2017 Edition 23
Where when
& to get your
Winter Wonderland Fix
Chef’s Corner 2017 Review
Christmas in the
Country
Thwaites: dishing up award-winning food
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Contents
Christmas in the
Country
24 A Postcard from a
15 32 38 Winter Wonderland
4 5 6 7 8 9
The Guest Book
Dates for the Diary
Burnett Arms Hotel Ormonde House Hotel Waterside Serviced Rooms, Cottages... Moorings Hotel
10 12 14 15 24
Thwaites: Award-winning food Infotel Business
Heacham Manor Hotel Christmas in the Country Chef’s Corner
31 32 36 38 40
Christmas Holiday Times
A Postcard from a Winter Wonderland A Day in the Life... Infotel Sale! Macdonald Hotels & Resorts
Infotel is a division of Infotel Solutions Ltd. Copyright Š 2017. All rights reserved. Any rates contained in this magazine are correct at the time of sending.
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4
Headingley Lodge Hotel Yorkshire
Arden Hotel & Leisure Club West Midlands
Dates for the Diary
What’s On?
Durham City’s Traditional Christmas Festival 1 - 3 December Durham >>
DECEMBER 2017
Lincoln Christmas Market 7 - 10 December Lincoln >>
Shrewsbury Winter Festival 9 - 10 December Shrewsbury >>
When?
Where?
Jpacarter at English Wikipedia [GFDL or CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Christmas Market George Street Until 24 December Edinburgh >>
Bath Christmas Market Until 10 December Bath >>
York Christmas Market
George Square Christmas Market Until 29 December Glasgow >>
Until 22 December York >>
Who?
New Year’s Eve Fireworks 2017
31 December Birmingham >>
New Year’s Eve Fireworks 2017 31 December London >>
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Burnett Arms Hotel Banchory, Aberdeenshire AB31 5TD
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Built in the 18th Century as a coaching inn, this 18 bedroom hotel has been lovingly restored and offers guests modern, high quality facilities including the Coach House Restaurant and Pepper & Fogg’s cocktail bar. Modern guest rooms, from singles to elegant suites and spacious family rooms provide hospitality trays, free WiFi and satellite TVs. The restaurant serves a quintessentially Scottish menu of local ingredients. Single malts, speciality gins, cask and craft beers are available in the relaxed and comfortable bar.
“Staff are very friendly and approachable. Room was large and very clean. Food in the bar and restaurant was good.” Taken from a recent Trip Advisor review.
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Ormonde House Hotel Lyndhurst, Hampshire SO43 7BT
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Convenient for Southampton, Ormonde House Hotel is on the edge of Lyndhurst village in the heart of the New Forest. The main hotel offers 19 en-suite guest rooms with suites and family accommodation available in two adjacent cottages. Superior rooms include a flat screen TV with Free View and mini fridges with fresh milk and New Forest bottled water. Free WiFi is available throughout the hotel and a menu with daily specials serves home cooked classics using local ingredients where ever possible.
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“Could not fault a thing. Friendly, helpful staff. The place is clean, warm and very welcoming. Breakfast is spot on. The ingredients are locally sourced and are top quality.” Taken from a Trip Advisor review.
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Waterside Serviced Rooms, Cottages & Apartments Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4NF
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The Waterside serviced rooms, cottages and apartments are grouped around a courtyard in the village of Sutton Courtenay near Abingdon in Oxfordshire. Furnished to a high standard with a shared kitchen, a total of 26 guests can be accommodated at any one time. On-site parking is available along with free WiFi and a continental breakfast. The closest pub is an eight minute walk, Oxford is 11 miles, Henley-on-Thames 20 miles and Abingdon is less than three miles away.
“Excellent would book again. Owner very friendly and helpful, free WiFi, very clean and comfortable.” Taken from a Trip Advisor review.
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Moorings Hotel
Chester le Street, Co Durham DH2 3JU
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A family run pub, bistro, restaurant and luxury hotel which combines traditional charm with modern day comforts. The nine spacious guest rooms include both a shower and a bath, Free View TV, complimentary WiFi and hospitality trays. Plenty of local produce forms the heart of a delicious menu of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes. Overlooking the West Durham Hills, the hotel is a haven away from the hustle of city life and enjoys easy access to the A1(M) which is only two miles away.
“Warm welcome & nice room. Very good food & breakfast excellent. Friendly staff. Reasonable price.” 20 Spaces On-Site
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Taken from a recent Trip Advisor review.
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Award-winningfood Congratulations to hospitality company Thwaites who are celebrating success with AA Rosettes for dining at their 4-star hotels.
