About the Editor
“The Travel Editor of The Telegraph has asked me to stay in a few hotels and write reviews about them,” Paddy told me, “and take you!” I spent the next eighteen years as ‘my husband’, never named, driver, bag carrier and shower tester. When we had travelled enough motorway miles, slept in enough hotel beds and eaten in enough restaurants, Paddy and I decided that a website using journalists’ hotel reviews to describe the hotels would be popular and useful. I am delighted you are a reader and hope that you might become a contributor by writing to us.Here are some 'places to stay' for you to consider
Our site is fully searchable but here we have pre-selected some of the more popular types of short breaks, holidays, special events as well as places to stay which have particular facilities for you to browse through.
Enter your own search word in the box on the top of the home page, if you can't find what you are looking for then let us know if you think we have missed out on a particular category and we will probably be able to include it in the future.
The paddyburt website now has a calendar devoted to highlighting many of these activities. Click here for a selection of places and dates where events taking place will be found.
The calendar is constantly being updated and if you are aware of anything in your local area that readers might like to hear of just contact the website here with details, photographs and any relevant links.
Enter your own search word in the box on the top of the home page, if you can't find what you are looking for then let us know if you think we have missed out on a particular category and we will probably be able to include it in the future.
The paddyburt website now has a calendar devoted to highlighting many of these activities. Click here for a selection of places and dates where events taking place will be found.
The calendar is constantly being updated and if you are aware of anything in your local area that readers might like to hear of just contact the website here with details, photographs and any relevant links.
Party Time
This could be any type of event, from a midsummer ball to a Christmas party.
Afternoon Tea
These are all places where you can expect to be served a civilised afternoon tea.
Visit Afternoon Tea
Lunchtime event
A lunchtime event. These fall into many categories, from wine tastings to discussions about Aloe Vera
Visit Lunchtime event
Jazz
We tell you about all sorts of live music performances. This one is pretty well self explanatory.
Visit Jazz
Popular, Folk, any kind of music
We have a separate classification for Jazz and for Classical and Operatic music. If in doubt, look here
Visit Popular, Folk, any kind of music
Operatic, classical, orchestral music
This probably doesn't need any explanation
Visit Operatic, classical, orchestral music
Arts Festival
General arts festival, often including literature, theatre, graphic art, music and other form of entertainment.
Visit Arts Festival
Father's Day
Fathers as well as mothers need a bit of spoiling occasionally. Father’s Day is your opportunity.
Visit Father's Day
New Developments
Here you will find news of major developments in our listed ‘Places to Stay’. It might be refurbishment or the construction of a new set of rooms or restaurant. We also try to keep up to date with staff news.
Visit New Developments
The Queen’s Jubilee
In 2012 The Queen will celebrate 60 years on the Throne. Look out for celebratory offers and events.
Visit The Queen’s Jubilee
Local Knowledge
All these hotels will provide you with specialist local knowledge. The owners and staff are enthusiasts for the area and want you to enjoy being there. Their knowledge is considerable.
Visit Local Knowledge
Easter breaks
Easter has different meanings to different people. One which avoids any controversy, is that it is a celebration of spring.
Visit Easter breaks
Walking in the countryside
If you enjoy or would like to be introduced to the English and Welsh countryside, have a look at some of these places.
Visit Walking in the countryside
Breaks at reduced prices
Breaks offered at reduced prices or with additional benefits
Visit Breaks at reduced prices
Special offers for dog owners
From time to time, some of our hotels will have an offer specially for dogs (and their owners)
Visit Special offers for dog owners
Electric bikes
These are places where you can hire an electric bike. These are becoming increasingly popular.
Visit Electric bikes
Dining
You can be sure that dining at these hotels and restaurants will be exceptionally good
Visit Dining
Gift vouchers
This is a useful way of giving a present. Some of the places we list can provide gift vouchers, most of which can be used to pay for accommodation or dining.
Visit Gift vouchers
Wine
All these places ranging from hotels to pubs, have a particular interest in and knowledge of wine. Some of them, as you will see, have wine appreciation dinners, evenings and tastings.
Visit Wine
Hen parties welcome
Stag and hen parties usually have a bad image. Some of the places we list actually welcome them - as long as they are reasonably well behaved.
Visit Hen parties welcome
Dog friendly places
Dogs are welcome in these places.Some even have special offers.
