Great Britain
Best and worst accommodations:
Best: Abbeyfields Guest House, York
Why: Just as described in the guidebook, Abbeyfields was a charming place to stay and well located, all at a reasonable price. A pleasure.
Worst: None
Why: We didn't use any other recommended places for our stay. (We used Hilton honors points and went upscale for Edinburgh and London.)
Matt L. in Arlington, VA USA 10/21/2009
Best: Marine House B&B Portree, Isle of Skye
Why: Fiona Stevenson is an absolute dear. She was very friendly and knowledgeable and at the same time was protective of our privacy. Fabulous view of the Portree Harbor from our front room.
Anne Herfindahl in Vashon Island, WA USA 09/21/2009
Best: Lumley Castle, Parkfield, Bantum Tea Rooms and Coalbrookdale Inn
Why: All of our B&Bs were very good, but the Castle was lovely and splurge and their food was wonderful. The location of the Bantum Tea Room was perfect and we just loved the bakery, plus there was a festival in town when we stayed
Jan and Greg Wieboldt in Ormond Beach, FL USA 09/12/2009
Best: Adelphi Guest House, Stratford-upon-Avon; Badgers Wood B&B, Lake District/Keswick; Premier Inn London County Hall
Why: Adelphi: Amazing breakfast menu, pleasant and helpful owners, off street parking. Badgers Wood: Attentive but not intrusive owners, immaculate rooms. Premier Inn London: Mixed bag but location-location-location and value put it in the plus column; exceedingly stuffy room (locked window relieved only by small fan) and bathroom.
Worst: Travelodge York Central
Why: Bordering-on-shabby rooms, inattentive staff, very noisy bar crowd below our room, room charges billed in advance of arrival.
Mark H. in Seattle, WA USA 09/04/2009
Best: Priestville Guest House - Edinburgh
Why: We spent two nights in Edinburgh and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Colin is a wonderful, gracious host. He made sure we knew how to use the bus to get around the city. Gave us tips on when to visit certain attractions, suggested good restaurants and pubs. His breakfasts were fantastic. The guesthouse itself is charming. Beds and shower facilities are wonderful. We couldn't have picked a better place to stay.
Kristi Davis in Carmel, IN USA 07/19/2009
Best: Elizabeth-London
Why: Nice location near Victoria Station. Staff could have been more helpful on suggesting sites/day trips but curtious. Breakfast staff great.
Worst: Winchester - London
Why: Booked a room for 3 nights and had to change rooms each night (!), compute did not work and most of the staff not so pleasant. (maybe due to our frustrations of having to change rooms each day).
Kendra K in Denver, CO USA 06/06/2009
Best: The Macdonald Holyrood Hotel - Edinburgh
Why: The hotel was lovely. Very clean, nice size rooms and huge marble bathrooms. We loved the china tea set and shortbread cookies in the room. Hotels tend to be somewhat sterile and cold, but we found this one to be charming and the staff was friendly and helpful. It was a lovely experience.
Ellen Cole in Shaker Heights, OH USA 06/05/2009
Best: Park Farm in Windsor
Why: Very fresh and lovely. Very accommodating inn keepers who helped with sightseeing questions and offered alternatives and extras.
Worst: Cartref in London
Why: Mattresses very old and uncomfortable, shabby feel with toilet tank cover jammed through wall. Breakfasts with powdered eggs. It was clean though.
Bev Terry in Shelby Township, MI USA 06/03/2009
Best: Premier Inn London County Hall
Why: I know it's a Premier Inn. So sue me! They're not my preference, either. I'd prefer a sociable B&B or some hotel with personality. It also wasn't the cheapest accomodations one could find if one went to the fringes of London Zone 1.
But the rooms were large, on a quiet street. The double rooms also have a day bed and so hold 3 people. The breakfast was decent. But most important: location. It was so nice to wake up every morning, stroll out of the hotel, and around the corner is the London Eye, a view over the river Thames, to your left is the Westminster Bridge straight into Westminster, and to your right is the bridge to Charing Cross, convenient to Trafalgar Square and all those environs.