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“Our dining experiences are consistently rated highly by visitors and we’re delighted they’ve now been acclaimed by hospitality experts with AA Rosettes.” Aztec Hotel & Spa Cottons Hotel & Spa
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Heacham Manor Hotel Hunstanton, Norfolk PE31 7JX
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This charming 16th Century Grade II listed country house hotel on the North West Norfolk coastline is convenient for Hunstanton, Holkham Hall, Houghton Hall and the Royal Sandringham Estate as well as many of the scenic villages on the famous Norfolk Coastal Path. Accommodation comprises 45 luxury guest rooms with Free View TV, WiFi and hospitality trays. Dining is in the award-winning Mulberry Restaurant which offers an a la carte menu made from local, seasonal produce. A spa and 18-hole golf course plus a free pass for use at Searles Leisure Resort, which offers a gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and evening entertainment for Infotel clients.
100 Spaces On-Site
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Cottage Suite Breaks >> 2 night Dinner, B&B >> Self Catering Breaks >> Spa Dinner, B&B Breaks >> “Room very comfortable and quiet, excellent food and service.” Taken from a recent Trip Advisor review.
in Christmas the Country
We can’t guarantee chestnuts roasting on an open fire and folks dressed like Eskimos but we can point you in the right direction for December days overflowing with warm hospitality, fabulous seasonal food and great country views‌with maybe Jack Frost nipping at your nose!
ACountryChristmas
For a real rural retreat to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the barren moorland and peat bog of the Forest of Bowland provides the atmospheric backdrop for a superb stay at The Inn at Whitewell. Sitting high on the banks of the River Hodder, with views stretching over the parkland and rising fells, The Inn at Whitewell doesn’t just say individual character and charm, it shouts it from every exposed beam and mullioned window! In our opinion, you’ll have two very difficult decisions to make here; which one of the 23 beautiful and bespoke guest rooms you stay in and when to make the move from the comfort of a cocooning sofa and warmth of a roaring log fire, which aren’t just in the public areas, 14 of the guest rooms invite you to linger in front of open fireplaces.
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Bath time will take on a new meaning too with many of the rooms featuring beautifully restored Victorian cabinet baths. For guests preferring a modern day thermostat, equally impressive modern bathrooms do not disappoint! Now in his 18th year at The Inn, head chef Jamie Cadman and his team are creating award-winning menus from the best of local produce which includes grouse from the Lancashire Moor, pheasant and partridge from Dunsop shoot, Bowland beef and Lonk lamb from Burholme Farm. Local cask conditioned ales, organic ginger beers and an extensive and interesting range of wines can be enjoyed in the dinning-room or in the bar with a lunch or supper dish. If you do manage to drag yourself outside, The Inn has four rods on the river for trout, sea-trout and salmon fishing, there’s a multitude of walks, from gentle valley strolls to more challenging climbs, and some of the country’s finest pheasant shoots and grouse moors are conveniently close.
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ACountryChristmas
If your idea of country is to be closer to the city, the charm of Taplow House Hotel nestled in the borders between Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, is only 40 minutes from central London and ten minutes from the historic town of Windsor. The privately owned boutique country house has 32 individually designed guest rooms, including junior and master suites, which beautifully reflect the Georgian period. The luxury of today’s finest Egyptian linen, Tempur mattresses and deluxe toiletries bring a stay up-to-date with modern day comforts. Many of the rooms offer views over the six acres of idyllic grounds which feature manicured lawns and some of Europe’s tallest and fattest Tulip Trees. Make time to enjoy the views and indulge in a traditional English afternoon tea in Berry’s Bar. We recommend you swap the teapot and choose one of the premium gins for the perfect tonic with tea! A delicious and very reasonably priced (2 courses £32) a la carte menu offers monkfish, stone bass, lamb and duck and with the exceptionally high standard of personalised service, dining is a real delight at Taplow. Pradeep Nair, Food and Beverage Manager at the hotel tells us more about Christmas at Taplow on page 36.
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The 19th Century neo-Jacobean mansion Hallmark Hotel The Welcombe Stratford-upon-Avon offers a glorious country house experience with magnificent open fires, ornate high ceilings, elegant chandeliers, galleried staircases and oak panelling. A wide range of guest rooms are available, from four posters to self-catering apartments, and with 157 acres of beautiful rolling countryside and stunning Italian gardens, there’s discovery and competition to be had with championship golf and tennis. If that’s too much like hard work, relax in the superb thermal spa or take a dip in the indoor pool before heading to the award-winning Trevelyan Restaurant and a fine menu of British and European cuisine.
