Try a change of scene this autumn with Pride of Britain Hotels

When autumn sets in there’s nothing cosier than a crackling log fire, a cocooning spa, a spoiling afternoon tea or simply a lost afternoon pottering around a pretty market town or curling up and reading a book. With Pride of Britain Hotels’ 50-strong collection of luxury properties, treat yourself to a much-deserved change of scene with some pampering and fine dining thrown in.

Images left to right: Seaham Hall’s Serenity Spa; Lucknam Park bedroom

Cocooning coastal spa break at Seaham Hall, County Durham
Overlooking Durham’s Heritage Coast, with its wide sandy beaches and crashing waves, Seaham Hall is an immaculately restored five-star Georgian country house. Set in 37 acres, the hotel has 21 luxuriously-appointed suites, a two-AA Rosette restaurant, The Dining Room, and Pan-Asian eatery, Ozone. The Serenity Spa is one of the largest hotel spas in the country yet feels intimate; it features a 20-metre pool, outdoor hot tubs and Zen Garden, plus a hydrotherapy pool.  The four-night Sanctuary Spa Getaway gives guests a 25% reduction on B&B rates and includes Afternoon Tea on the day of arrival, breakfast and three-course dinner in The Dining Room daily, and a 60-minute Temple Spa or Ishga spa treatment per guest. The price is from £766 pp (two sharing), including four nights’ half-board accommodation in a junior suite, 1 x 60-minute spa treatment and full use of the spa facilities. Available until 14^th April 2022; excludes Christmas and other peak dates.

Local knowledge: Visit High Force Waterfall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the European Geopark or Hadrian’s Wall.

Romance near Bath – a city with double UNESCO status
Set in 500 acres of parkland in Wiltshire, just six miles from Bath, Lucknam Park is an imposing Palladian mansion at the end of a mile-long tree-lined drive; the hotel features a Michelin-starred restaurant, award-winning spa and Equestrian Centre. The hotel’s two-night Romantic Escape includes overnight accommodation in a Country room with full English breakfast, a bouquet of flowers, half a bottle of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries in-room on arrival, full use of the spa facilities, and two dinners: a tasting menu in Michelin-starred Restaurant Hywel Jones and a three-course dinner in The Brasserie. The price is from £654 pp (two sharing); book Wednesday-Sunday, subject to availability.

Local knowledge: The Georgian city of Bath has recently received its second UNESCO World Heritage award, along with 10 other historic towns in Europe; Bath is the only location already to enjoy World Heritage Status.

Images left to right: Bertie’s Whisky Bar at The Fife Arms; Bedford Lodge Hotel

A new whisky bar at The Fife Arms
Located in the village of Braemar (home to the prestigious Highland Games), in the heart of Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park, The Fife Arms is a former Victorian coaching inn and is owned by Iwan and Manuela Wirth (co-presidents of the acclaimed Hauser & Wirth art galleries). The hotel displays over 16,000 works of art by local and globally-based artists and has 46 sumptuous guest bedrooms and suites. This autumn, discover the hotel’s newest addition, Bertie’s Whisky Bar – inspired by Queen Victoria’s eldest son, King Edward VII, also known as Bertie. Beautifully illuminated in a soft amber glow, the new whisky bar embraces this much-loved monarch’s extravagance. Bertie’s is effectively a library of some of the world’s finest and rarest whiskies; guests are actively encouraged to discover, wander, browse – and taste! – the collection. Stay overnight from £434 per room/£217 pp (two sharing), including breakfast.

Local knowledge: The village of Braemar is just nine miles from HM The Queen’s Balmoral Estate and the hotel is within close proximity of more than a quarter of Scotland’s Munros; it is located within the Cairngorms National Park – the UK’s largest such national park.

Tantalising tasting menu at Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa, Newmarket
Originally built as a Georgian hunting lodge for the 6^th Duke of Bedford in the 18^th century, Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa in Newmarket, Suffolk, is located adjacent to some of the most famous paddocks and stables in the world. A day at Newmarket races is an obvious addition to a hotel stay, but the property is also close to Cambridge, Bury St. Edmunds, Ely and Elveden Forest for enjoyable day trips. The hotel’s Food Lovers’ Escape includes an overnight stay with a bottle of wine in-room on arrival, a five-course tasting menu at Squire’s Restaurant and a full English breakfast the following morning. The price is from £295 per couple (Monday-Thursday) or £330 per couple (Friday-Sunday), based on two sharing a King room.