Being right next to Waterloo (if you find the right exit to come out of 8-) is also convenient for travel to Kew Gardens and Hampton Court Palace without having to use the Underground.
Finally, 4 different Underground lines come right to Waterloo, and two more are a lovely walk over to Embankment across the Thames.
Ethan Solomita in San Francisco, CA USA 05/30/2009
Best: Hotel Ceilidh-Donia EDINBURGH
Why: What a wonderful, all-inclusive place to dtay! Our room was perfect; Max and Annette were gracious hosts. Annette is a fine chef. We stayed in Edinburgh for 5 days, and 3 of those evenings, we ate 'in' at the hotel restaurant, terrific food. They were helpful in getting us our reservation for our day-trip to Glasgow to visit the Glasgow School of Art. Very accommodating hoteliers.
Carla White in San Francisco, USA 04/05/2009
Best: Vicorian Town House, DURHAM
Why: Jill and Andy were tremendously helpful and friendly hosts. Our room was lovely...with absolutely the best towels in Britain! Yes, we notice these things. Good breakfast. Convenient location. Highly recommended.
Carla White in San Francisco, CA USA 04/05/2009
Best: Aonach Mor - Edinburgh
Why: we stayed at Aonach Mor based on the guide book And all the fantastic reviews, but when we arrived we realized that it had changed ownership! However Jamie and Sam (the new managers) are simply great! went out of their way to make our stay the best of our trip! not only is Aonach Mor a friendly place to stay, it is also a very clean and comfortable B&B...and the four poster room...WOW!!! talk about luxury! we will be back!
Chris King in San Diego, CA USA 12/02/2008
Best: Ardconnel House, Inverness, Scotland
Why: Welcoming owners John and Elizabeth have a charming, beautifully decorated B&B in the heart of Inverness. Our room was cozy rather than spacious, but very warm and comfortable.
Ron in DeWitt, MI USA 10/10/2008
Best: Kinloch B&B
Why: Friendly hosts. Great location. Not on the list but should be considered for those traveling to out of the way parts of the Highlands for outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife.
Worst: Bazpackers Hostel
Why: The room was clean and comfy but very spartan. The heat did not come on until halfway through the night. And the bathroom had a wet floor because other guests neglected to put down the provided bath mat. Unfortunate but still annoying first thing in the morning. Also, the American girl who registered us was less than helpful about parking and other info. But overall, it could have been much worse. Still worth staying here if you are on a budget and want some comfort and security.
Robyn Zicker in Forest Hill, MD USA 10/10/2008
Worst: Cherry Court Hotel, London
Why: We had Room 12 in the basement, with a double and single bed, which provided us a bit of extra space for which we were thankful. But the bed...ouch! I am still bruised. Nonetheless, for location and price I really can't complain.
Pat Best in Kingston, ON Canada 10/04/2008
Best: Friendly and helpful hosts
Why: We enjoyed our stays at the Winchester Hotel in London, Airdenair Guest House in Edinburgh, Cameron House in St. Andrews, Arconnel House in Inverness and Craigroyston House in Pitlochry. They were the hosts and accomodations were great - we highly recommend them!
tom & Karen Rauls in Gilbert, AZ USA 09/14/2008
Best: Emsley Guest House Stratford
Why: The owners were very helpful and friendly the breakfast was killer.
Catherine McNabb in Port Townsend, WA USA 09/13/2008
Best: Travelodge Hotels
Why: They are everywhere and you get good value for your money and a shower that works. They allow you to be anonymous when you just want a place to sleep and don't want a "friendly, local experience."
Mark Walker in Turlock, CA USA 08/30/2008
Best: Treetops Guest House, Moreton-on-Marsh
Why: Wonderful room at amazingly low cost. The hosts were extremely helpful and personable. They gave us a lot of help with trying to recover an item lost on the train.
Worst: Winchester House
Why: As noted above
Joan Anderson in Federal Way, WA USA 08/25/2008
Best: All of them - again!
