Found through:
B&B My Guest on the Web
This townhouse put us within walking distance of everything
we wanted to see, and offered safe off-street parking for our car (a benefit
not to be overlooked). Our room, though basic, was comfortable and
clean. It was decorated with country pine furniture. We especially
liked looking at the old photos and prints on the walls. The bathroom
down the hall was pretty and modern, and the dining room was bright, with
windows overlooking a garden. The hostess fixed a very good
full English breakfast.
In the bag: our dinner, sandwiches and drinks from Marks and Spencer.
Found through:
Farm Holiday Bureau, on the Web
One room up and one room down (not including the bathroom), this cottage gave us both a comfortable base for a week of travel and some hint of an idea of how tenants or servants of wealthy landowners lived. (This cottage was the home of the man who tended the landowner's dogs, which were kenneled next door in former times.) Since everything we planned to see seemed to close by 6 p.m., we made the most of every day, then came "home" to have dinner and relax by the fire. It was nice to have more than the four walls of a hotel room, and to be able to cook on our own after exploring the grocery stores (we also saved money that way). The couple who owned the cottages were just marvelous to us, and the cottage was stocked with everything we might have needed.
At left, warming up after a cold, wet day outside. The flowers on
the mantel told us it was springtime, but for a few days it certainly felt
like winter. Below left, a view of the downstairs room and
the kitchen area. At right, a cozy table for two.
Somehow we got away without pictures of this one, but it was nice nonetheless. One of a row of identical brick townhouses along a quiet street, The Gallery was just a short walk from the town center. Our room had a big bed and an ensuite bath with the best shower we encountered on our trip. It was decorated in spring green and sunny yellow -- very bright and cheerful. The hostess, Rina, answered all our questions and gave us lots of good advice about walks and things to see. She also made a great breakfast.
Found
through: Great British Bed and Breakfast (it's a book, but I think
they have a website too)
We had really good luck with the location of all
our lodgings -- this one is literally hidden down a tree-shaded drive on
a side street, but just three minutes walk from the center of town.
Creatively designed and decorated, it was a nice big room at the front
of the house. The dining room was very dramatic, with red walls and
interesting decorative touches.
