2023-08-08 16:32
If you’ve ever wanted to become a real-life Mr Darcy and/or Elizabeth Bennett, I can highly recommend a stay at the Hunting Tower, Chatsworth in Derbyshire. Not only do you get to stay… Read More
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Luxury leisure travel reviews website containing hundreds of reviews of luxury hotels, holidays, bars, restaurants, spas, cruises, ski holidays, adventure holidays and solo travel.
2023-08-04 10:44
‘Have you just been to the North Pole?’ I was asked on my return from my Svalbard holiday. It wasn’t too far from the truth. While the snowy archipelago of islands isn&rsqu&hell…Read More
2023-07-31 15:15
With European city breaks very much back on the agenda, Barcelona is a perennial favourite for those who love combining food and travel. This Spanish city is overflowing with culinary treats… Read More
2023-07-18 09:27
The Svalbard Express from Hurtigruten Norwegian shipping line is back – and last week I was on only its third ever sailing for 40 years. This iconic route up the Norwegian coast to Sva… Read More
2023-07-11 11:15
Spending a night at the Sunborn Yacht hotel London was a rather pleasant if surreal experience, not least because I saw the hotel first from high up in the sky – not a usual occurrence… Read More
2023-06-02 10:36
The Runnymede on Thames hotel and spa is the perfect place for, as the song goes, ‘messing about on the river’, as its riverside location means it couldn’t be easier to enj… Read More
2023-04-28 12:07
It isn’t often that you open the curtains of your hotel room to find a group of llamas peering in at you, but then a stay at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House in the Lake District is no… Read More
2023-04-03 14:36
If you’re looking for the perfect country house hotel then Hambleton Hall Rutland must be high on the list. Dating back to 1881, this classic luxury hotel in Britain’s small… Read More
2023-01-26 11:22
You don’t get to be included in the Sunday Times’ list of Best Places to Stay 2023 without good reason, and I was intrigued to find out what The Angel Inn Stoke-by-Nayland in Suf… Read More
2023-01-08 20:01
The Rectory Manor Hotel near Lavenham is a hotel stay like no other. For a start, it’s more like a B&B rather than a hotel, offering bed and breakfast ‘in the style of a hote… Read More
2023-01-05 21:37
With rooftop beehives, a ‘Vegan Suite’ and classic films playing in the lobby depending on the season, Hilton London Bankside is not your typical chain hotel offering. It’s… Read More
2023-01-05 16:26
Some hotel visits stay in your memory long after the trip itself, and my recent stay at the Northcote luxury hotel Lancashire was a case in point. Not only was it a lovely hotel located just… Read More
2022-12-16 12:15
I honestly thought my mum was going to join in at one point. We were at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane – normally home of Frozen, the Musical – at Classical Everywhere’s o… Read More
2022-11-22 11:19
7 of the best Eurocamp sites in France – by someone who’s been to them all! The biggest problem with trying to book a family holiday is that parents and kids usually want differe… Read More
2022-11-21 17:10
Being new to Paddington Basin and the whole ‘Aparthotel’ concept meant that I was entering the unknown with my stay at Wilde Aparthotels by Staycity Paddington London right… Read More
2022-11-02 09:13
Planning a significant birthday is always a scary prospect, but a weekend at the five star luxury hotel Bovey Castle in the heart of Dartmoor, meant that I was assured of a stay fit for the… Read More
2022-10-26 11:29
Arriving at The Foaling Box at Bethnal&Bec luxury self-catering studios, my partner’s first reaction was: ‘Wow? Can we stay here for a week?’ Sadly we were there just f… Read More
2022-10-22 16:34
Within minutes of arriving at our resort for our Cape Verde holiday, we had a drink in hand and had hit the dance floor – wearing jeans in 27-degree heat! Our week of fun had fina… Read More
2022-10-20 10:35
When I arrived at Hyatt Place London City East I had no idea what to expect, one of the joys of reviewing hotels in London. Would it be a budget option, handy for the tube but lacking i… Read More
2022-10-11 08:50
Master Builders House hotel is a hotel steeped in history, located in a beautiful setting on the banks of the River Beaulieu in the New Forest. It might sound like something out of Lego Mast… Read More
2022-09-27 16:15
What are Twixmas breaks? Twixmas is that magical time in between (twixt) Christmas and New Year when there’s nothing to do but relax, enjoy your presents, eat leftovers and go for love… Read More
2022-09-26 11:00
The best hotels for New Year’s Eve 2022 Spending New Year’s Eve at a luxury hotel is a perfect way to begin the New Year. With many of Britain’s best hotels pulling the sto… Read More
2022-09-01 11:00
Hotel Christmas packages – three magical words! Who hasn’t dreamt of staying in a hotel for Christmas? If you think of the best luxury country house hotels for Christmas 2022 you… Read More
2022-08-24 12:44
If you’re trying to find a family-friendly campsite with wild swimming and no stress, then you’ve come to the right place. Wild Canvas is a pop-up camping experience which runs t… Read More
2022-07-22 10:23
A week sailing in Turkey around its Aegean coastline with SCIC Sailing is possibly one of most relaxing holidays you can go on. While some holidays can be so hectic you feel like you need an… Read More
2022-07-14 17:45