Why: We stayed at the Fishermore in Conwy, Gill Brow Inn in the Lake District, Airdenair in Edinburgh, Bootham Guest House in York, Kensington Gardens in London, Chirchill Guesthouse in Dover and Canon Grange in Wells (what a lovely breakfast room!!).
Susan Armstrong in St. Paul, MN USA 08/24/2008
Best: Bryn B and B in Conwy, N. Wales
Why: Based on our 5-day stay there, Rick's comments don't do the Bryn justice. On 3 trips in the past 5 years, my wife and I have stayed in two dozen fine B and Bs in various European countries; this is our all-time favorite. Everything is top-notch: 1) best location in town, both for views of the town and castle and for the beautiful backyard garden framed by the massive town wall; 2) tastefully decorated, spotless rooms with comfortable beds; 3) a hostess who was born to run a B and B (friendly, eager to help in any way); 4) wonderful breakfasts in terms of variety and quality (best sausage, home-baked breads); 5) quality extras and touches (lavender soap, chocolates on the pillow each night, excellent quality coffee in the room as well as in the dining room); 6) great value - only 64 Pounds per night.
Jay Seidenstein in Honolulu, HI USA 08/17/2008
Best: Glenalmond B&B, Edinburgh
Why: The room and bathroom were also small but compensated for by Fionna and Jimmy's warmth and by the whole house/breakfast/dining room. We found them through your recommended Turret House.
Worst: Kenvie Guest House, Edinburgh
Why: This place felt the least personal of all the places we stayed, and the room was small and minimal.
Susan in Seattle, WA USA 07/26/2008
Best: Ashcroft Guest House, Haltwhistle, England
Why: It has been a dream of mine to visit Hadrian’s Wall and finally after numerous trips to the UK, I had it in my itinerary for this year’s trip. I had researched numerous places to stay in the area and decided to stay at the Ashcroft Guest House in Haltwhistle. All my emails were answered promptly and they gave me a special rate as I was traveling alone. Upon my arrival in Haltwhistle, it was an easy 10 min walk from the train station through the cute little town and was greeted warmly. My room was huge, with a lovely bed, great view of their garden and a big flat screen TV. The Canadian in me thought the washroom was small however I have been to the UK 10+ times and remember the days when there were no en-suite washrooms so no complaints about the washroom. Christine and Geoff James are amazing host, with a wealth of knowledge of the area and when you are travelling alone it was nice to have someone like this to talk to. Lastly, the breakfast was incredible; made to order, plentiful, varied, and it kept me going the whole day. I hope to go back another time to Hadrian’s Wall and will be contacting Christine and Geoff to stay at their lovely property when I do.
Paul McClure in Brampton, ON Canada 07/22/2008
Worst: Thistle Barbican
Why: It was a lovely-looking hotel in a great location. The problem was with a 2 month advance reservation and a written confirmation of guaranteed for late arrival - we arrived to discover they had given our room away and had to find other accommodations in the middle of the night after a 4000 mile trip. Management was completely irresponsible and incompetent.
Sharon Wardrip in Indianapolis, IN USA 07/16/2008
Best: Sollars Barn B&B off A4112 near Leominster
Why: DILWYN, HEREFORDSHIRE HR4 8JJ (South of Leominster off A4112 – near Weobley) Off A49 Sollars Barn B&B (Mrs. Jean Anthony) Dilywn, Herefordshire HR4 8JJ Tel: (Pembridge) 01544 388260 NO WEBSITE. We found this lovely B&B at 5:30 pm along a “B” road (A4112), (we did not have reservations for one day). This was a WONDERFUL find. It has a very beautiful garden area, well manicured. Jean is a very gracious hostess. Dilwyn Pub is one mile away. Great food and entertainment. One double and two twin rooms en-suite. GREAT experience!
