This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Sometimes we travel to fulfil long term dreams, sometimes there’s a spark that inspires a journey, sometimes our lives need a change or an adventure, and sometimes we just need an escape and an attractively priced option presents itself. And if this is one of those times, then I, and the Hotel Guru, are here for you with five tempting UK Autumn break offers.
Alexandra Hotel: Perfect for Wind-Whipped Coastal Walks
In a spectacular, cliff-top position most of the Alexandra Hotel’s 24, luxurious rooms have views over Lyme Bay and the Jurassic Coast and beyond that the ocean, but if you want to see more of the sea there’s also a charming terrace. The hotel has a boutique feel, the spa is well regarded and the restaurant is gourmet, with an award-winning wine cellar. There’s also a gym and a beautiful garden with a pathway leading right down to the beach. The Hotel Guru says: “Think lobster and a sea breeze”. Doubles start from £180 per night, B&B, and if you book for three nights between the 1st of October and the 31st of March you’ll only pay for two nights.
Practical Information: The Alexandra Hotel is in Lyme Regis, which isn’t just your average, postcard-perfect Dorset town built around a fishing port, it’s also right in the middle of the Jurassic Coast. And in addition to the fossil hunting and eating well, you’re close to a very nice selection of beaches, a great promenade and a mini-golf course.
Lyme Regis looks out on the English Channel, which is why its sea views can be so dramatic, but this also means that it’s cool, even by British Summer Standards, and maximum daily averages during October and November are 14°C and 11°C respectively. It’s still quite humid though, so it feels a bit warmer than those temperatures suggest. Lyme Regis is about four hours on the train from London Waterloo. Bristol, Exeter and Bournemouth airports are the closest to Lyme Regis if you’re flying.
Trevalsa Court Hotel: For Warm & Charming Cornwall
The Trevalsa is an Arts and Crafts wonder. Warm, romantic and beautiful, its 15 comfortable rooms are adorned with oil paintings, and it’s in an incredible position right on the cliffs overlooking a blowy Cornish sea. As well as savings between 30% and 50% during autumn, their offers include breakfast, a cream tea with a glass of prosecco on arrival, and a three course meal in their 2AA Rosette, wood-panelled restaurant, which specialises in locally sourced food. Doubles start from £140 per night.
Practical Information: Trevalsa Court is just outside Mevagissey on Cornwall’s south coast, close to the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project. Mevagissey is another southern English village known for its sunshine, but not necessarily warm temperatures, but it’s mild and sunny, and come autumn that’s the best kind of weather. Expect maximum daily averages of about 15°C in October and 12°C come November. To give you an idea of the location, you can catch the train to Mevagissey from London in about five hours, or fly into Newquay, Exeter or Southend airports.
Castleman Hotel: Rural, Leaf-Watching Dorset Escape
The Castleman Hotel has just eight rooms, and is surrounded by huge parkland, so it feels like a proper escape to the country. Especially when you get inside and see all the Jacobean fireplaces, dark wood, chintz, roll-top baths and four-poster beds. Expect a little fading and eccentricity in a perfectly British manner. Throughout the autumn their double rooms start from £120 per night Sunday to Thursday, including dinner bed and breakfast, and for just £20 more you can upgrade to one of their superior rooms.
Practical Information: The Castleman is close to Chettle, which is just outside Blandford Forum. Autumns here are mild, but often with a splashing of rain. Expect maximum temperatures of around 15°C in October and 11°C come November. You can get to Chettle on the train via Tisbury, from where you’re probably best off catching a taxi.
Carradales: For Romance North of the Border
Carradales is a beautifully restored Victorian manse turned luxurious four bedroomed guest house on Argyll’s beautiful Kintyre Peninsula. The rooms are all different but luxurious, there’s a cosy sitting room with an open fire, and the restaurant has an excellent reputation and is known for championing local produce. This autumn you can book any room, at any time, even weekends, for only £180 per night, including dinner and breakfast.
Practical Information: Carradales is on Argyll’s scenic Kintyre Peninsula on Scotland’s west coast, which is a great place for anyone who loves outdoor pursuits. You’re a ferry trip from the Isle of Islay, and close to the Kintyre Way and the Caledonian Way, plus a couple of golf courses and castles. And this is the perfect fit for fishing and walking breaks too. Autumn in Argyll can be fresh and moist, but also clear and sunny. Average daily high temperatures for October are 13°C, dropping to 10°C come November.
Glasgow is the closest major airport, and it’s about three hours away, or you can fly to Campbeltown Airport, which is 30minutes away.
Artist Residence Oxfordshire: For Writing your Novel
There are just five quirky rooms tucked up under the eaves of this lovely country pub, plus one suite outside, and all of the rooms are romantic and imaginative, with details to treasure and remember. And of course downstairs is the pub, which is also packed with great details. And great food. The service is excellent too. And you’re just 15 minutes from Oxford. During autumn, double rooms start from only £120 per night.
Practical Information: The Artist Residence Oxfordshire is close to Oxford, the Cotswolds, William Morris’s Kelmscott Manor, Daylesford Farm, Blenheim Palace and the Burford Garden Centre.
This part of the UK is known for having unpredictable weather, but autumn is definitely one of the best times to visit, with crisp, clear days for the most part and a maximum daily average for October at 14°C and for November, 9°C. Most people travel to the Artist Residence via Oxford, but if you do travel by train you’ll need to catch a bus or taxi for the final leg of the journey.
About Us
The Hotel Guru has done your hotel research for you. We’ve commissioned a collection of leading travel writers and journalists to offer their recommendations on where to stay, found out all the important, and minute, details about each property, and then cross referenced that with guides we respect. So if having a hot tub is important to you you can search by that, likewise pet-friendly properties and hotels with a great wine list.
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