A stay at The Merry Harriers pub The Merry Harriers pub in the pretty Surrey village of Hambledon is a quintessentially British pub. It’s beautiful from the outside, with trailing plan… Read More
2022-07-11 07:55
As I arrived at The Grand Hotel Eastbourne to be welcomed by the uniformed door staff and ushered into the hotel’s vast entrance hall, I couldn’t help but think they made hotels… Read More
2022-04-12 10:26
I often wonder if the little unique touches offered by some hotels – a particular theme, a movie quiz hidden in wallpaper, a secret garden or two – are ever really appreciated by… Read More
2022-04-11 11:07
One unexpected bonus of lockdowns was the rise in popularity and quality of restaurant meal kits to finish off at home, and these have continued long after lockdowns have (hopefully) become… Read More
2022-03-15 12:45
Staying in a small, boutique hotel rather than one with dozens of rooms turns a hotel into more of a home-from-home experience and so it turned out with my stay at Burleigh Court hotel … Read More
2022-03-10 11:51
Exploring the Cotswolds on a sunny day is one of most delightful things you can do but when the rain clouds gather overhead, the best thing to do is to find a cosy pub with an open fire and… Read More
2022-02-09 15:33
Exploring Europe one city break at a time is a lovely way to introduce children to the delights of foreign travel. Now that travel is possible again, there are many things to do in Bruges in… Read More
2022-01-19 15:38
Checking into the penthouse suite at nhow London hotel reminded me of the film Pretty Woman. ‘So how come you rented the penthouse?’ ‘It’s the best!’ (Even thou… Read More
2021-12-09 10:36
The sense of excitement is as tangible as the ever-present smell of frangipani and hibiscus flowers. Mauritius is finally open once again. From airport staff to taxi drivers, stall holders a… Read More
2021-12-03 14:11
Staying at Sopwell House There’s a lot to pack in during a stay at luxury hotel Sopwell House, St Albans in Buckinghamshire. There’s the popular afternoon tea in the lounge at th… Read More
2021-11-27 12:27
Having lived in London for most of my adult life, a stay in a central London hotel is a real luxury. It becomes even more so when, like The Mayfair Townhouse hotel, it is located just by one… Read More
2021-11-02 09:20
There are few more delightful ways to spend a night away than in a historic coaching inn with bedrooms and good food, and Bel & The Dragon Odiham was the perfect choice for a relaxing ov… Read More
2021-10-19 13:00
The stunning Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius is definitely a place to put at the top of your wish list now that we can start exploring the world again. Thanks to its location, an ear… Read More
2021-10-04 11:43
Before I visited Hoar Cross Hall hotel in Staffordshire I was fond of declaring that there are hotels with spas and there are hotels which are spas, but after my stay at Hoar Cross Hall hote… Read More
2021-08-24 18:06
Staying in a luxury hotel with a Michelin star restaurant turns a great trip into a truly memorable one. While most four and five star hotels will have their own fine-dining restaurants, man… Read More
2021-08-04 10:10
Hotels with swimming pools are much more than just a lovely place to stay for a night or two; it turns a short break into a real holiday. Staying in a hotel is a treat at any time, but somet… Read More
2021-06-17 22:03
Proof that you don’t have to travel far to enter a whole new world came with my recent stay at the Bel and the Dragon Churt, in Surrey. A quick drive around the M25 and along some pret… Read More
2021-06-04 10:37
Getting out on the open road after months of lockdown has never sounded more appealing and when tyre company Bridgestone offered me the chance to try out their new high performance Potenza S… Read More
2021-05-31 10:51
Choosing to spend my first week of freedom away from my full-time writing job by booking a week-long writing course might seem a strange idea, but a week at the Arvon Foundation’s writ… Read More
2021-03-12 15:17
Guest post from author and journalist Rachel Bridge
It’s a been a truly horrible year for everyone but a few precious things have just about kept me on the right side of cheerfulness … Read More
2021-03-07 10:17
Enjoying the perfect Sunday roast at your favourite pub must surely be one of the weekend pleasures most missed during lockdown. While I’m counting down the days until the pubs re-open… Read More
2021-02-22 12:49
By ALadyofLeisure.com guest writer, food and drink journalist Stuart Peskett
To say that the UK restaurant industry is in trouble is putting it mildly. Lockdowns due to the pandemic have see… Read More
2021-01-03 14:00
The stunning Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius is definitely a place to put at the top of your wish list for when we can start exploring the world again. Thanks to its location, an ear… Read More
2020-12-22 16:54
A fortnight in Mauritius is probably what many of us are dreaming of right now – winter sun, sandy beaches, rum cocktails and luxury hotels being the perfect antidote to lockdowns, Bre… Read More
2020-12-22 16:54
A Mauritius holiday is probably what many of us are dreaming of right now – winter sun, sandy beaches, rum cocktails and luxury hotels being the perfect antidote to lockdowns, Brexit a… Read More
2020-11-25 06:18
Things were pretty quiet during my recent trip to the capital (for obvious reasons) but one place which was still lively was The Stafford hotel in central London.