Bonnie in Tigard, or USA 07/11/2008
Best: The Fairhaven
Why: NORTH WALES - BETWS-Y-COED The Fairhaven Guesthouse and Winifreds Tearoom (Simon and Sharon Ward) Holyhead Road Betws-y-Coed Conwy LL42 OAY UK Tel: 01690 710307 Mobile 07748404357 www.fairhaven-snowdonia.co.uk Email: Fairhaven.ward@btinternet.com Location: Right on the main road going through Betws-y-coed. Close to town. Parking in free public lot about a 5 minute walk from the B&B. You can park along the road to unload luggage. The Fairhaven also has a café and afternoon tea. Great hosts. Willing to provide breakfast items for early departure. Great location for touring the area.
Bonnie in Tigard, or USA 07/11/2008
Best: Woodville B&B
Why: BATH, ENGLAND Woodville House B&B (Anne Toalster) (Listed in ETBD Great Britain 2008 Guidebook) – Wonderful Hostess and location. 4 Marlborough Lane, Bath, BA1 2NQ Tel: (01225 319335) Email: annetoalster@freenet.co.uk / annetoalster@btinternet.com Close to Royal Crescent and City Centre. (About a 15 minute walk to center of Bath). One room has view of Bath Abbey. Wonderful hostess. Shared bath. Good breakfast of meat, cheese, hardboiled eggs, fresh fruit, cereal, yogurts, (proper) coffee, tea.
Bonnie in Tigard, o USA 07/11/2008
Best: Glencoed B&B
Why: NORTH WALES - LLANGOLLEN (B&B is about 5 miles from Llangollen) Glencoed B&B (Derek and Rosemary Hughes) (400+ year old home) Cross Street, Pentre, Chirk, Wrexham LL14 5AN Llangollen (01691 778148) Off the main highway down a country driveway situated near the canal. Email: glencoed@croeso.net Call for directions. Home is located near Froncysylite. (10 minute walk from B&B on canal to Pontcysylite Aquaduct.) Near Derek is full of historic information. Derek offers tours of the area. Good English breakfast. Rooms are clean and well taken care of. One room has own private sitting area, private bath on ground floor while bedroom is up narrow stairs. It was a wonderful experience. (The canal runs behind the B&B.) Within a 15 minute walking distance to Telford Inn for dinner. WONDERFUL LOCATION!! About 5 miles from Llangollen and close to Chirk Castle, Valle Crucis and Erddig.
Bonnie in Tigard, or USA 07/11/2008
Best: The Crown and Trumpet
Why: BROADWAY, (COTSWOLDS) The Crown and Trumpet (Scott Andrew) Church Street, Broadway, Worcestershire WR 12 & AE Email: ascot@cotswoldholidays.co.uk or the crowninn@ic24.com Tel: 01386 853202 Just off the main street of Broadway. Great pub/hotel with entertainment and great charm. Friendly and helpful Robin and Scott. Good English Breakfast. Great location to tour the small villages in the Cotswolds.
Bonnie in Tigard, or USA 07/11/2008
Best: The Falcon Hotel (B&B)
Why: LONDON The Falcon Hotel (Freddie) 11 Norfolk Square Paddington North Hyde Park London W2 1RU England Tel: +44 (1) 7723 8603 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7402 7009 Web: www.falcon-hotel.com Email: Info@falcon-hotel.com Clean hotel, friendly staff, willing to help with any questions. Good English Breakfast. It is an old historic building. Hotel offers a rate break for multiple nights of lodging. (Great location). Hotel is located two blocks from Paddington Train Station and Underground. Within walking distance to North side of Hyde Park. Internet access at front desk. Luggage storage on day of departure. Lots of stairs. Some rooms have toilet down a flight of stairs. Some rooms, ensuite. (WONDERFUL LOCATION, FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL STAFF)
BROADWAY, (COTSWOLDS)
Bonnie in Tigard, or USA 07/11/2008
Best: All
Why: Each B&B, including the Falcon Hotel which is a B&B because it includes the Full English Breakfast, had its own unique personality which was a good experience. The Sollars Barn was our serendipity find because we did not have a reservation for the night. We found it on A4112 at 5:30 pm. A GREAT barn conversion, great manicured garden area and great hostess, Jean Anthony.
