When trying to find a hotel or other form of accommodation, it pays to do your research first. Let’s face it, we’re much more likely to visit a particular hotel over another if one our close friends or relatives make a recommendation. But what if you don’t know anyone who has stayed at the hotel you’re thinking of staying at? The TripAdvisor website is probably the first place you will turn to for advice. advice

The meteoric rise of the TripAdvisor brand has been remarkable and the statistics speak for themselves. Founded in 2000, TripAdvisor now boasts over 570 million reviews. It features over 7 million hotels and other tourist attractions around the world. As of July 2017, there were over 450 million unique visitors every month (Source: TripAdvisor Press Centre).

Yet with this growth there has been much controversy. Firstly, any person can leave a negative review about a hotel without any shred of evidence. According to TripAdvisor, reviews come from “trusted members of the travel community” and yet no checks are made on the identity of the people who leave the reviews. An anonymous username and email address is all you need to add a review. What’s more, no proof that you actually stayed at the hotel is needed to leave a review!

Consequently, when a hotel receives a negative review from a guest (they are alerted whenever someone leaves a review), they can simply add a number of positive reviews to push the negative review down the page and out of sight. Given TripAdvisor’s average rating visuals, the more positive reviews added can also trick the system into displaying a higher average score than is really deserved.

This has led to some less scrupulous hotel owners actively attacking their direct competitors with a flurry of negative reviews under a string of different aliases. Clearly, the intention here is to discredit the competition and to make their own hotel seem more attractive my posting a large volume of positive reviews. Other hotels bribe guests who leave positive reviews with discounts on future stays, free bottles of wine or other such gifts.

To combat this, TripAdvisor proudly asserts that reviews are not posted to the website instantly, but are subject to a verification process which considers the IP address and the email address of the author. The system also tries to detect any suspicious patterns and any obscene language. The website also allows the ‘community’ of users to report suspicious content, which is then assessed by a team of quality assurance specialists. The checks are clearly not working however!

So the next time you’re checking TripAdvisor before booking an overnight stay, we strongly suggest that you follow the recommendations below. TripAdvisor remains a great service but only if you can quickly weed out the fake reviews!

How to to sift through the bogus and fake reviews:

• Discount Single Reviews: Be suspicious of reviews from people who have only left one review, especially ones that have been left some time ago but have never been followed up with reviews of another property. In this way, you can quickly discount both positive and negative reviews which could be disingenuous.
• The More The Merrier: As a general rule, the more reviews someone has left, the more they can be trusted. Look for unusual patterns though. Someone who left a flurry of reviews over a short period and then never returned to add more might not be a genuine contributor.
• The Superhero Test: Someone who has stayed at 51 properties in 20 different countries over a 10 day period is clearly deluded. Either that or they are are Superman!
• Poor Grammar: Although TripAdvisor has ‘auto translate’ software embedded within its site, some hotel groups employ teams of people in overseas locations to leave a constant stream of positive reviews with cloaked IP addresses to get past TripAdvisor’s basic quality checks.
• The Camera Never Lies: Look for posts where people have added photos of the hotel. In most cases, these will be left by genuine travelers who have actually stayed at the hotel. Be aware that some people use damaging photos as a tool to get refunds. To check for abuse, see if that person has left positive as well as negative reviews. If they are using TripAdvisor only to post negative reviews, this could flag an ulterior motive.
• Make Contact: TripAdvisor allows you to make contact with other users. If you see a review which is particularly worrying, test its accuracy by sending that user an email. If you get a response, it is likely that this person is a genuine traveller. If you don’t get a response and that person hasn’t been active on TripAdvisor for some time, it would be fair to say that the review could be a fake.
• Accreditations: Don’t just rely on TripAdvisor! Hotels in Europe many have to pass rigorous checks to gain and retain their star ratings. In the UK, look for accreditation from organisations like ‘The AA’ and  ‘Visit Britain’.

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Given the importance of the River Thames to the growth of the city of London over the course of history, it seems only right that we feature some London based ‘floating accommodation’ on the Stay In Britain website!

When looking for accommodation in London, most people search for expensive hotels in the West End and overlook the more quirky options which are available if you know where to search. And what could be better than waking up in London listening to the sound of water bouncing gently on the hull of your overnight accommodation!

