom sta ff or proprietor. • B e d rooms li k e real be d rooms , n ot hotel rooms . • Interesting food, prepared with care from fresh ingredients. • Size: genera ll y not very l arge, b ut some lar g e hotels are inclu d e d – see th e qua l i f ications b e l ow. A Question of Ba l anc e A s you would ex p ect, ou r m a in e n t ri es – the o n es i ll ustrate d wit h p h oto- g rap h s – ten d to score f ive, six, seven or even ei gh t out o f ei gh t on t h e l ist d es - cri b e d a b ove. But , an d y ou w ill find this clearl y stated in the text where a pp ro - p riate, a significant number of our main selections are especially strong on j ust one or two of the p oints , a n d weak o n the othe r s. I t is ver y o f ten t h e case f or examp l e t h at a l ove l y o ld b ui ld in g , in a ma g ica l set- t ing, ma k es a tru l y specia l h ote l , d es p ite t h e f act t h at t he bedrooms ma y be dull , p ossibly small, and the s ervice not as some would w ish. This is es p ecially true of Venice hotels, but you’l l f in d suc h p l aces t h roug h - out t h e gui d e. G enera ll y spea k ing, ou r inspectors h ave rate d s etting, atmosp h ere an d a p ersona l we l come more im p ortant than service, f ood and so p histicated f acilities. But , of course , t hey have re j ected anywhere that doesn’t r each their basic standards of com f ort. We b e l ieve t h a t t h is p h i l osop h y wi ll give ou r rea d ers more mem- o ra bl e experiences on t h ei r trave l s t h an a cus h ionin g of stan d ar d ize d com f ort a nd facilities. P lease do u se the form o n p age 432 to let us kno w your views on the p laces where you have stayed, or to r eco mm e n d ot h e r s f o r the n e x t ed i t i o n . F ood We d on‘t u n d erestimate its i mportance, an d some entries wo u ld not hav e m ade it in to this g uide, we r e i t n ot f o r t h e ir f ood. H owever, it is increasingl y true, es p ecially in Britain, F rance and Italy, that good food i s the n o rm . In these c ountries, h ote l s genera ll y n ee d to h ave more g oin g f or t h em t h an f oo d a l one to b e f eature d in t h is g ui d e. Si z e A few have less than 15 rooms; most have betwee n 15 and 50 ; a few have m any more than 50. As you mig h t expect, our inspectors f avoure d t h e private l y-owne d , sma ll er h ote l s, g uest h ouses or inn s b ecause it’s so muc h easier f or t h em to o ff er a g en - uinely p ersonal welcome and an atmos p here in which you feel like an individual , rather than one in a c r owd. V ariet y Ab ove a ll , our contri b utors h ave trie d to provi d e var - iet y . T h ere are more t h an 2 ,000 entries in t h e g ui d e, and amon g them there is e ver y sort of lod g in g : bed- and-breakfasts in historic p rivate houses; hotels i n stately homes and châteaux; self-catering apartments in Venetian pa l aces; t h ere is even a g uest h ouse in a win d mi ll. A n d i f y ou rea lly nee d a retreat, tr y one o f t h e m onasteries in Spain t h at o p en their door to trav- e llers. We’ve deliberatel y m ixed the unusual with the mo r e co n ve n t i o n a l r est - aurants-with-rooms , country inns, smart town h ouses an d crum bl ing b ut b eauti f u l f arm h ouses. 6 (TEXT BLACK plate) 1:00 PM Page 6 3:14 PM Page 63:14 PM Page 11 33 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 9/7/01 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 9/7/01 3 0 kilometres 50 50 k GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 9/7/01 3:14 PM Page 7 7 GREA T BRI T AI N 6 9 69 o f Suffolk and Norfolk also o ffer some special places to s ta y , the latter includin g a B &B in a win d mi ll at C l e y - n ext-t h e-Sea (p age 95 ) . Northern En g lan d N ewcastle is home to one of t h e Ma l maison c h ain (p ag e 105 ) – t h e on l y h ote l c h ai n i ncluded in this section – w hi c h i s n oted f o r i ts s omewhat u nconventional