Bonnie in Tigard, or USA 07/11/2008
Best: Gorphwysfa Guest House, Ruthin, Wales
Why: REALLY comfortable beds and outstanding service from our hostess, Margaret O'Raian
Kim Martin in Dallas, TX USA 07/07/2008
Best: Holly Villa Guest House, Bath
Why: Great hosts who offered advice on driving and services in dealing with rental car; beautiful room and garden; great breakfast; good price. A very close runner-up: Preistville Guest House, Edinburgh.
Worst: Queen Anne Guest Lodge, York
Why: Undergoing change of ownership; bathroom was not cleaned adequately (mold in shower and in carpet)
Elizabeth in Minneapolis, MN USA 05/19/2008
Worst: The Pink Guest House, Portree, Isle of Skye
Why: Our bathroom was not very clean and the towels were thin and shabby. The family room that we stayed in was on the ground floor right on the busy street that runs right next to the busy harbor area. People walking on the street could look right in. Would not recommend at all.
Janet Udouj in Little Rock, AR USA 05/16/2008
Best: Priestville Guest House, Edinburgh
Why: Colin is an amazing host and does everything in his power to make sure you have a great experience. As a result, the place fills up quickly, so book well in advance.
Barb Cohen in Saginaw, MI USA 05/15/2008
Best: Woodville House in Bath
Why: Anne Toalster is getting on in age and her husband passed away, but she is a kick and is very talkative. She wants to be involved in each vistors life. The rooms are nothing fantastic, but it is a comfortable place and a very nice lady to be your mother away from home.
Worst: Edinburgh Central Travelodge
Why: Dirty rooms, lack of help at front desk, although their location is great.
Steve Onustack in Lynnwood, WA USA 05/06/2008
Best: Ross & Kathleen Birnie's B&B, Edinburgh
Why: Everything in this meticulous and comfy B&B was perfect! It was both charming & loaded with comforts and conveniences. Their current place is Aonach Mor, but they are opening at 23 Mayfield Gardens in July.
Stacy Augustine in Phoenix, AZ USA 04/16/2008
Best: Dunedin Guest House
Why: We traveled with our two children (age 9 & 12). The family room was perfect for us. The Wrights were warm and friendly - my children had us go back and take a photo with the Wrights! The Scottish breakfast was wonderful!
Lisa Lysack in Liverpool, NY USA 10/17/2007
Best: The Ashcroft Guest House in Haltwhistle
Why: This was an amazing room. I think most people make a day trip out of Hadrian's wall/Vindolanda, otherwise this place would have dozens of glowing reviews on this site. The room was absolutely huge compared to everything else we'd stayed in on this trip. They gave us the family suite for the same price as the double since it was just 2 of us - claw foot tub, fluffy robes, wifi, patio, four-poster, giant flat-screen tv, 80 pounds/night. They also have a beautiful garden and the breakfast is fresh and made to order. The Hadrian's wall bus stops two blocks away.
Worst: Blue Cedar House, Moreton-in-Marsh
Why: The innkeepers are very friendly, but the room was very worn and tired. I think if you lived with a retiree who collects plates, this might feel like home.
Joanne in Fong, CA USA 10/04/2007
Best: Gwynfryn B & B
Why: Colin and Monica run a wonderful B & B. The room we had (the "Le Bleu" room) was very clean, with a large bathroom and very well decorated with a California coastline resort feel.
They set a new standard for service when they helped us find a convenient spot to park our car AND permitted their guests to use their computer for internet access (They were only B & B that we found that permitted this during our 3 weeks and 2 day visit to Great Britain. In fact, we enjoyed our stay so much we extended it from the original two days to three days!)
They were cheery, delightful, and helpful hosts, assisting us with any questions we had about the area and providing us with numerous travel and destination suggestions.
Gwynfryn was the best B & B we stayed at during our entire trip and we would gladly visit again if we were traveling anywhere nearby!
Thank Colin and Monica for a wonderful stay.