And there is another very good reason to stay on or very near the River Thames. Not only does the river offer some of the nicest viewpoints of London’s finest buildings, it also accommodates an incredibly convenient transport system between the major tourist attractions.

TFL’s (Transport For London’s) high speed river services start at Hampton Court in the West and finish at Woolwich in the East. There are six different ferry routes to choose from with each offering many different stops along the river at key locations such as Canary Wharf, the London Eye and the Tower of London. Simply hop-on and hop-off at the destinations which interest you most! Find out more at https://tfl.gov.uk/ 
© Image courtesy of Matt Buck / CC BY

Accommodation on the River Thames

Just a few years ago, it was almost impossible to find any boat accommodation on the River Thames near to the city of London. However, recent investment in the Docklands and St Katherine’s Dock have meant that it is now possible to base yourself right on the river during your stay in London. Why not arrange a boat party to get a taste of life on the river!

Stay In Britain’s recommendations:

Seeborn London

More superyacht than floating hotel, this 420 foot tribute to an oligarch’s lifestyle is permanently moored in the Royal Victoria Docks. With 131 guest cabins to choose from, many with balconies, the Sunborn enjoys unique views across London’s regenerated docklands area. The hotel also has a day spa and an excellent restaurant onboard. The yacht is just a minute’s walk from ExCeL London and under a five minute walk to the Dockland’s Light Railway. For more information, visit the Sunborn website.
© Image courtesy of Jon Stow / CC BY

Sailing Barge Will

Built in 1925 as the largest steel hulled Thames Sailing Barge ever built, Will is 97 feet long (29.75m). After a distinguished career in World War II where she survived several attacks by German forces, Will was bought by P&O in 1970 and fitted out as a luxury board room and served in this capacity for the company’s Directors until 1999. The barge has several cabins onboard and can be chartered for overnight stays. She operates out of the Pool of London from the Hermitage Community Moorings, Reeds Wharf and St Katherine Dock. Find out more about Sailing Barge Will on the Thames Leisure website.

Absolute Pleasure Yacht

Unlike Seeborn which was designed as a floating hotel, the Absolute Pleasure Yacht is actually a superyacht which was launched to serve the super-rich in destinations like St. Tropez. It is now based at Canary Wharf and serves as luxury accommodation. Sleeping up to 10 people, a one night charter costs approximately £2,500. At £250 per head, this does seems expensive but this is truly a unique experience which is perfect for a special occasion. For more information, visit the website of the Absolute Pleasure Yacht.
© Image courtesy of Absolute Pleasure Yacht

The Harpy

Built in 1904, the former HMS Harpy also saw service as a floating office for Customs & Excise. This incredible house boat is based just a short walk from Tower Pier. The views across the river towards Tower Bridge can only be described as stunning. Sleeping 10 people across four bedrooms, the accommodation here represents excellent value given the location. One night for the whole vessel starts at approximately £700. There is a minimum stay of 3 nights. For more information, visit the Harpy’s website.
© Image courtesy of The Harpy

Stay In Britain

Here at Stay In Britain, we feature various types of holiday accommodation including hotels, guest houses, self-catering apartments, wooden lodges and B&Bs (bed and breakfast). Uniquely, we only feature independent properties which you will not usually find on the major booking websites. And because the property owners don’t have to pay commission to these major booking sites, they can offer you the best prices available. Book direct using the contact details supplied. It’s as easy as that!

We wish you an enjoyable Stay In Britain.

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The ski and snowboard holiday sector is following a similar pattern. The mini ski break has become immensely popular in recent years with several tour operators like Ski Weekends promising short ski breaks to 63 top ski resorts in 8 countries!

What few people realise however, is that you can also ski within the United Kingdom. Yes, you did read this correctly and your eyes are not deceiving you! There are five ski resorts in Scotland just waiting for you to visit. And with the best snow in a generation (thanks to the effects of global warming), now is the perfect time to head to Scotland!

Like many Brits with family in Scotland, I learnt to ski in the early 80s at the Scottish resorts of Cairngorm and the Lecht. Much has changed in the Scottish ski centres since then. Some of the ski areas have invested in artificial snow machines and some of the ski lifts are now very modern indeed.