a m b ience an d a ff or d a bl e p rices. In t h e nort h west, t he L ake District is packed out with tourists in summer , but i t is easy enough to esca p e t h e crow d s i f y ou l i k e h i ll wa lk ing or i f you visit in a utumn when the weather c an b e clear and warm. There are man y B&Bs whic h d on’t min d mu ddy wa lk in g b oots, an d some s p ecia l c ountry house hotels too, i ncluding Old Church a t Watermillock on the ed g e o f U ll swater (p age 108 ) . Ot h e r f amous areas o f outstan d ing b eauty in the north includ e t h e Y o rk s hir e D a l es a n d t h e Peak District. Nearb y ar e c ountr y h ote l s suc h as Amer d a l e Ho u se at Arnc l i ff e (page 103), and small hotels with character, among them a f o rm e r cotto n mill . S cot l an d Country hotels in Scotland a re memorable for location , c haracter and food: man y o ccu p y im p osing p osition s o n p eace f u l l oc h s, an d e mploy chefs who make full u se of the local specialitie s s uch as seafood and g ame, a n d h ave a l o y a l c l iente l e w h o rearrange t h eir itinerar y Wykham Arms at Winchester, page 92, the archetypal pub-with-character kh h h h l b h h W est U s k Li g h t h ouse, p age 119 W U k Li h h 119 kihh often with fresh local p roduce on t h e men u . S ome h ote l s in t h is c h a p te r are Wolsey Lodges – neithe r h otels, nor just guesthouses. A sta y at a Wolse y Lod g e i s l i k e b eing at a p rivate h ouse p arty – exce p t t h at t h e h ost p resents you with a bill at t he end of your stay. H I GHLIGHT S H OT EL S ILL UST RA T E D o n thes e introductory pages are by n o means our onl y hi g hli g hts. O t h er f avo u rites inc lud e: T resanton at St Mawes in C ornwall (page 90) for marry - ing sophistication with sea- side fun ; still in Cornwall , T re b ea Lo dg e at Tinta g e l (p age 91 ) , f or an exce p- t ionally warm welcome an d p ersonal touch; an d Hambleton Hall ( p age 9 6 ), for o ff ering sty l is h p am p ering in an away- f rom-it-a ll l ocation on Rutland Water, near Oa kh a m in t h e Mi d l a n ds. In t o b e sure o f g ettin g a room . G l asgow an d E d in b urg h are o b vious centres for their art g alleries and architecture ( an d assure d town h ous e h ote l s ) , as we ll as t h e annua l E d in b urg h Festiva l ( an d associated Fringe) in August. T he Hi g h-lands and Island s offe r so m e of the m ost r e m ote an d p eace f u l pl aces to sta y in Britain, one suc h f avourite being the Altnaharrie Inn on Loch Broom (page 115), accessi bl e on ly by b oat, an d w it h p er h a p s one o f t h e b est r estaurants in B ritain. W ales Th e wa lk ing is su p er b in t h e Brecon Beacons, Snow d oni a an d a l ong O ff a’s Dy k e. T h e P embrokeshire coastline, w ith its crumblin g medieva l cast l es , an d seasi d e resorts suc h as Ten by an d St Davi d ’s is we ll wort h a d etour . P otential overnight stops include man y famil y -ru n h ote l s o ff erin g g oo d f oo d – artagena Strait of Gibraltar b MEDITERRANEAN S EA A A B B C C 5 5 3 3 4 4 0 kilometres 50 50 es 50 es 50 0 kilometres 50 kil m tr 50 kil m tr 50 50 00 Estepona Estep Estep Este Est E Este s Es Es Ceuta C C C Tarifa Tarif Tarif Ta Ta T if ellar de Frontera e e ste e t Cast st e st st GIBRALTAR GIBRALTAR raltar GIBRALTAR 326 319 H OW T O US E THI S GU ID E L OC AT OR M APS M M The towns and villages in which our entries are located are shown in a box marked by a star, accompanied by a page number. Simply t urn to t h e page, an d you wi ll f in d t h e entr y f or t h at p articu l ar pl ace to sta y . You ma y a l so f in d t h e ma p s use f u l f or pl annin g h o l i d a y route s l in k in g pl aces to sta y . T hese p ages p rovide an overview of the country’s different ty p es of accom - m o d ation, h ig hl ig h t some o f t h e most interesting p l aces to stay, an d o ff er practica l i n f ormation