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Holiday destinations in the UK reviewed by luxury leisure reviews blogger ALadyofLeisure.com

A luxurious foodie stay at Gravetye Manor, a West Sussex gem

by Sarah Bridge
added June 27, 2020

When I first arrived at Gravetye Manor, the Michelin-starred country house hotel with award-winning gardens, I soon decided that this was one of the best hotels in West Sussex and when I was fortunate to revisit recently, there was nothing to make me...

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The Headland: luxury hotel at the heart of Newquay Cornwall

by Sarah Bridge
added June 19, 2020

When hotels are able to open after lockdown the Headland hotel in Cornwall might just be the place to blow away the hibernation cobwebs. Perched right at the end of the glorious Fistral Beach in Newquay and surrounded by, well, nothing but coast and ...

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A West Sussex spa hotel stay come rain or shine at South Lodge, Horsham

by Sarah Bridge
added February 28, 2020

Staying at a luxury country house hotel when the weather is terrible might seem like a bit of a waste – you can forget cocktails on the terrace, long country walks, or stunning photos to make your friends envious - so our trip to West Sussex spa hote...

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New Hall historic hotel in Birmingham with a spa, pool and its very own moat

by Sarah Bridge
added February 12, 2020

There are probably many historic hotels in Birmingham with a spa and swimming pool but I can't imagine that many of them come with a moat. In fact, I was trying to think of any hotels with a moat which I've reviewed for ALadyofLeisure.com and I'm not...

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Top Ten romantic hotels for Valentine’s Day (and year-round romance)

by Sarah Bridge
added February 9, 2020

While everyone's idea of a romantic hotel break is different, I think it's fair to assume there are some things which you have to expect: sumptuous, immaculate bedrooms, a top restaurant serving great food, gorgeous grounds for a romantic pre-dinner ...

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Cornish spa delight at Mullion Cove hotel in Cornwall

by Sarah Bridge
added October 31, 2019

Not having had the luxury of a clifftop spa hotel on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall before, I didn't have much to compare Mullion Cove hotel with, but judging on my first visit I think it will be hard to beat. The location of Mullion Cove ho...

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A room with a seaside view at Thurlestone hotel in south Devon

by Sarah Bridge
added October 15, 2019

Reaching Thurlestone hotel in south Devon is like going down Alice in Wonderland's rabbit hole. You plunge off the main road along one of those high-hedged, single-track lanes which Devon specialises in and can do nothing but blindly follow its windi...

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A trip to Sherborne: an ancient castle and The Eastbury hotel

by Sarah Bridge
added September 26, 2019

My recent trip to Sherborne to review The Eastbury hotel was an unexpected delight. I had been looking forward to a stay at this luxury hotel as I'd heard great things about it but I knew almost nothing about Sherborne itself. I knew there was a cast...

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Finding sleep with Sleeptember: a stay at The Nadler Covent Garden hotel

by Sarah Bridge
added September 18, 2019

In terms of location, The Nadler Covent Garden in London is hard to beat. A hotel right on The Strand and possibly the closest hotel to Covent Garden, you’ll find several hundred restaurants and bars less than two minutes walk away. It’s one of those...

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The best luxury hotels for Christmas 2019 – my epic festive round-up

by Sarah Bridge
added September 5, 2019

Luxury country house hotels get booked up early for Christmas and with good reason: luxury hotels could be made for Christmas. Think of the best luxury country house hotels for Christmas and instantly you can picture the festive scene: comfy sofas, ...

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A most relaxing spa break at Ragdale Hall in Leicestershire

by Sarah Bridge
added August 8, 2019

There are some hotels with spas and there are some hotels which ARE spas. Ragdale Hall health spa in Leicestershire most definitely falls into the latter camp, making a spa break at Ragdale Hall a must for any spa fans. The moment you arrive you are ...

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Trying out Park House hotel’s new Germaine de Capuccini spa treatments

by Sarah Bridge
added July 9, 2019

Fans of Germaine de Capuccini who are wondering where to get Germaine de Capuccini spa treatments in the UK, will be delighted to hear that award-winning hotel Park House hotel and spa in West Sussex is the latest hotel to offer the skin care special...

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Medieval magic with a modern twist at The Swan hotel and spa in Lavenham, Suffolk

by Sarah Bridge
added May 29, 2019

Returning to The Swan hotel at Lavenham in Suffolk several years after my original stay, I was relieved to find that it was just as lovely as I remembered it. This time it also had the added attraction of its new (to me) Weavers' House Spa which had ...

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Curry, bagels, fish and chips and bacon butties on a food tour of London’s East End

by Sarah Bridge
added April 11, 2019

In just four hours I ate curry, fish and chips, stilton cheese, salt beef bagels, bread and butter pudding, salted caramel cheesecake and a bacon sandwich. With ketchup. Why? You might well ask. It was because I had decided to be a tourist in London ...

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A spookily moving Halloween in Derry Northern Ireland

by Sarah Bridge
added January 14, 2019

If it's ghouls, ghosts and goblins you're after, then you have to spend Halloween in Derry Northern Ireland and experience its epic Halloween festival for yourself. Derry was voted 'Best Halloween destination in the world' by American newspaper USA T...

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A timely jackpot at the Hippodrome casino, Leicester Square, London

by Sarah Bridge
added July 2, 2018

The timing couldn’t have been better, at least not for the Hippodrome. The moment I walked past the gaming area in the central London casino, one of the slot machines paid out the entire jackpot, handing the person playing on the machine a cool £12,5...

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The Bull at Sonning: a perfect example of a great British pub

by Sarah Bridge
added April 10, 2018

If you were to try and describe a classically British pub, then you’d probably come up with something like The Bull Inn, Sonning, in Berkshire. It’s got roaring fires and low beams, it is more than 600 years old, does great food and drink and is at t...