Dennis Ozman in Overland Park, KS USA 09/29/2007
Best: Airdenair Guest House, Edinburgh
Why: Neighborhood was great. Room was spotless, breakfast was wonderful. Jill was away when we visited but her daughter was wonderful and even gave us homemade scones, butter and jam to take on our early morning flight with us.
Worst: Elizabeth House, London
Why: This was a nightmare, had stayed at the Lime Tree B & B the previous year and that was a pleasure. One outlet, small sink, dirty and raggity curtains and the blankets could have been used for massive DNA testing. You need to rethink this one.
Kathleen Pezzo in Marlboro, NY USA 09/23/2007
Best: Dunsford Guest House
Why: The breakfast was the best of our trip and Richard and Linda took an interest in us and were a wealth of information about things to do/
Alan Leiserson in Nashville, TN USA 09/13/2007
Best: Barbican Guest House, York, England
Why: Rick, you really need to add this place to your list for York. Prices were reasonable, just outside the wall south side, easy walking distance to Castle area and Minster. If Rick's places are full, consider this one. It was absolutely the prettiest B&B we've ever stayed in. The breakfast room richly decorated in red with lovely china and even porcelain figurines. The bedroom with art prints and a bottle of sherry. Even the stairways lovingly decorated. Ann and Adrian the hosts were very friendly and helpful. Oh, yes, try Toto's Italian Restaurant two block away.
Keith Wood in Lawrence, KS USA 08/31/2007
Best: Airdenair Guest House
Why: Not the typical B&B where the owners talk you up and show you around the house. Jill pretty much leaves you alone, friendly but not gushing. Liked the baked pastries left in the common hallway for a good snack. No living room though to play games.
Aimee in Oakland, CA USA 08/26/2007
Best: Crown Hotel Guest House Inverness
Why: Gordans friendly welcome started our stay in Inverness in the best possible way. He offered suggestions and told stories. Great stay.
Sandy Marble in Reno, Nv USA 08/20/2007
Best: Aster House, London
Why: Great location in a quiet neighborhood, a relief after being in London's busy center. Comfortable room, although the bathroom was very small. Owners Leoni & Simon Tan were welcoming,enthusiastic and wonderful hosts and provided internet, cellphones, info about the neighborhood. The breakfast room was lovely and lots of newspapers. We would definitely stay there again.
Worst: The Hazelwood, York
Why: Clean, comfortable room, nicely appointed but not much personality overall. We never saw the owners and breakfasts were boring, very basic. We got a call from our daughter in London while we were out and they had no phone we could use to call her back and did not offer the use of their house phone. This was two days after the Glasgow bombing and failed car bombings in London.
Kathie Roon in Marysville, WA USA 08/06/2007
Best: Dragon House B&B, Chipping Campden
Why: The hosts were wonderful and the room was beautiful. Tremendous value for the price. The book describes a garden in the back yard, but garden hardly describes it. We enjoyed a gorgeous, relaxing retreat. The room was spotless and had a beautiful bathroom. Highly recommended!
Worst: Airden House, York
Why: Nice looking place, but not really a b&b atmosphere. I never met the owner on a three day, two night stay. Very cold atmosphere, with a tricky check in procedure that was quite a hassle. Much too expensive for the room. I would have had a similar experience in a large chain hotel.
Amy in Geneva, IL USA 07/27/2007
Best: Treetops Guest House
Why: Beautiful gardens, wonderful hostess! Great price.
Worst: York Youth Hotel
Why: Lots of family. Noise in upstair rooms was horrible!! I could hear the water running in the pipes behind my wall.
Pam in McPherson, KS USA 07/25/2007
Best: Garden Court Hotel, London
Why: Friendly, and fairly quiet
Joe Myers in SYLVANIA, OH USA 07/10/2007
Best: Prior House B&B, Bath
Why: Lynn Shearn delightful host! Easy access from M-4 and convenient parking.
Worst: Collin House Hotel, London
Why: Had stayed at the Collin House in 2005 and made arrangements again for this trip. They no longer are a B&B, but offer a 10% reduction on all purchases at 2 nearby cafes. The old lobby is now an office with luggage storage racks. They are part of a corportation that owns the Rosedene Hotel, Ebury House, Eaton House along with the Collin House, all on Ebury Street.