on topics suc h as tipping an d mea l times. T hum b ta b s E ach countr y has a di ff erent-coloured thumb tab . Hig hl ig h t s W e use t h i s section to sing l e out a f ew o f the outstanding places to sta y i n each country . Th is b oo k h as b een create d by a team of s p ecialist hotel writers , most with m any years’ ex p erience of i ns p ecting hotels. None o f t h e p l aces f eature d in th e b oo k h ave p ai d to b e in the g uide. Those hotel s w hich we did not alread y k now were visited by i nspectors. Most inspection v i s i ts were anon y mous. F or ever y h ote l t h at app ears in the guide, m any were re j ected. I I N DEPE N DE NT LY I I N SPEC T ED T HE C OU N TR Y I N TRODUCTIO N S 3 7 (TEXT BLACK plate) 5:22 PM Page 3:14 PM Page 714 PM Page 7 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 10/9/03 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 9/7/01 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 9/7/01 3 3 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 6/7/01 12:30 AM Page 8 1 1 6 A w ater f ront, t h is is a l an d b es t s uite d to t h e tra d itiona l countr y h ouse establishment: warm , w elcomin g and above all, rest f ul. M an y p laces take advanta g e o f the s u p erb landsca p e o f Wales, with views across tidal estuaries or o f distant mountains. Some o f th e h otels we list – including a smattering F ISHGUARD T hree Main S treet E xcellent, easy-going r estaurant w h ic h serves l ig h t l unc h es an d tea s d urin g t h e d a y . T h ree g oo d b e d rooms. N 3 Main Street, Fis h guar d , Pem b ro k es h ire SA65 9HG. Ma p p 74 A3. § ( 01348 ) 874275. ` ( 01348 ) 874017. 0 b , l , d . Roo m s 3. ]] C R I C KH OW EL L Bear Hote l B ustling traditional inn situated in the centre o f town. We ll -run, wit h goo d f oo d , com f orta bl e b e d rooms an d warm atmos ph ere. N H ig h Street, Cric kh owe ll , Powys NP8 1BW. Map p 74 C3. § ( 01873 ) 810408. ` ( 01873 ) 811696. $ bea r hotel@aol . co m 0 b , l , d. R oo m s 3 4. ]] B R ECHF A Ty Mawr Smart farmho u se hotel. Bedrooms o ver l oo k gar d en. Goo d h ome coo k ing. N B rech f a , Carmarthen , Carmarthenshire SA32 7RA. M a p p74 B3. § ( 01267 ) 202332/202330. ` ( 01267 ) 202437. $ ty mawr@t y mawrcountr y hotel . co . uk 0 b , l , d. Roo m s 5. ] A B ERG A VE NNY Llanwenarth House Th e Wea t h e rill’ s h o m e h as s p acious b e d rooms an d d is pl ays a l ove o f h orse an d h oun d . Dinner p arty-sty l e d ining. N G ovi l on, A b ergavenny, Monmout h s h ire NP7 9SF. M ap p74 C4. § ( 01873 ) 830289. ` ( 01873 ) 832199 . 0 b , d. R oo m s 5 . ]] St Davi d ’s Spa Th i s sw i sh wate r f r o n t e sta bl is h ment, w h ic h f eatures a h y d rot h era py centre an d s p a, is a f ive-star oasis, p articu l ar l y f or b usinessmen. T h e im p osing structure is to pp e d by an extraordinar y fl y in g tail fin; the interior is suitabl y nautical, cool and curvacious. Ever y r oom has a private bay-view deck. N Havannah St , Cardiff CF10 5SD. M a p p 74 C 4. § ( 029 ) 20 4 5 4 0 4 5 . ` ( 029 ) 2031 3075. $ reservations @ th est d avi d s h ote l .co m 0 b,l,d. R ooms 1 36 . z S÷ ¢ N ever. / A E, D C , M C , V. ]]]] Port h Tocyn F or 50 years, t h e F l etc h er-Brewer f ami l y h ave run t h is exce ll ent f ami l y-orientate d h ote l wit h ma g ni f icent views across Car d i g an Ba y a n d Snow d onia. T h e pl ain b ui ld ing was f as h ione d f rom a group of lead-miners’ cottages. Inside is a s eries of homely sitting rooms, and simple b edrooms, some interconnecting. N Abersoch, Gw y nedd LL53 7BU. M a p p 74 B 2 . § ( 01758 ) 713303. ` ( 01758 ) 713538. $ port h tocyn. h ote l @virgin.net 0 b,l,d . R ooms 17. S ∂¢ m id-Nov to week be f ore Easter. / MC , V. ]] o f f ine h istoric mansions – are in ro ll ing b or d er country. Ot h ers ar e a l on g t h e b eauti f u l coast l ine ; ot h ers by t h e p