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ACountryChristmas
For Scottish hospitality, history and heritage the famous Marycutler House Hotel in Aberdeen delivers chapter and verse with a history dating back to the Knights Templar in 1227AD, when they were granted part of the land of Cutler. During the 13th Century, the College of the Knights Templar was founded on the site of the hotel, remains of which are visible today (the vaulted chambers underneath the Residents Lounge, the cemetery and chapel ruins opposite the car park). Tales of Bonnie Prince Charlie, Laird John Menzie and even a link to the last Gordon Laird, Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon and his survival of the Titanic disaster, will keep guests entertained long into the night!
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Many period features remain in the privately owned hotel, which boasts 40 traditional and elegant en-suite guest rooms located in the old house or the new wing, many providing views over the private woodland gardens and the River Dee, where the hotel has its own fishing rights. From river, sea, field and farm, local produce is at the heart of the Marycutler menu. Head chef Douglas Clubb and Sous chef Dylan Thornton work with award-winning local and artisan producers to create seasonal dishes full of flavour. Try the traditionally matured steak or poacher’s salmon with beetroot mash before savouring the cheese board of Badentoy Blue, Granite City, Smoked Deesider, Coos r Oot and Monarch, the Camembert style local cheese. It won’t let you down!
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ACountryChristmas
A warm welcome of mulled wine by a log fire welcomes guests to the Lake District and a stay at Skelwith Bridge Hotel near Ambleside. In contrast to the formal and stately surroundings of our previous country choices, Skelwith sits in informal gardens with views over the surrounding fells. Dating back to the 17th Century, the former farmhouse, corn mill and hostelry has been lovingly converted and extended into the country house hotel it is today. A fell walker’s paradise with many walks starting at the hotel’s doorstep, Winderemere, Elterwater and Coniston are a short drive and the houses of Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter and Ruskin are also conveniently located. If you do get manicured lawn withdrawal then the stately Holker Hall will impress with its formal gardens, ancient parkland and famous deer park! A two night stay before Christmas includes a traditional three course festive dinner and three nights over the Christmas period will have you fed, fuelled and entertained! For a quieter New Year celebration away from the crowds, the hotel offers a fabulous package which includes a New Year gala dinner and fireworks at midnight!
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Get cosy in the Country
Hawkwell House Hotel
Mercure Newbury Elcot Park
Old Manor Hotel
Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club
Makeney Hall Hotel
Ty N Rhos Country House & Restaurant
Cottage Lea’s Hotel
Gleddoch House Hotel Golf & Spa
Woodland Manor Hotel
The Country collection >> 01775 843413
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Chef'sCorner
Let the Food do the Talking: 2017 Review Crème brûlée, burgers, beetroot and bottles of red! It’s been a tough year in Chef’s Corner getting to know the top talent working behind the scenes to create menus to satisfy the busiest of business travellers so it seems fair to take a look back at the delicious dishes and the chefs who filled our pages (and our stomachs) during 2017.
Back in February we fell in love with Max Faulkner, who for the last four years has been responsible for the fabulous menu at Kilworth House in Leicestershire. While still at school, Max took a part-time job as a kitchen porter and totally fell for the buzz of a manic kitchen service. Fast-forward 12 years and he’s still as passionate, telling us he’s obsessed with food and flavour! A Manchester United fan, Max would love to cook for Alex Ferguson and share a bottle of red with the legendary manager!
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Built for entertaining Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and other monarchs, fine hospitality has been at the heart of Fawsley Hall Hotel since the 1700s and it’s a tradition which is very much alive today. February also saw us celebrate National Yorkshire Pudding Day with Christopher Blackburn, the founder and creative force behind the Yorkshire Pudding blog. You probably recognise him from appearances on The One Show, ITV’s Food Glorious Food and Country House Sunday. We all know the proof is always in the pudding and critics have crowned the blogger’s pudding a winner not once but twice. A title with his name on for 2018? We think so!
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Head chef Rachel Harris won us over in March with her recipe for caramel custard which she promised would have hmmmmm factor. She wasn’t wrong!
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Chef'sCorner Spring time saw new beginnings for head chef Calvin Mallows who had recently joined the team at Taplow House Hotel and Restaurant. The traditional country house in Buckinghamshire is fabulous for fine dining, afternoon tea and light bites and Calvin’s mouth watering menus use local produce as much as possible.
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In June we caught up with another new chef, this time it was Mohan Abraham who had just joined the team at Beamish Hall’s restaurant, The Stables. We couldn’t get Moham to commit to a favourite cuisine though! He told us: “My passion for cooking can’t allow me to choose! It’s like choosing your favourite movie. Given my mood, the weather and location, it can all change whether British, Italian, Indian, Thai and so on. My love for it all makes it impossible to choose!”