Visit Dog friendly places
Learn to cook
Some of our hotels either offer cookery lessons or have a link with a local cookery school.
Visit Learn to cook
Wine events
These are specific events such as a wine appreciation evening, a special dinner or a talk by a wine expert.
Visit Wine events
Last Minute Bargain Breaks
This is where you find real last minute bargains.
Visit Last Minute Bargain Breaks
Autumn breaks
Autumn is a wonderful season in Britain. Here you find hotel breaks where you can really appreciate the beauty of the changing colours.
Visit Autumn breaks
New developments
This will give you news about new developments by our hotels, including major refurbishments.
Visit New developments
Child friendly hotels
Lots of places, some quite unexpectedly, will welcome families with children. This list will include places where children are generally welcomed and catered for and any special events or breaks of particular family interest.
Visit Child friendly hotels
Spa treatment
Lots of our places to stay have places to be pampered. Some of the breaks and offers we tell you about include some spa treatments.
Visit Spa treatment
Foraging
There is so much food growing wild in this country. If only we were able to identify it safely. Some of our hotels can organise a foraging trip.
Visit Foraging
Charity organiser
You will see here hotels which devote some of their energies towards helping cahritable causes.
Visit Charity organiser
Special interest breaks
A lot of people like to take part in some activity when they go away for a break. Here are some suggestions. They are quite varied, they range from wine appreciation dinners to the Peppa Pig Experience.
If you want to narrow the search, look at, for example, wine related breaks and events.
Visit Special interest breaks
If you want to narrow the search, look at, for example, wine related breaks and events.
Breakfast Award
Clearly, from the response, there are a lot of frustrated breakfast enthusiasts out there. So we have decided to list all the places which have been given the award by Enjoy England.
Visit Breakfast Award
If the joy of staying away from home for you is breakfast...
Breakfast is a serious matter in a lot of our hotels, inns and other places to stay. We have listed here those which have been awarded the 'Visit Britain' breakfast award as well as any who have told us their breakfasts are special.
Visit If the joy of staying away from home for you is breakfast...
Springtime breaks
Here are all sort of ideas for a springtime break. Some are offering reduced, out-of-season rates, others have activities you can participate in. All those places in the country will give you ideas and information about where to go and how to enjoy our wonderful countryside.
Visit Springtime breaks
Entertainment
From time to time you will be able to enjoy some form of entrtainment in these places. It might be opera, comedy, music or drama. The individual performances will be announced here.
Visit Entertainment
Book a whole hotel
There are a surprising number of occasions ranging from family get togethers to company team-building events or company celebrations when the easiest and usually, most economical way of organising it is to book a whole hotel.
This has many advantages over block-booking your party into a larger hotel. Most of ours are smaller, and in many cases, family run. You won't be treated as second class guests and tidied away into a function suite. Yours will be more like and old fashioned country house party.
Visit Book a whole hotel
This has many advantages over block-booking your party into a larger hotel. Most of ours are smaller, and in many cases, family run. You won't be treated as second class guests and tidied away into a function suite. Yours will be more like and old fashioned country house party.
Some of our personalities
All the places you will read about on this website rely for their success on real people. From time to time we get to talk to them. This is what some of them have to say.
Visit Some of our personalities
Special occasion breaks 2011
Sometimes everyone thinks "wouldn't it be a treat just to go away for a couple of days and be spoiled." We have made a selection of our hotels where they will spoil you.
Visit Special occasion breaks 2011
Heritage Magazine
This is the magazine and website for everyone interested in the history and culture of this country
Visit Heritage Magazine
Gardens and gardening
This includes gardening breaks, with tuition, garden visits and anything else to do with gardens.
Visit Gardens and gardening
Bite Size Britain
Brochures about every part of the country, sent to you by post - free.
Visit Bite Size Britain
Recipe file
We hope to build up a collection of recipes and food advice generally, both from chefs and from enthusiastic amateurs.
Visit Recipe file
Wedding venues
Some of these are licenced, all offer wedding reception facilities
Visit Wedding venues
Hidden Britain
A treasure trove of places and things you might otherwise never know about.
Visit Hidden Britain
Editor's Choice
White Swan
Paddy and her husband stayed at this pub in 1996. So you might think that the review which appears below is a bit out...
Paddy and her husband stayed at this pub in 1996. So you might think that the review which appears below is a bit out...