ea k s o f Snow d onia . A ccommodation in Wales ran g e s f rom p rivate ancestral homes , w ith a mere hand f ul o f r ooms set aside f or g uests , t o so p histicated retreats . Heart y Welsh break f ast s and g ood local cookin g (with Welsh cheese a speciality) are often a feature. NORTHERN ENGLAND 1 04 G R EA T L A NGD A L E O ld Dungeon G h y ll A t the hea r t of the L ake D istrict, a s l ate-an d -stone wa lk ers’ h oste l r y: s im pl e, somew h at worn, wit h h earty f oo d . N Great Lan gd a l e, Am bl esi d e, Cum b ria LA22 9JY. M a p p 77 D5 §` ( 015394 ) 37272. $ neil.od g @lineone.ne t 0 b ,l,d . Roo m s 14. ] G R ASSINGTO N As h fie ld House Sim pl e guest h ouse ( origina ll y t h ree 17t h -century cottages ) tuc k e d b e h in d t h e vi ll age’s main s q uare, wit h a l arge wa ll e d gar d en. N 3 Summers Fo ld , Grassington, S k ipton, Nort h Yor k s h ire B D23 5AE. Ma p p 75 D1. §` ( 01756 ) 752584. $ i n fo@as h f i e l d h ouse . co . uk 0 b , d . R oo m s 7. ]] G R AS MERE W h ite Moss House Renowne d f or its cuisine , w it h p retty b e d rooms ( two in a sec l u d e d cottage ) . I n t h e Wor d swort h f ami ly unti l t h e 1930s . N Ryd a l Water, Grasmere, Cum b ria LA22 9SE. M a p p 77 D5. § ( 015394 ) 35295. ` ( 015394 ) 35516. $ sue@ whi te m oss . co m 0 b ,d . Roo m s 7. ]] D U RH AM G eorgian Town House T own-centre Georgia n h ouse d ecorate d wit h fl air ( an d a p ro f usion o f stenci l s ) . Brea kf asts are ta k en in t h e conservator y . N 10-11 Crossgate, Dur h am, Co. Dur h am DH1 4PS. M a p p 77 E5. § ` ( 0191 ) 386 8070. $ en q u i r i es @ g eor g ian-townhouse. f snet.co m 0 b. Roo m s 6. ]] Leat h es H ead P revious owners Patricia Brad y a nd Mark Payne breathed new life into thi s E dwardian house, refurbishing it in traditiona l s ty l e wit h b o ld touc h es. It h as s pl en d i d views a cross t h e f e ll s. Dinner is a f our-course a ff air wit h pl enty o f c h oice an d d e l icious p u dd ings. Now un d er t h e owners h i p o f Roy an d Janice Smit h . N B orrow d a l e, Keswic k , Cum b ria CA12 5UY. M a p p 77 D5. § ( 017687) 77247. ` (017687) 77363 . $ e m a il @ l eat h es h ead . co . uk 0 b, l , d . Roo m s 11. ∂¢Dec to mid-Feb. / V . ] P h easa n t Inn T he old oak bar , full of dark nooks and crannies, is a gem, little changed from its earliest days. Beyond that are several lounges w it h generous sitting s p ace. Be d rooms are m o d ern an d l ig h t, wit h out TV or te l e ph one. T h e f oo d ma k es f ew concessions to f as h ion – a sim pl e c h aracter f u l inn, recent ly re f ur b is h e d . N Bassent h waite La k e, Coc k ermout h , Cum b ria C A13 9YE. M a p p 77 D5. § ( 017687) 76234. ` ( 017687 ) 76002. $ p heasant@eas y net.co.u k 0 b, l , d . R ooms 1 8 . ∂¢Christmas Day. / M C, V. ] ] L in d et h Fe ll L arge mature gar d ens g l owing wit h a za l eas an d r h o d o d en d rons in s p ring, tremen d ous views, an d a warm, courteous we l come f rom Pat a nd Diana Kenned y at this comfortable countr y house. Wood-panelled hall, two sitting rooms, a nd pleasingly decorated bedrooms. Drinks an d tea can b e taken on the terrace. N Bowness-on-Windermere , Cumbria LA23 3JP . M a p p 77 D5 . § ( 01539 ) 443286. ` ( 01539 ) 447455. $ k ennedy@lindeth f ell.co.uk 0 b , l , d. R ooms 14. ∂ ¢ J an to ear ly Fe b . / M C, V. ]] B B OWNESS OWNESS - ON ON W - W INDERMERE INDERMERE D evons h ire Arms T h is g l ossy, go-a h ea d country h ote l is owne d by t h e Du k e an d Duc h ess o f D evons h ire, an d f urnis h e d l arge l y wit h o b jects from Chatsworth House. There are two dinin g r ooms, the formal Burlin g ton Restaurant and the designer Brasserie. Best of the bedrooms are the themed four-poster rooms in the Old Wing. N Bolton Abbey, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 6AJ. M ap p75 D1 . § ( 01756 ) 710441. ` ( 01756 ) 710564. $ d