The modern gondola lift serving Nevis Range is the only one of its kind in Britain. The Nevis gondola transports skiers, climbers and mountain bikers to the highest ski area in Britain in just 12 minutes!

Here at Stay In Britain, we have compiled a list of some excellent accommodation options near to Scotland’s ski resorts. Click on the links below to see what we have on offer!

• Nevis Range – 20Km pistes – 12 ski lifts
• Cairngorm – 30Km pistes – 11 ski lifts
• Glenshee – 40Km pistes – 21 ski lifts
• Glencoe – 16Km pistes – 8 ski lifts
• The Lecht – 25Km pistes – 14 ski lifts

Skiing in Scotland can be amazing. With good snow under your skis and with clear views of Ben Nevis bathed in glorious sunshine, skiing in Scotland is hard to beat.

The skill to skiing in Scotland is to pick the ‘good days’. That’s why Ian McCasskill and his pals at the Scottish Met Office should become your most trusted friends. Keep an eye on the web-cams and snow reports at each of the ski centres too. If conditions look good for the coming weekend, take the Friday off work and head North as soon as you can.

Contrary to popular belief, the Scottish Highlands are easily accessible too. Manchester based skiers with a car could leave home at 5am and be on slopes by 11. London based snow heads can take the sleeper train from Euston at 9.25pm on a Friday night, getting into Fort William (just 7 miles from Nevis Range) at 9.54am on Saturday morning.

The same sleeper service gets you back in time for work on Monday morning too, leaving Fort William at 7pm on Sunday, arriving into London at 7.50am. With return fares starting at just £48 if you book in advance, city slickers can ski for two full days without taking any time off work.

Skiing in Scotland is certainly not to be scoffed at. With one day lift passes starting at £25, the cost is certainly cheaper than even the cheapest French resort. You won’t need to re-mortgage your house to buy a cup of coffee on the mountain either. What’s more our friends in Scotland speak the same language. And they don’t smell of onions either!

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Within hours of Buckingham Palace’s announcement that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were to be married in May 2018, we received hundreds of searches online at Stay In Britain from people looking for accommodation in Windsor. It really took us by surprise and it wasn’t something we expected to see when looking back at the site traffic a little over a week after the announcement.

We’ve been inundated with requests for assistance from outside the UK and particularly from America, Australia and New Zealand! Interestingly, most of the demand was from various news agencies who were keen to secure accommodation with balconies on the route which Harry and Megan are expected to take through the town. Those rooms with the best camera angles are expected to fetch a very high premium indeed!

A date has not yet been announced for the wedding ceremony yet but we do know that it will take place at the 15th-century St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle. St George’s is also the chapel of the Order of the Garter. Find out more about the Order of the Garter here >

So where are the best places to stay in Windsor if you are planning to get involved in Harry and Meghan’s big day? To help you prepare, we’ve compiled our ‘top tips’ to get you off to a flying start. When the precise date is finally announced (we expect it will be in the last two weeks of May), the booking frenzy is going to start in earnest. Do your research now and get ready to reserve your room!

Here are our top picks:

Macdonald Windsor Hotel
Situated just two minutes’ walk from Windsor Castle, you’ll find over 100 luxury bedrooms at the Macdonald which is right in the centre of the historic old town. The hotel also has rooms with balconies and rooms which overlook Sir Christopher Wren’s Guildhall.  Many rooms also afford views up towards Windsor Castle and Castle Hill.

Castle Hotel
Beginning life as the Mermaid Inn in 1528, the Castle Hotel won a royal warrant to provide horses and carriages for the royal household in the early 1700s. The Duke of Wellington allegedly dined here after his victory over Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815.

The Harte & Garter
Named after two 14th century inns (the Garter Inn and the White Harte), this luxurious hotel has achieved worldwide acclaim in recent years. Not only was the Gart Inn featured in several Shakespeare plays, it is named after the chivalric order (see above). The White Harte, was the official ‘press centre’ for Charles and Camilla’s wedding in 2005.  The hotel has various rooms and suites which look out over both the castle and Windsor high street.

Of course, these are all top end hotels which are featured on the leading hotel booking sites like Hotels.com. Demand for beds at these hotels will be very high and the prices will reflect the demand.