Guests at the 12th Century country hotel didn’t have any problems choosing from the talented chef’s menu though, with seafood and locally sourced Northumberland meat a winner with everyone!
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Chef'sCorner Our summer chef under the spotlight was Allan Barrett, the creative behind the delicious menus at both restaurants at Clumber Park Muthu Hotel and Spa in Nottinghamshire. With ten years experience, Allan lets local produce and ingredients influence his menu, which is inspired by the seasons. His favourite cuisine is long, slow cooking from America and in the summer, a BBQ takes the top spot for perfect summer time eats!
Back at the beginning of the year we had the pleasure of the Padbrook Burger from chef Barry Lyness at Padbrook Park. With over 11 years experience, Barry takes his inspiration from his family, team and colleagues. He told us if he were stranded on a desert island, he’d make sure he had the biggest, thickest recipe book so he’d always have something to read!
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The Lakeside Restaurant at Buckatree Hall Hotel is lead by head chef Rose Mclean Johnson who we met in September’s edition of The Infotel Magazine. Rose had introduced two new salads to the hotel’s summer menu. She told us: “I love beetroot as a central ingredient, not just for its taste but for the vibrant colour it brings to any dish. Our new salads use beetroot with mackerel or goats cheese and both are proving to be really popular with our guests.”
Setting trends with her own recipes, Rose created an Apple and Stilton Crème Brûlée for her head chef when she was at Bottley Park in Southampton nearly 30 years ago. At the time, the dish was very innovative and nobody was doing anything quite like it. Winners always stand the test of time and Rose’s dessert now makes the occasional appearance on the Buckatree menu, much to everyone’s enjoyment.
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Chef'sCorner October heralded our own harvest from the gardens at Infotel Solutions Ltd with a pumper crop of squashes. Coming to our rescue with a seasonal recipe was best-selling author of seven cookbooks, food stylist, cook and TV presenter, Jo Pratt, who had just released her latest book, The Flexible Vegetarian.
Her recipe for Malaysian squash and courgette rendang with red lentils was nutritionally balanced, an absolute vision of colour and a totally tasty seasonal supper dish. Yum!
To all the talented chefs who shared a recipe with us this year, we wish you a happy Christmas and delicious 2018.
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HOLIDAY TIMES
Monday 18 to Thursday 21 December Friday 22 December Monday 25 & Tuesday 26 December Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 December Monday 1 January Tuesday 2 to Friday 5 January
9.00am - 5.30pm 9.00am - 1.00pm Christmas Break 9.00am - 1.00pm Bank Holiday 9.00am - 5.30pm
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A Postcard from a
Winter Wonderland
Whether you’re after a fun family day out or good times as a group, a visit to a Winter Wonderland is guaranteed to set the scene for a festive fix of magic and sparkle! Winter Wonderland Nottingham Until 31 December 2017 Christmas Candy Cane cocktails, hot toffee cider, unpasteurised beer from Europe’s oldest distillery in the Czech Republic plus German sausages, sharing platters, ice skating and entertainment ranging from a good old fashioned sing-along to electric violins!
For a night away in Nottingham >>
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Images courtesy © PWR Events Ltd Content
Winter Wonderland Hyde Park 10am - 10pm, until 1 January 2018 Glide into Christmas with some fun on the UK’s largest outdoor ice rink, which circles the famous park’s Victorian bandstand. Keep warm with mulled wine or a hot chocolate, taste the festive fare of the Bavarian Village or for some ice times, head to the Ice Bar for cocktails and Ancient Greek mythology depicted in ice sculptures. If you’ve got a head for heights, you’ll want the Giant Observation Wheel which gives stunning London views at 60 metres high. For the young at heart, there’s the Magical Ice Kingdom and Zippos Circus, traditional carousels and the world’s largest transportable rollercoaster.
For a Hyde Park hideaway >> Winter Wonderland Manchester 9 December 1 January 2018 Voted Best Family Day Out, the UK’s largest indoor Christmas theme park combines all the fun of the fair with a Christmas circus, and a meet and greet with Santa and his reindeer.
For a magical Manchester stay >>
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Cardiff Winter Wonderland Until 7 January 2018 An alpine village full of tasty treats, the Admiral ice rink, après skate refreshments in the Bierkeller Bar and a fabulous fun fair brings family festivities to the city.