ev.arms@ l egen d .co.u k 0 b , l , d. R oom s 41 . S÷∂¢ N ever. / A E, DC, MC, V. ]]] B B OLTON OLTON A A BBEY BBEY HOW T O US E THI S GU IDE 8 NORTHERN ENGLAN D 104 G R EA T L A NGD A L E O ld Dungeon G h y ll A t the hea r t of the L ake D istrict, a s l ate-an d -stone wa lk ers’ h oste l r y : sim pl e, somew h at worn, wit h h earty f oo d . N Great Lan gd a l e, Am bl esi d e, Cum b ria LA22 9JY. M a p p 77 D5 §` ( 015394 ) 37272. $ n eil.od g @lineone.ne t 0 b ,l,d . Roo m s 14. ] G RASSINGTO N A s h fie ld House Sim pl e guest h ouse ( origina ll y t h ree 17t h -century cottages ) tuc k e d b e h in d t h e vi ll age’s main s q uare, wit h a l arge wa ll e d gar d en. N 3 Summers Fo ld , Grassington, S k ipton, Nort h Yor k s h ire B D23 5AE. M a p p 75 D1. §` ( 01756 ) 752584. $ i n fo@as h f i e l d h ouse . co . u k 0 b , d . R oo m s 7. ]] G R AS MER E W h ite Moss House Renowne d f or its cuisine , w it h p retty b e d rooms ( two in a sec l u d e d cottage ) . I n t h e Wor d swort h f ami ly unti l t h e 1930s . N R yd a l Water, Grasmere, Cum b ria LA22 9SE. M a p p 77 D5. § ( 015394 ) 35295. ` ( 015394 ) 35516. $ sue@ whi te m oss . co m 0 b ,d . Roo m s 7. ]] D U RH AM G eorgian Town House Town-centre Georgian h ouse d ecorate d wit h fl air ( an d a p ro f usion o f stenci l s ) . Brea kf asts are ta k en in t h e conservator y . N 1 0-11 Crossgate, Dur h am, Co. Dur h am DH1 4PS. M a p p 77 E5. § ` ( 0191 ) 386 8070. $ en q u i r i es @ g eor g ian-townhouse. f snet.co m 0 b. Roo m s 6. ]] ORROWDALE ORROWDALE B B ASSENTHWAITE ASSENTHWAITE Leat h es H ead P revious owners Patricia Brad y and Mark Payne breathed new life into this E dwardian house, refurbishing it in traditiona l sty l e wit h b o ld touc h es. It h as s pl en d i d views across t h e f e ll s. Dinner is a f our-course a ff air wit h pl enty o f c h oice an d d e l icious p u dd ings. Now un d er t h e owners h i p o f Roy an d Janice Smit h . N B orrow d a l e, Keswic k , Cum b ria CA12 5UY. M a p p 77 D5. § ( 017687) 77247. ` ( 017687) 77363. $ e m a il @ l eat h es h ead . co . uk 0 b, l , d . Roo m s 11. ∂¢Dec to mid-Feb. / V . ] Ph easa n t Inn T he old oak bar , full of dark nooks and crannies, is a gem, little changed from its earliest days. Beyond that are several lounges w it h generous sitting s p ace. Be d rooms are mo d ern an d l ig h t, wit h out TV or te l e ph one. T h e f oo d ma k es f ew concessions to f as h ion – a sim pl e c h aracter f u l inn, recent ly re f ur b is h e d . N Bassent h waite La k e, Coc k ermout h , Cum b ria C A13 9YE. Ma p p 77 D5. § (017687) 76234. ` ( 017687 ) 76002. $ p heasant@eas y net.co.u k 0 b, l , d . R ooms 1 8 . ∂ ¢ Christmas Day. / MC, V. ] ] L in d et h Fe ll L arge mature gar d ens g l owing wit h aza l eas an d r h o d o d en d rons in s p ring, tremen d ou s views, an d a warm, courteous we l come f rom Pat and Diana Kenned y at this comfortable countr y house. Wood-panelled hall, two sitting rooms, and pleasingly decorated bedrooms. Drinks an d tea can b e taken on the terrace. N Bowness-on-Windermere , Cumbria LA23 3JP . M ap p77 D5 . § ( 01539 ) 443286. ` ( 01539 ) 447455. $ k ennedy@lindeth f ell.co.u k 0 b , l , d. R ooms 14 . ∂ ¢ J an to ear ly Fe b . / M C, V. ]] B B OWNESS OWNESS - ON ON W - W INDERMERE INDERMERE D evons h ire Arms Th is g l ossy, go-a h ea d country h ote l is owne d by t h e Du k e an d Duc h ess o f Devons h ire, an d f urnis h e d l arge l y wit h o b jects from Chatsworth House. There are two dinin g r ooms, the formal Burlin g ton Restaurant and the designer Brasserie. Best of the bedrooms are th e themed four-poster rooms in the Old Wing. N Bolton Abbey, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 6AJ. M ap p75 D1 . § ( 01756 ) 710441. ` ( 01756 ) 710564. $ d ev.arms@ l egen d .co.u k 0 b , l , d . R oom s 41 . S÷∂¢ Never. / A E, DC, MC, V. ]]] B B OLTON OLTON A A