Having stayed at a charming… Read More
2020-11-25 06:18
A stay at the Stafford hotel in central London is like discovering a secret gem just yards away from the bustling heart of the capital. With its American Bar, vast wine cellar, secret passag… Read More
2020-11-19 06:14
You never forget your first Pig, as the old saying doesn’t go, and with such fond memories of my stay at The Pig near Bath (check out my review ‘A heavenly, foodie, country retre… Read More
2020-11-17 10:39
There are some hotel rooms which you could happily live in and my bedroom at Lainston House hotel near Winchester was one of those.
Tucked up under the eaves of this excellent country house… Read More
2020-11-05 13:24
Travelling to the USA – how to apply for an ESTA
Planning on going on holiday to the USA soon? If your trip is for less than 90 days then instead of applying for a full US visa you can… Read More
2020-10-20 10:29
Luxury hotel Christmas packages are getting booked early this year and with good reason. With the coronavirus pandemic far from over, it is uncertain what kind of restrictions there will be… Read More
2020-09-18 11:17
After months of lockdown, exploring the Cotswolds near Stroud with a stay at the Bear of Rodborough hotel near Stroud, Gloucestershire was just the things to blow away the cobwebs. This 17th… Read More
2020-09-18 11:17
After months of lockdown, exploring the Cotswolds near Stroud with a stay at the Bear of Rodborough hotel near Stroud, Gloucestershire was just the things to blow away the cobwebs. A stay at… Read More
2020-09-18 10:58
Hotels in the Cotswolds are always a pleasure to discover and having stayed in a few places owned by Cotswold Inns pubs and hotels before – the Bay Tree and Lamb in Burford, the Manor… Read More
2020-08-29 12:50
It is impossible to walk around the grounds at Middlethorpe Hall York and not take dozens of photos. While the front of the hotel is surprisingly close to the road, a quiet country lane just… Read More
2020-08-29 12:50
It is impossible to walk around the grounds at Middlethorpe Hall and not take dozens of photos. While the front of the hotel is on a quiet country lane just next to York racecourse, the rear… Read More
2020-08-21 12:42
I had been told that the Sunday roast at Feversham Arms hotel and spa in Yorkshire was not to be missed and my informant had been bang on the money. It was pronounced: ‘A ten out of te… Read More
2020-08-21 12:42
I had been told that the Sunday roast at Feversham Arms hotel and spa in Helmsley, North Yorkshire was not to be missed and my informant had been bang on the money. It was pronounced: &lsquo&hell…Read More
2020-08-11 12:55
After months of lockdown my first hotel was, reassuringly, at Hand Picked Hotel‘s flagship hotel Fawsley Hall hotel and spa in Northamptonshire near Daventry. This grand country house… Read More
2020-08-11 12:55
After months of lockdown my first hotel was, reassuringly, at Hand Picked Hotel‘s flagship hotel Fawsley Hall hotel and spa in Northamptonshire near Daventry. This grand country house… Read More
2020-08-11 12:36
UK hotels after lockdown will look rather different to before the pandemic so what can you expect from your stay? After the first four months of lockdown in 2020, to say that I was excited a… Read More
2020-08-11 12:36
UK hotels after lockdown might look different to before the pandemic so what can you expect from your stay? After four months of lockdown, to say that I was excited about getting back to hot… Read More
2020-06-27 16:24
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… Read More
2020-06-19 12:24
The Headland hotel Newquay is the perfect place to blow away the cobwebs. Perched right at the end of the glorious Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall and surrounded by nothing but coast and… Read More
2020-06-19 12:24
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 Beac… Read More
2020-06-16 10:06
Some of us can’t wait to stay in a luxury hotel after lockdown, while others are more cautious – and like me, you’re probably a bit of both (check out my article on what to… Read More
2020-06-16 10:06
Some of us can’t wait to stay in a luxury hotel after lockdown, while others are more cautious – and like me, you’re probably a bit of both (check out my article on what to… Read More
2020-02-28 13:28
Staycations are the theme of the summer and South Lodge hotel and spa West Sussex ticks all the staycation boxes by being a great destination hotel. During your stay you might want to explor… Read More
2020-02-28 13:28
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… Read More
2020-02-12 14:06
There are probably many historic hotels with a spa and swimming pool but I don’t think many of them can say they have their own moat, which makes New Hall hotel and spa in Sutton Coldf… Read More
2020-02-12 14:06
What is it like to stay at New Hall hotel and spa?