For a cosy Cardiff stopover >> to © Pho bin Ro
Dr ayt on (cc-b y-sa/2.0)
Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland Until 7 January 2018 This award-winning event brings magic to the York Designer Outlet with a Polar Express themed grotto for Santa, a vintage funfair with rides from the 1930s, a 30ft Christmas tree and 975 square meters of ice rink!
Grab yourself a Yorkshire getaway >> Winter Wonderland Stoke-on-Trent Until 2 January 2018 Tuck into gourmet burgers, slow roast hams and Bavarian style sausages, ginger bread and chocolate kisses, take a spin on the ice rink or enjoy the thrill of the funfair!
Stay in Stoke >>
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A Journey through frozen Scotland Until 24 December ccer ( Photo © Nick Bark
Ice and snow sculptures to dazzle and delight on this immersive walk-through experience in Edinburgh which takes place at -10 ° C!
Enjoy Edinburgh hospitality >>
by -sa /2.0)
Liverpool Ice Festival Until 7 January 2018 Take in views of the famous waterfront with a fast and thrilling ride on the UK’s longest ice slide, warm-up with a tipple in the Après Lodge, tuck into a tasty hog roast from the Bavarian Food Court, see The Beatles in ice form at the glittering Ice Bar and don’t forget to leave time for Santa in his grotto!
For a fab night away >> Hogwarts in the Snow Until 28 January 2018 A must for Potter fans, the Warner Brothers Studio Tour glitters with snow and icicles as festive scenes are recreated in the Great Hall with a replica feast, complete with flaming puddings! Special effects roar from the open fireplaces, Gryffindor common room is full of treats and Hogwarts castle is covered in a special blanket of snow!
Head to Hertfordshire >>
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ADayintheLife... Pradeep Nair is the food and beverage manager at Taplow House Hotel and is looking forward to his first Christmas on duty at the hotel. He tells us more about his work in the build up to Christmas…
“My day will start with a coffee and the all important catch-up with the breakfast team to check service has been smooth and all our guests have had a great start to their day. I’ll then meet with my GM and heads of department to discuss the business of the day and if we have a conference or event at the hotel, I will meet with the organiser to ensure they’re happy and their requirements are being meet.
The festive season is the busiest time in a hotel and there are always things that crop up that will need my attention. For example, liaising with the head chef to make sure we are on the same page with the food requirements of the Christmas parties, staying in touch with suppliers to deliver last minute requests and so on!
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This Christmas day we have a lot of guests who have chosen Taplow for the festive period and the team will be pulling all the stops out to make it an enjoyable and memorable time for everyone. It’s a relatively new management team here and there’s so much energy and enthusiasm to go the extra mile so I think Christmas here is going to be a very special time.”
I then take some time in the office to tackle the inbox and check reviews before the lunch time service begins, which then leads in to our festive afternoon teas. Before I know it, I’m briefing my evening staff ahead of dinner and then handing over to my evening supervisor.
Taplow House Hotel Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 0DA
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Ship Inn Cornwall
Winter Sale! Save up to ÂŁ20 on twin & doubles Save ÂŁ30 on singles >>
Best Western Plus Milford Hotel West Yorkshire
Book 2 nights minimum stay & save up to 20% >>
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White Swan Hotel West Yorkshire
20% discount when you stay 2 nights or more >>
Coul House Hotel Ross-shire
Autumn Offers! Save 30% when you spend the night & up to 50% when you stay for 2 nights B&B >>
Barnett Hill
Deans Place Hotel
Surrey
A magical Christmas getaway in this Surrey stunner! >>
East Sussex
Four offers available. Ends soon >>
Bell at Boxford
Columba Hotel
Sunday & Monday night special offers >>
20% discount when you book 2 nights >>
Berkshire
Inverness-shire
Big Sleep Hotel Eastbourne
Chase Lodge Hotel
20% off a 2 night break >>
Deluxe double discount! Savings of up to £40 >>
East Sussex
Surrey
The Plantation
The Block Liverpool
Up to £45 off >>
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Dorset
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Merseyside
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A Macdonald Associate Hotel, The Haycock Hotel is one of the finest 3-star hotels in Peterborough. Set in the idyllic surroundings of Wansford, on the River Nene, the hotel offers the best of breathtaking scenery and fine facilities.
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With stunning views over the beautiful River Ribble, yet conveniently close to Preston town centre and the M6, Macdonald Tickled Trout Hotel has an ideal location. Following a ÂŁ0.5 million refurbishment, the hotel has just introduced a beautiful new Riverside Bar and Lounge and the new Scottish Steakhouse reworks Scottish favourites using the finest and freshest produce.
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DISCOVER