BBEY BBEY F irst-time visitors are o f te n s urprise d b y t h e f o ll owing f eatures o f European h ote l s a n d ot h er p l aces to stay : A da p tors (ada p ters) Th e e lectricity p oints vary from c ountry to country so you will find it useful to take a u niversal ada p tor. T i pp ing v aries wi d e ly f rom c ountr y to countr y . See t h e ad vice g iven on t h e i ntro d uctory p ages f or eac h c ountr y. Face c l ot hs and Kleenex ti ssues are not always p rovi d e d. P rivate b at h rooms Y o u ’ ll most ly , b ut not a l wa y s, g e t y our own b at h room. Floor num b ers W h at A m e ri ca n s ca ll t h e fir st fl oo r is known as the ground floo r ( or “0”) in Euro p e. In Britain, “elevato r s ” a r e “ l i fts ” . Br eak f asts ( especia ll y in France an d Ita ly) are o f te n minimal com p ared wit h w h at ’ s se r ved in t h e US – o ften no more than bread r olls, butter, j am and possibl y a cho i ce of coffee o r tea. Pass p ort as security Man y of t h e p l aces f eature d in t h is g ui d e wi ll as k f or t h is w h en y ou check in. It will b e r eturned when y ou leave. Mar k in g s on h ot an d co ld t ap s may be confusing. In F rance, f or examp l e, ‘C’ means h ot ( chaud ). d d • Th e factua l information A ll you nee d to f ina l ize your c h oice an d b oo k . For a n exp l anation o f t h e sym b o l s, see page 9. • T h e d escription Gives the essential character of the place. • S hort entries without a photo Th ese are a ll g reat pl aces to sta y – each and ever y one o f them a use f ul address – but for one reason or another our inspectors could not rate the m as high as the entries with p hotos. Don’t be surprised t o f in d some we ll - k nown, l ux- u rious p l aces among t h es e s h ort entries. T h e y ma y be to p -c l ass h ote l s, b ut ou r ins p ectors were b rie f e d to l oo k f or pl aces t h at o ff ere d t h e traveller somethin g s p ecial , rather than p laces that f ollo w a formula – however luxu r ious. T H E L ISTINGS LL Th ese f o ll ow in a l p habetical order b y nearest town or city. L ong entries follow their o wn a l p h a or d er, as d o sho r ts. • Regional introduction B ritain, France, Ita ly , G erman y an d S p ain h ave b een divided into re g iona l sub-sections , each with a sho r t int r oduction. T he othe r c ountries in the guide are not sub-divided . • E ntries with a photo Th ese are our f avourite p laces. Each con f orms to a l ar g e number o f our selection c riteria (see panel on page 6 ). D on’t expect them all to c harge the same price or to c onform to a rigid standard. I n or d er to ma k e t h e gui d e interesting, many d i ff erent t yp es o f accommo d ation h ave b een inc l u d e d , at ever y p rice l eve l . Not j ust h ote l s, b ut guest h ouses, b e d -an d - b rea kf asts, inns and even a f ew sel f - c aterin g p laces . F O R V IS IT O R S FR OM V V O U T S IDE E U R O PE H OW TO R EAD THE E N TRIE S 1 8 (TEXT BLACK plate) 11:21 PM Page 12:30 AM Page 8:30 AM Page 8 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 26/8/03 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 6/7/01 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 6/7/01 3 1 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 6/7/01 12:30 AM Page 9 9 N P ostal add r ess § Tele p hone numbe r ` Fax number $ E -mail addres s , if a vailable when we went t o p ress. Some hotels will h ave acquire d e-mai l a f ter t h is e d ition o f t h e gui d e was printe d . Note, too, t h at man y c h an g e t h eir e-mai l add ress f rom time to time. M an y h ote l s wit h e-mai l a lso have a website – y ou ma y find it worthwhile t o sea r c h f o r t hi s o n t h e I nternet – it is highly c onvenient to book through the Web . 