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A memorable 48 hours on the Isle of Wight including blue cheese, garlic beer, beautiful beaches and charming B&Bs

by Sarah Bridge
added March 24, 2018

'We just fell in love with the Isle of Wight,' said owner David Barrett as he showed me around Haven Hall, one of the newest B&Bs on the Isle of Wight. 'It's exactly like England was, 40 or 50 years ago.' Now this could be a positive or a nega...

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What’s it like to drive a £150,000 Aston Martin DB11?

by Sarah Bridge
added March 23, 2018

It's the car marque of dreams (and Hollywood folklore): Aston Martin cars have been super-cool ever since James Bond fired up an Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger. While Britain's top spy has also driven an Aston Martin DBS, an Aston Martin V12 Vanquish...

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14 wines at dinner and a spa to recover in: a memorable stay at The Vineyard, Newbury

by Sarah Bridge
added March 20, 2018

Halfway through our meal at The Vineyard hotel and spa, Newbury, I was beginning to wonder if I knew as much about wine as I thought I did. Not only could I not guess what grape variety I was drinking or what country it came from, I couldn't even wor...

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Make yourself at home at the grand but friendly Lewtrenchard Manor, Devon

by Sarah Bridge
added March 4, 2018

Lewtrenchard Manor is one of those classic country house hotels which actually feels like someone's home (a rather impressive stately home, that's true) rather than a hotel. Tucked away in the Dartmoor hills between Tavistock and Okehampton, Lewtrenc...

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Stanwell House hotel, Lymington: a New Forest welcome

by Sarah Bridge
added February 17, 2018

While I've explored all over the New Forest for ALadyofLeisure.com, visiting hotels such as Chewton Glen, Lime Wood, Montagu Arms, Burley Manor and The Bell Inn, I had yet to make it all the way through the National Park to Lymington, right at the so...

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Charming, boutique luxury at Daisybank Cottage bed and breakfast New Forest

by Sarah Bridge
added February 15, 2018

I'll be honest and confess I wasn't entirely sure about reviewing a B&B for ALadyofLeisure.com - not out of reasons of snobbery but because I usually write about hotels with massive restaurants, spa, acres of land and all the paraphernalia that c...

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Burley Manor hotel New Forest: relaxing country charm

by Sarah Bridge
added February 12, 2018

The first time I visited Burley Manor Hotel in the New Forest I had absolutely no expectations - not because I thought it was going to be terrible, but because it had never even crossed my radar before. It turned out there was a reason for this: whil...

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Bovey Castle: a friendly, historic, luxury Dartmoor hotel stay

by Sarah Bridge
added February 9, 2018

If you're going to spend the night in a castle, then it's appropriate to look the part, which is why it felt very fitting arriving at the luxury hotel Bovey Castle in the heart of Dartmoor in a £150,000 Aston Martin DB11. A trio of valets clad...

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A romantic seaside stay in a beach suite at Cary Arms and Spa hotel, Devon

by Sarah Bridge
added February 6, 2018

I've been lucky to stay in some of the best hotel rooms in the country but for sheer romance it's hard to beat a Beach Suite at the delightful Cary Arms and Spa on Babbacombe Bay, Devon - in the heart of the 'English Riviera'. With a private terrace ...

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The Pig near Bath: a heavenly, foodie, country retreat

by Sarah Bridge
added January 29, 2018

It is always nice to be greeted on arriving at a hotel by someone saying enthusiastically: 'You're just in time for lunch!' and even better when you are promptly whisked off to sit in the sun with a large G&T while you dither happily over a mouth...

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UK (83 posts found)

A luxurious foodie stay at Gravetye Manor, a West Sussex gem

The Headland: luxury hotel at the heart of Newquay Cornwall

A West Sussex spa hotel stay come rain or shine at South Lodge, Horsham

New Hall historic hotel in Birmingham with a spa, pool and its very own moat

Top Ten romantic hotels for Valentine’s Day (and year-round romance)

Cornish spa delight at Mullion Cove hotel in Cornwall

A room with a seaside view at Thurlestone hotel in south Devon

A trip to Sherborne: an ancient castle and The Eastbury hotel

Finding sleep with Sleeptember: a stay at The Nadler Covent Garden hotel

The best luxury hotels for Christmas 2019 – my epic festive round-up

A most relaxing spa break at Ragdale Hall in Leicestershire

Trying out Park House hotel’s new Germaine de Capuccini spa treatments

Medieval magic with a modern twist at The Swan hotel and spa in Lavenham, Suffolk

Curry, bagels, fish and chips and bacon butties on a food tour of London’s East End

A spookily moving Halloween in Derry Northern Ireland

A timely jackpot at the Hippodrome casino, Leicester Square, London

The Bull at Sonning: a perfect example of a great British pub

A memorable 48 hours on the Isle of Wight including blue cheese, garlic beer, beautiful beaches and charming B&Bs

What’s it like to drive a £150,000 Aston Martin DB11?

14 wines at dinner and a spa to recover in: a memorable stay at The Vineyard, Newbury

Make yourself at home at the grand but friendly Lewtrenchard Manor, Devon

Stanwell House hotel, Lymington: a New Forest welcome

Charming, boutique luxury at Daisybank Cottage bed and breakfast New Forest

Burley Manor hotel New Forest: relaxing country charm

Bovey Castle: a friendly, historic, luxury Dartmoor hotel stay

A romantic seaside stay in a beach suite at Cary Arms and Spa hotel, Devon

The Pig near Bath: a heavenly, foodie, country retreat

Montcalm London City and The Jugged Hare: brewing history and the wow factor