Local knowledge: Inspired by Britain’s gold medal-winning Olympic Eventing team? Visit the famous Newmarket training grounds, go behind the scenes at a racing yard, meet some equine heroes and enjoy a guided tour of The National Stud.

Images left to right: Bodysgallen Hall and Spa; Maison Talbooth

Celebrate Bodysgallen Hall’s 40^th anniversary with a lavish autumn stay
With sweeping sea views, medieval lookout towers and antique-filled bedrooms, Bodysgallen Hall and Spa is a glorious one-off and it is celebrating its 40^th anniversary as a hotel this year. The delightful National Trust-owned country house hotel is situated in 200 acres of glorious grounds and is just three miles from the perfectly preserved Victorian seaside town of Llandudno. This autumn, go leaf peeping in the hotel’s gardens (which include a 17^th century parterre, lily pond, rose garden and follies) and then enjoy a civilised afternoon tea in front of a roaring log fire. Stay overnight from £190 per room per night, including cooked breakfast and full use of the spa.

Local knowledge: The wild beauty of Snowdonia National Park is just 18 miles from the hotel. The park’s historic Snowdon Mountain Railway climbs to the summit of Wales’s highest mountain, Mount Snowdon, offering views across the sea to Ireland and back along the North Wales coast.

Fine dining in Constable Country, North Essex
With sweeping views over Dedham Vale and the Stour Valley, Maison Talbooth is a four AA Red Star country house hotel in Dedham, Essex. The hotel has just 12 bedrooms, each named after Britain’s greatest poets, so houses a maximum of 24 guests at any one time. The hotel’s Gourmet Getaway includes a pre-dinner glass of Moët Imperial Champagne before guests are whisked, in the hotel’s courtesy car, to the nearby Le Talbooth restaurant, which celebrates its 70^th anniversary in 2022, for a gourmet dinner in an idyllic riverside setting. The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast, head to the pool house to use the hot tub and pool (heated year-round) or play tennis on a court overlooking the Vale. The Gourmet Getaway is from £220 pp (two sharing), including breakfast, dinner, use of the facilities and complimentary soft drinks in the room’s mini bar. Valid Monday to Thursday.

Local knowledge: Hire canoes, paddleboards and rowing boats on the nearby River Stour for a day/half day, or hire bikes and pedal through the countryside.

Images left to right: The Goring; The Capital; The Athenaeum

Art, ballet, and tennis in London this autumn
Somerset House launches ‘Beano: The Art of Breaking the Rules’ (21 October 2021 – 6 March 2022; adult tickets £16 pp) – an exhibition which celebrates the world’s longest running comic The Beano. Many of the famous characters will be on show, including Dennis the Menace, Gnasher and Bananaman and there will be original comic drawings on display from leading artists and designers.

At the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, catch a live ballet performance as Romeo and Juliet launches in October (5^th October – 25^th February 2022).

At the Royal Albert Hall, in Kensington, the Champions Tennis (25-28 November 2021) will welcome Grand Slam Champions, World No.1 players and national icons to play competitive singles matches and entertaining doubles matches. John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg and Goran Ivanisevic have all played at the event in the past and the London event is the season finale for the ATP Champions Tour. Standard tickets from £24 pp.

Stay in London at The Goring in Belgravia, The Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge or The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences on Piccadilly.

To book a stay at the collection of 50 member properties, please call Pride of Britain Hotels on 0800 089 3929 (www.prideofbritainhotels.com).

Notes to editors:
Love Luxury? Book British with Pride of Britain Hotels’ collection (never more than 50 hotels, to guarantee quality and exclusivity), which proudly practises the art of great British hospitality daily. Admission to the group is subject to each hotel successfully passing an anonymous overnight inspection and a ballot of the membership.

Pride of Britain Hotels’ Best Rate Guarantee ensures the lowest available rates at each member hotel. Should a lower rate be publicly available online, within 24 hours of booking, for the same date(s) and with the same terms and conditions, the member hotel will be pleased to honour the lower rate.

Pride of Britain Hotels has recently partnered with NOW (www.itmustbenow.com), which aims to promote sustainability within the travel and hospitality industries.

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PRESS: For media enquiries, press visits or photography, please contact Julia Farish, Lizzie Cooper or Sue Ockwell at Travel PR on j.farish@travelpr.co.uk, l.cooper@travelpr.co.uk or s.ockwell@travelpr.co.uk.