0 M ea l s g enera lly s erved in the establishment‘s ow n r estaurant or eat i ng area: b – breakfast , l – lunch , d – dinner. Some p laces s erve a l ig h t l unc h ( or even p rovi d e a picnic ) on r equest. Remem b er t h at r estaurants ma y b e c l ose d o n certain d a y s o f t h e wee k – enquire w h en b oo k ing. W e do not show whether room service is available or n ot. N um b er of room s . We g ive t h e tota l num b er, i nc l u d in g sin gl es, d ou bl es a n d s u ites. ∂ G ar d en , t errace or any o utsi d e area. z A ir conditioning in m ost o f t h e rooms, or throu g hout. S Poo l – w h et h e r i t i s i ndoor , outdoor , heated or without heating. ÷ H ealth f ac i l i t i es – w h et h er exercise m ac h ines, f itness room, gy mnas i um, tra i ner, sauna , J acuzzi or whirl p ool. ¢ Cl ose d / C re d it car d s W e not e o n ly w h et h er American E xpress ( AE ) , Diners C l u b ( DC ) , Mastercar d ( MC ) or Visa ( V ) are acce p te d . Other cards ma y b e a cce p ted too. ]]] Price b an d s i n the l oca l currenc y , re f errin g to t h e price o f a stan d ar d d ou bl e room in h i gh s eason. T h ese p rices wer e q uoted to our contibutors a nd were correct at time o f going to p ress – there i s, however, no guarantee that you will be offered e xactly the same p rices. ( Some h ote l s in tourist c entres wi ll raise t h eir prices w h en d eman d l oo k s as i f it wi ll excee d s pace. ) T h e price b an d i s t h ere f ore on ly an in d ication o f the cost of sta y in g in a hotel. Please note that o ur e n t ri es o f te n o ff e r a w i de range of rooms, from chea p to ex p ensive: en q uire when b oo k ing. T h e price may or m ay not inc l u d e b rea kf ast. D epen d ing on t h e country, b rea kf ast is eit h er inc l u d e d , o r an extra, b ut t h e price of b rea kf ast rare ly ma k es a si g nificant difference to the p rice band. The p rice b ands differ for each c ountry, and their actual values are given on the relevant introductory p ages. M a l t Ho u se In a tiny h am l et com p rising l itt le more t h an c h urc h an d pu b , is t h is d e l ig h t f u l 17t h -century Cotswo ld h ouse. T h ere are l ow , b eame d cei l ings an d l ea d e d win d ow s overlooking a dream garden. The attractiv e b edrooms include a garden suite. The owners ’ son, Julian Brown, is the accomplished cook. N Broad Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6UU. M a p p 74 A2. § ( 01386 ) 8402950. ` (01386) 841334. $ ni c k @t h e -m a l t -h ouse .fr eese rv e . co . u k 0 b,d. Rooms 8. ∂ ¢ C h ristmas . / AE , D C, M C, V . ]] B R OAD C A MP D EN Photo o f hote l Villa g e, town o r c ity in which, o r near w h ic h , t he e ntry is l ocate d A dd r ess Map locatio n E-m a i l add r ess Nu m be r of rooms Telephone numbe r Fax num b e r M eals G arden When closed Credit cards Price ban d Descri p tion of hotel A N E XPLA N ATIO N OF TH E S YMB O L S H OW T O US E THI S GU ID E T HE L O N G E R E NT RIES WI T H P HOTO See opposite. T h e i n fo rm at i o n i s a l wa y s g iven in t h e same sequence. H OW TO R EAD THE E N TRIE S 11 (TEXT BLACK plate) :52 PM Page 9 12:30 AM Page 912:30 AM Page 9: GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 6/7/01 GPS_006-009_Prelim/HTG.qxd 6/7/01 1 [...]... cream or ice cream Meatballs with gravy and cranberry sauce, and gravad lax raw salmon marinated with dill and served with mustard dressing are also delicious The standard of food in the hotels listed here is generally very high, and will include game in season, along with international dishes The only drawback is the expense You may find that after a few days of hotel dining that stocking up for a. .. dragon heads and gargoyles; the period interior, with its leather upholstery and stained glass, is splendid too Hotel Mundal Few hotels can match the instant appeal of the Mundal, whose Victorian faỗade nestles beside the fjord with the mountains rising steeply behind Inside are nooks and crannies dripping with antiques and fishing memorabilia