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… Read More
2020-02-09 14:25
While everyone’s idea of a romantic hotel is different, I think it’s fair to assume there are some things which you have to expect: gorgeous bedrooms, a top restaurant serving gr… Read More
2020-02-09 14:25
Who doesn’t want to stay in a romantic hotel for Valentines Day? Just picture the scene: a luxury bedroom with a four-poster bed, thick carpet and possibly a fireplace, a bottle of som… Read More
2020-02-09 14:25
While everyone’s idea of a romantic getaway weekend is different, I think it’s fair to assume there are some things which you have to expect: gorgeous bedrooms, a top resta… Read More
2020-01-21 10:25
There are many reasons to spend Christmas at a luxury hotel rather than at home, but you still want it to be special, personal and memorable. Thankfully for us (my mother and me), our festiv… Read More
2020-01-21 10:25
There are many reasons to spend Christmas at a luxury country house hotel rather than at home, but you still want it to be special, personal and memorable. Thankfully for us (my mother and m… Read More
2019-11-21 09:29
If you’re looking for luxury hotels in the Cotswolds The Lygon Arms will be high on your wish-list, and in fact it was on mine for ages. This historic hotel has been a main fixture in… Read More
2019-11-21 09:29
If you’re looking for luxury hotels in the Cotswolds The Lygon Arms Broadway will be high on your wish-list. This historic hotel has been a main fixture in the beautiful Cotswolds vill… Read More
2019-11-19 10:48
Read on for my utterly epic round-up of 60 of the best British luxury hotels to stay in for New Year…
Knowing what to do for New Year’s Eve is always a tough decision. There&rsq&hell…Read More
2019-11-07 09:13
Exploring Herceg Novi and indeed moving to Montenegro for five weeks was done on a whim. I wanted to live somewhere in mainland Europe for November as a) I hadn’t got much planned eith… Read More
2019-11-07 09:13
Exploring Herceg Novi and indeed moving to Montenegro for five weeks was done on a whim. I wanted to live somewhere in mainland Europe for November as a) I hadn’t got much planned eith… Read More
2019-11-03 14:11
It was only when I heard the receptionist answer the phone at Stapleford Park hotel in Leicestershire that I realised I’d been saying its name all wrong and it was actually pronounced… Read More
2019-11-03 14:11
Stapleford Park hotel in central England was a real treat; a combination of traditional stately home and modern spa, with all the trimmings of a luxury hotel: staff happy to drive you to the… Read More
2019-10-31 13:18
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 thi… Read More
2019-10-15 08:26
Getting to Thurlestone hotel Devon is like going down Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole. You follow one of those high-hedged, single-track south Devon lanes, praying not to meet any on… Read More
2019-10-15 08:26
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 De… Read More
2019-09-26 14:52
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 k… Read More
2019-09-25 10:38
Exploring Le Mans in 24 hours: a whistlestop tour of the city
The historic city of Le Mans is famous for its Le Mans 24 race and so it seemed appropriate that I was also doing a 24 hour race… Read More
2019-09-18 11:03
In terms of location, The Resident 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 res… Read More
2019-09-18 11:03
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 resta… Read More
2019-09-05 11:27
Luxury country house hotels are already being booked up for for Christmas 2019 (even though it’s only September!) and with good reason: luxury hotels could be made for Christmas… Read More
2019-08-13 11:23
Driving full-pelt towards a solid-looking wall is both terrifying and exhilarating but that’s exactly what you get from a day at the Mercedes driving experience at Brooklands hotel in… Read More
2019-08-13 11:23
Driving full-pelt towards a solid-looking wall is both terrifying and exhilarating but that’s exactly what you get from a day at the Mercedes driving experience at Brooklands in Surrey… Read More
2019-08-12 09:16
I’ve always wanted to stay in a chateau in France and to my good fortune I had the chance to while visiting Pays de la Loire this summer. Hotels in France are as varied as anywhere in… Read More
2019-08-08 15:40
There are some hotels with spas and there are some hotels which ARE spas. Ragdale Hall spa in Leicestershire most definitely falls into the latter camp, making a spa break at Ragdale Hall a… Read More
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