Hotel trekking through England and Wales, Part 1
By Cortney Litwin/Staff Writer
A variety of lodging through England and Wales includes a posh hotel in London’s theaterland, a room with a view of Brighton Pier, a 900-year-old former mill, a charming Welsh Victorian, an exquisite Georgian and an elegant townhouse down the street from Harrods.
Deciding to do some trailblazing of our own instead of taking a tour, my husband, Al Konigsfeld, and I mapped out our own 10-day journey through England and Wales with stops in London, Brighton, Salisbury, Cardiff, Shrewsbury and then back to London.
London
Armed with raingear, we arrived at Heathrow to misting weather, naturally. Undaunted, we headed for the Underground (the “Tube”)-London’s efficient subway system. After a 40-minute ride and a short walk through Covent Garden’s artsy shops, clubs and restaurants, we found our destination-the Covent Garden Hotel.
A smiling porter greeted us at the door and led us through the inviting reception area (with vases of gorgeous Oriental lilies) to our abode for the next two days.
There is nothing more comforting than coming out of wet weather and into a cozy, warm environment. Our sumptuous “luxury double” included a king-size bed, framed from above with a half-canopy in taupe and burgundy, with matching plush drapery and a couch at the foot of the bed. A mahogany desk and dresser and a pair of chairs completed the effect of comfort mixed with elegance. There was also a personal safe, VCR, mini bar, TV and, for the business traveler, a cell phone and a modem outlet.
Owner Kit Kemp has the magic touch. Her decorating flair obviously comes from the heart of her warm, personal style, and each of the 58 rooms and suites is individually designed with a sense of drama and a bit of quirkiness.
She and her husband, Tim Kemp, own the Firmdale Hotels in London (Covent Garden, The Pelham, Charlotte Street, Number Sixteen and Knightsbridge hotels). All of the rooms are en-suite (with bathrooms).
Located in my favorite section of London-Covent Garden-amid an array of West End theaters, the hotel also boasts a gym, beauty treatment room, state-of-the-art screening room, 24-hour room service, and for the e-mail deprived, two laptops in the reception area. And for fine but casual dining, the Brasserie Max adjoins the hotel.
One amenity that intrigued me was the “Honesty Bar” off the drawing room and library that offers an assortment of liquor, snacks and my personal nemesis-Hagen-Dazs ice cream. Just choose your vice and write down what you consume.
Manager Helle Jensen and her staff couldn’t have been more welcoming and professional. We followed concierge Sandro’s advice and toured London aboard the Big Bus, which lets you hop on and off at various sites such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Westminster and the London Eye (England’s 443-foot-high millennium Ferris wheel), and includes a cruise up the River Thames. A superb performance of “The Phantom of the Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre capped off our day.
However, a shock awaited us the next morning … I’d breezily waved off the receptionist’s offer for a wake-up call and, after a great night’s sleep, woke to Al gently shaking my foot and saying, “Ah, dear heart, unless I’m mistaken, it’s 1:30 in the afternoon.”
“What?”
Stumbling out of bed, I muttered a few choice words for my jetlagged internal clock, packed in a pre-coffee haze and managed to make it to Victoria Station just in time to hear our train to Brighton announced.
Brighton
Exiting the taxi, my first impression of the beachfront Queens Hotel, built in 1847 with 97 rooms and suites, was of an elegant but aging dowager in need of some external TLC. But what a delightful surprise awaited us inside!
Our bright, fourth-floor suite was in the Tower, and once I saw the view I didn’t want to leave our room. The octagonal sitting area featured a series of tall windows displaying a panoramic view of the English Channel and Brighton Pier. At night, the brightly lit pier illuminated the sea under a radiant full moon, and in the morning, snuggled in bed under a fluffy comforter, I watched the sun rise slowly over the water.
The bathroom was also a delight, with splashes of peach-colored Italian tiles adorning the white walls, double sinks and a whirlpool tub/shower.
The majestic Queens has been completely refurbished inside and includes a stylish bar and restaurant (with a complimentary full English breakfast), 24-hour room service and business facilities. But it was the basement fitness club that impressed my husband the most.
Lanes Health, open to hotel guests and members, offers an array of cardiovascular equipment, a full set of weights, fit-balls, a sauna, a tanning booth, exotic beauty treatments and a remarkable pool surrounded by intricate stonework and pillars decorated in Italian glass mosaics.
Brighton, always a popular beach resort for Europeans, has become a cultural center offering numerous live music and theatrical performances and several arts festivals. Exploring the areas near our hotel, Al and I strolled along the pier and promenade and toured the Royal Pavilion. Once the summer home of the Prince Regent during the early- to mid-1800s, this mini castle is an eclectic mix of East Indian exterior and opulent Chinese dcor inside. Well worth a look.
Salisbury
No doubt, the most unusual lodging of our trip was The Old Mill Hotel in Salisbury. I was fascinated by this 900-year-old former paper mill, which still has the River Avon thundering through an enclosed area of the adjoining restaurant, where the mill wheels used to turn. Made of stone and wood, The Mill was refurbished last year and offers 11 comfortable rooms with modern bathrooms.
On the left as you walk in is the cozy, brick pub where you’ll feel right at home, mainly because of the terrific staff. Next door is the Mill Restaurant, a rustic-elegant room with ancient, dark wood beams and cream-colored walls. Arched windows overlook the riverside gardens-trs romantique. And as we discovered that night, the food is creatively prepared and superb. In the morning, we enjoyed a complimentary full English breakfast.
Our rustic room was nicely furnished with windows that opened to an outstanding view of the cascading river and lush green meadows, fulfilling my fantasy of the English countryside. And although we closed the windows at night, the river’s song still lulled me to sleep.
Even with the modern conveniences you can still sense the history here. Al especially felt the history when he hauled our luggage up the narrow staircase, ducking under several doorframes (people were smaller in those days).
I could feel the spiritual vibe surrounding the Mill, too-not only is it within walking distance of Salisbury Cathedral but, according to hotel manager John Crawford, “Parts of the cathedral were built at the Mill and artifacts were stored here.”
Taking in more of the countryside, we walked down the footpath from the hotel, through Harnham Water Meadows and alongside pastures of grazing sheep. The path leads into the medieval town, which offers a variety of shops and restaurants-and 81 pubs, revealed our bus-tour guide. Overlooking it all like a protective guardian is the magnificent cathedral.
Slightly farther afield (about an hour by train) is the beautiful city of Bath, with its ancient Roman architecture (courtesy of Roman invaders 2,000 years ago), boutiques and restaurants. And for the mystically minded, Stonehenge is about 45 minutes from Salisbury by tour bus.
Part 2 of “Hotel trekking through England and Wales” will appear in the July 17 issue of TMT.
Just the facts:
Covent Garden Hotel-10 Monmouth St., London
Tel (011) 44.20.7806.1000; www.firmdalehotels.com; double rooms from $408; suites from $584
Queens Hotel-1 Kings Rd., Brighton, East Sussex; Tel (011) 44.12.7332.1222; www.queenshotelbrighton.com; double rooms from $234; Tower suites from $417
The Old Mill Hotel-Town Path, Harnham, Salisbury, Wiltshire; Tel (011) 44.17.2232.7517; www.comeoninn.co.uk/oldmill; double rooms from $133
Air travel-Virgin Atlantic airline tickets were purchased at an online auction: www.SkyAuction.com
Train travel-Via eight-day BritRail Passes for $269 each: 877.677.1066; www.britrail.com
Room prices (in dollars) are approximate, depending on the current exchange rate.