Tasty meals are served in a spacious dining room that appears... roof terrace ỉsterbo Fjellstove This smart, well-maintained mountain lodge lies at the start of the celebrated Aurlandsdal valley walk and is a favourite with hikers Most of the rooms are in the main lodge; there is additional accommodation in cabins on the grounds, and in an old medieval storehouse The last is a charming affair of warm wood and narrow bunkbeds N Kongens Gate 5, N-0153 Oslo Map p15 E4... ribs, sausage and dumplings Reindeer steaks are available throughout the year, either served with boiled potatoes and cranberry sauce, or as the main component of a rich stew Venison, elk and seal meat the latter marinaded until it is almost black and tasting slightly of the sea are also occasionally offered s A thick gravy (brun saus) seems to be served with anything meaty, but you can get away from... Roslagen, north of Stockholm On or close to the premises, enjoy golf, clay-pigeon shooting, wine-tastings, sauna, rowing, canoeing, cycling and walking and after all that activity, just luxuriate in the first-class restaurant Havsbaden This old spa hotel in a fishing village, lovingly restored, offers a very warm welcome Seasonal local food, such as smoked eel, is a speciality The sea views, space, and... same family since it was opened in 1912, this is a firm favourite with many regular visitors to Oslo The hotels immaculately maintained interior a major expansion is under way is graced by an eclectic collection of antiques, such as monks seats, candelabra and ornate fireplaces Solstrand Fjord Hotel The Schau-Larsen family run this refined and elegant hotel with an eye to detail The furnishings are... cosy hotel has been decorated in the style of a mountain lodge, with acres of pine panelling, animal heads on the walls and a scattering of pretty curios In the restaurant, the waiters wear national costume and serve up a tempting range of Lapland delicacies including cloudberries and caribou, as well as what is probably the best apple pie in town Midtnes Pensjonat Blessed with a lovely location, on... ATHROOMS OAR AND BERRIES twin beds, ask for them specifically when booking The Swedish have a tradition of being health and environment conscious so some hotels, The Grand Hotell, Marstrand, page 33 including larger chains, are switching to anti-allergenic the nearest 10Kr, or you can bedding and biodegradeable leave a tip of around 10 per cleaning products As well as cent if you want to sparkling bathrooms,... many places will have a sauna Telephoning As well as the (usually open usual call boxes there are to both sexes) Turist Telefon payphones in summer in the major cities, O THER P RACTICAL offering half-price calls To I NFORMATION make a phone call within Sweden, dial the full number REAKFAST AT most hotels is To phone Sweden from the lavish a buffet with UK, dial the international cheeses, including... the main towns are Gothenburg, Malmử and Helsingborg Gothenburg has an elegant city hotel, a useful first stop before heading for the regions attractive beach resorts, often based around old, fortified towns The Baltic islands of ệland and Gotland are both popular, relaxed beach holiday places relatively uncrowded, with attractive seaside hotels Stockholm, Swedens capital, makes a welcome urban interlude . b e h in d . Insi d e are noo k s an d crannie s d ri pp ing wit h anti q ues an d f is h ing memora b i l ia . Tasty mea l s are serve d in a s p acious d ining roo m th at appears to h ave. im p osing structure is to pp e d by an extraordinar y fl y in g tail fin; the interior is suitabl y nautical, cool and curvacious. Ever y r oom has a private bay-view deck. N Havannah St , Cardiff. local specialitie s s uch as seafood and g ame, a n d h ave a l o y a l c l iente l e w h o rearrange t h eir itinerar y Wykham Arms at Winchester, page 92, the archetypal pub-with-character kh