WILLIAM WOODBURN in Estes Park, Co USA 07/07/2007
Best: Priestville Guest House
Why: Trina and Colin were really friendly and just great hosts. They were the ones who recommended us to Hanedan's in Edinburgh and it was one of our best and cheapest meals in the UK!
Sharon in Pasadena , CA USA 07/01/2007
Best: Aonach Mor Guest House-Edinburgh
Why: Ross and his staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Great location and room. Fine room for 4 people. Great breakfast! Will be staying there again!!
Paul Dixon in Richmond Hill, GA USA 06/18/2007
Best: Turret Guesthouse, Edinburgh
Why: Lovely place, exceptional food, and charming hosts.
SUE MURRIAN in KNOXVILLE, TN USA 06/14/2007
Best: Dunedin Guest House
Why: The owners, the Wrights, are so welcoming and accommodating. They are truly knowledgeable about Edinburgh's events and activities. The guest house is immaculate and the included English Breakfast is amazing in its variety and its portions. It was a delight to stay with them.
Jennifer Trueit in Lakewood, WA USA 06/14/2007
Best: Crown Hotel Guesthouse, Ardconnel Street, Inverness and the Robin Hood Hotel, Blackpool
Why: Gordon, our host in Inverness, was chatty and helpful.
When we arrived at the Robin Hood Hotel in Blackpool, we saw a "No Vacancy" sign. I rang the bell, thinking they could recommend somewhere to stay. Fortunatel, I had my Rick Steves Great Britain 2007 under my arm. The host said, "Are you a Rick Stever? I'll fit you in!"
Worst: Elizabeth House, Warwick Way, London
Why: When we arrived, they did not have our reservation. Fortunately, I had their confirmation email with me, and they found us a room. The accommodation was tiny, with a miniscule sink, which trickled water. No hair gryer, no TV in the room, and right down the street from a parking garage, which meant it was noisy all night. There was an aura of seediness about the place, but it was 60 pounds/night and within walking distance of Victoria Station. I would have preferred the Elizabeth House in Eccleston Square, where I've stayed before, but they were booked.
Leslie Talley in Titusville, FL USA 06/09/2007
Best: Brodie's 2 Backpaker Hostel
Why: The info given was spot on. A great location and easy to book!
India in manchester, UK 06/06/2007
Best: Liked them all
Why: Town House B&B in Conwy had the best breakfast of any. The double room was much nicer than the ensuite, with a better view. They tend to split rooms up too much when they convert them to ensuites and make them smaller.
jenny in San Francisco, Ca USA 05/30/2007
Best: Queen Annes Guest House in York
Why: All the accomodations we used from the book were very good, but I would like to mention this one because the rooms were charming and clean, and the hosts were pleasant, efficient and unobtrusive. I liked that because I don't like a lot of conversation at breakfasttime.
jenny in San Francisco, Ca USA 05/30/2007
Best: St. Raphael - York
Why: The St. Raphael in York is a small B&B which has been completely redone in the last two years. Everything is clean, clean, clean! Very good breakfast and within a couple of blocks of the city center. Use Rick's shortcut from the train station and you can beat a taxi to the B&B. Highly recommended.
Jim Punches in Aptos, CA USA 05/24/2007
Best: Three Abbey Green - Bath
Why: Stayed at the Three Abbey Green (Old Plane Tree Room) in Bath for two nights as part of a three week England trip. This was the biggest room on our entire trip in a wonderfull B&B. Great location right next to the Abbey and Roman Spa. Would recommend at least three nights and two full days in Bath. Great break after London.
Jim Punches in Aptos, CA USA 05/24/2007
Best: Hotel Ceilidh-Donia, Edinburgh, Scotland
Why: Lovely, quiet neighborhood; pleasant, helpful hosts; comfortable room with a very nice bathroom (fantastic shower!), fabulous food in the restaurant; free Internet access; convenient to public transportation.
