Those who recognise the view of Godrevy Lighthouse from our front cover won’t be surprised to hear our focus this edition is North Cornwall. We love to get the first scoop on exciting UK travel news here at British Travel Journal, so the launch of Una St Ives made it to the top of our travel agenda, as did one of our all-time favourite hotels, The Headland, Newquay – with the launch of their luxurious £10 million Aqua Club swimming and spa sanctuary.
While in Cornwall's beautiful Carbis Bay we had the pleasure of meeting renowned British chef Adam Handling at his latest restaurant, Ugly Butterfly and chatted to him about cooking and his passion for zero-waste. Whether you want to go glamping, have a house to yourself or discover the latest hotels this summer, we tell you where to look in our Travel News and suggest ten incredible summer staycation ideas in our Unique Luxury Breaks. From new gardening, cycling and surf-school experiences to food, drink and vineyard tours we are spoilt for choice this year!
Hotels BERKSHIRE Hare
Hotels BERKSHIRE Hare and Hounds They’ve had a lot of fun playing on the name of this beautifully refurbished Georgian coaching inn. Expect portraits of military personnel with dogs’ heads, hares’ ears sticking out from lampshades, plus hunting-themed fabrics and wallpaper. The pub’s proximity to Newbury explains the stable door in its enormous timber-frame dining room, with horse-head sculptures and bridle accessories. Some of the 30 well-designed bedrooms are in the real stables outside; all come with complimentary gin and Bramley toiletries. And if you want to visit Highclere, aka Downton Abbey, it’s just ten minutes’ drive away. Rooms from £120 a night, with breakfast. ◆ hareandhoundsnewbury.co.uk SCOTLAND Mingary Castle Possibly Scotland’s most unique restaurant with rooms, this 13thcentury fortress is the place to enjoy chef patron Colin Nicholson’s six-course tasting menu before retiring to one of four bedrooms. Each named after a Scottish clan, they have hand-carved four posters, one with a private battlement. From £360 with breakfast. ◆ mingarycastle.co.uk NORFOLK Congham Hall Book one of the new Orchard Cabins at Congham and you get a stylish summer base from which to visit nearby Sandringham, with its exhibition on the royal family’s relationship with the house. Rooms have an outdoor tub and a wall of windows. From £475 with dinner for two and breakfast. ◆ conghamhallhotel.co.uk 10 BritishTravelJournal.com
BEXHILL-ON-SEA The Relais Cooden Beach This summer sees the transformation of a 1930s beach resort to become hotelier Grace Leo’s second Relais property. The first of 45 rooms are already redesigned in coastal blues, with the rest finished by September. Rooms from £295 with breakfast. thecoodenbeachhotel.co.uk LONDON Lost Property You’re virtually sleeping on the steps of St Paul’s at the latest Hilton Curio Collection property, opening in July. Behind the Grade-II-listed Creed Court building façade lie 145 rooms, some with cathedral views. In keeping with the name, the decor celebrates London’s lost railway stations, historic fashion trends and old city professions. The restaurant, called Found, holds an eight-metre bright-blue resin bar and a Murano glass chandelier featuring figurines of extinct birds, which together form the shape of a two-metre eagle in flight. Classic dishes include prawn cocktail, roast duck breast and Eton mess. Rooms from £170 with breakfast. ◆ lostpropertyhotel.com YORK Guesthouse No 1 York If you love vinyls, this fun hotel is the place to come, with a record library, turntables in the rooms, and DJ Upside Your Mind playing every Friday evening in the summer on the heated terrace. A toy train runs through the bar, and rooms have coffee machines hidden in dolls’ houses. Rooms from £165. ◆ guesthousehotels.co.uk BritishTravelJournal.com 11