Judy Cascales in Chula Vista, CA USA 05/21/2007
Best: Gwynfryn B&B in Conwy, Wales
Why: Service above and beyond what a reasonable person would expect. Monica and Colin are wonderful and the place is beautiful.
Mary Clark in Silverthorne, CO USA 05/17/2007
Best: Liked them all....Priestville Guest House in Edinburgh, Parade Park in Bath, and Westland in London.
Why: Colin and his wife were wonderful at the Priestville in Edinburgh. Gave many tips on "saving a few pounds," and were delightful, and friendly. We were sad to have to leave. Parade Park in Bath had nice accommodations; however, we were up the stairs from the bar and had to tolerate a certain amount of cigarette smoke that drifted upstairs. Westland had nice accommodations, but I WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN TOLD I COULD NOT GET MY 10% RICK STEVES DISCOUNT BECAUSE I HAD THE 2006 Book. (I planned our trip last fall. The 2007 book was not out yet. The folks at Westland would not budge, even though the 2006 and 2007 books BOTH offered 10% discounts. Was told I should go down the street and purchase a 2007 edition if I wanted the discount.)
Susan Saric in Orland Park, IL USA 05/16/2007
Best: Dunedin Gues House, Edinburgh
Why: Clean, quiet, friendly, helped with questions and the breakfast room is perfectly arranged with white tablecloths, etc.
Mary in Orlando, FL USA 05/14/2007
Best: Gorphwysfa Guest House, Ruthin, North Wales
Why: Exceptional extras at no cost, i.e. we did Indian takeout for dinner & she offered and set us a lovely table with china by the fireplace to eat it. Greeted us with tea by the fire.
Ann Grant in Santa Cruz, CA USA 04/13/2007
Best: Airdenair Guest House in Edinburgh
Why: Cheery atmosphere and comfortable quarters. Breakfasts were very good, and Jill provided a hearty snack for us when we left early in the morning for a highlands tour. Very convenient to the bus and a short trip to the city center.
M.Heffron in Exeter, NH USA 04/11/2007
Best: Loved Priestville Guest House
Why: Great Price and loved the location. And you can't ignore Colins great breakfast that he makes for you each day. Colin and his family made us feel at home and really wanted to share that Scotland hospitality.
Roderick Blake in Galveston, Tx USA 04/08/2007
Best: Woodville House
Why: Anne Toalster - a lovely, generous woman. She was amazing and great.
Jemma in Seattle, WA USA 04/02/2007
Best: Priestville Guest House
Why: Colin Warwick at Priestville Guest House in Edinburgh was a fantastic host and fed my husband kippers and black pudding until he couldn't move. (He also gave me so many pots of tea that I floated after breakfast.
Heidi Schwartz in Ocean, NJ USA 03/04/2007
Best: B&Bs in the UK for families
Why: Our family (two parents/three teens) stayed comfortably at Six Mary's Place (Edinburgh), Castle Guest House (Dover), Ensley House (Stratford-Upon-Avon) and Lawn Guest House (Gatwick). All were well priced for their area and were safe, clean, and very friendly. Each has a ensuite family room that sleeps 5, served an exceptional Full English breakfast and had restaurants within walking distance.
Beth in Huntsville, AL USA 03/01/2007
Best: Highfield Farm B&B - Shipston On Stour
Why: During a UK trip in Aug 2006, we spent 2 nights at the Highfield Farm B&B; Honington, Shipston on Stour. The owners have added on to their lovely farm home to provide two en-suite bedrooms and one bedroom with adjoining bathroom off the hall. There is also a sitting room with a dining area that guests can use. The rooms were modern and spacious and the bathrooms were more modern than in many hotels in the US. The full English breakfast was almost more than we could eat and delicious. A car is a must, but the location was very central - a short drive to Stratford Upon Avon, Warwick, Chipping Campden and other nearby towns in the Cotswolds. We found this wonderful B&B in a Great Britian guide to B&B's.
Fred B. in Vancouver, WA USA 02/06/2007
|