A clever alternative would be to book your accommodation outside Windsor where prices will be more sensible and then travel in by taxi or public transport to absorb the atmosphere in the town.

Here at Stay In Britain, we feature several hotels and B&Bs in the local area which offer great value for money. And because we only feature independent hotels and guest houses, you will not find them on the major booking websites. Book direct with the hotel owners and get the best prices as the hotels we feature do not have to pay commission back to owners of external websites!

SEARCH FOR ACCOMMODATION NOW!

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Here at Stay In Britain we feel very lucky to be based in one of England’s most beautiful National Parks; The South Downs National Park. The South Downs Park is England’s newest National Park, having been designated a National Park in November 2009.

The National Park covers an area of 1,627 square kilometres, stretching for 140 kilometres (87 miles) from Winchester to Eastbourne and encompassing large areas of Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex. Being based in Petersfield, which is almost in the centre of the park, we are perhaps a little biased when we say that our immediate area offers the very best that the park has to offer!

Every year, thousands of walkers, runners and cyclists choose to walk, run or cycle part or the whole South Downs Way. Whereas some people turn the route into an endurance course, others choose to break the journey up into chunks and find accommodation along the way. So where are the best places to stop overnight?

Here are some of our favourite places to stay overnight working from Winchester to Eastbourne in an Easterly direction.

We’ve walked and cycled this route many times so we can speak with confidence when we recommend these accommodation choices.

Chilcombe (5 miles from Winchester)

The Hamlet of Chilcombe nestles in a valley east of Winchester and very near the A31. The nearby bowl barrow on Telegraph Hill, on the South Downs Way itself, was a former prehistoric settlement. The village has a small Norman church (1120 AD) which affords nice views over Winchester.

• Complyns Bed & Breakfast: Complyns Bed and Breakfast is a detached 17th century listed former farm house with a large country garden and orchard. The popular South Downs Way quite literally passes the B&Bs front gate. Both walkers and cyclists are welcome http://www.complyns.co.uk/

Buriton (22 miles from Winchester)

The picturesque village of Buriton lies 400 metres to the North of the South Downs Way (at the bottom of Kiln Lane). The village lies approximately two miles South of Petersfield. The village boasts two pubs, a village hall, a large village pond (with plenty of ducks and huge fish), a car park and the Church of St. Mary.

• The Five Bells: Our local pub here at Stay In Britain and our favourite place for a Sunday roast! This traditional country pub also has dog friendly self-catering accommodation but you are advised to book early; the accommodation here is very popular! http://fivebells-buriton.co.uk
• The Village Inn: Just 100 metres from the Five Bells, the Village Inn offers upscale accommodation and fine ‘gastro pub’ dining. The 14 individually designed bedrooms with luxurious roll top baths or contemporary showers are designed to suit all tastes and budgets. http://www.villageinnburiton.co.uk/

Houghton (43 miles from Winchester)

Houghton is a small linear village and the chosen location for a historic stone bridge across the River Arun. The village’s simple church, dedicated to St Nicholas, was originally built in the 13th century but largely rebuilt in 1857. The village’s George and Dragon pub, which pre-dates the English Civil War, was a stop-off point for Charles I’s son (the future Charles II) on his escape to France in 1651.

• Arun Valley B&B: The Arun Valley bed and breakfast at Houghton Farm offers quality accommodation at reasonable prices. Houghton Farm is situated just 150 metres from the South Downs Way and within easy walking distance of a truly excellent pub which has recently been refurbished – The George and Dragon http://www.thegeorgeanddragonhoughton.co.uk/
  https://www.arunvalleybandb.co.uk/
• South Downs Bunkhouse: Larger groups of walkers or cyclists will be interested in the South Downs Bunkhouse which offers beds from £24 per person per night. Bed spaces are sold on a mixed gender / mixed party basis and there are 20 beds in total. https://www.southdownsbunkhouse.co.uk/

Pycombe (61 miles from Winchester)

The small village of Pyecombe is situated just off the A23 just a few miles inland from Brighton. This pleasant village has a beautiful 12th century church and many pretty ivy-clad flint houses. Being right on the South Downs Way, it makes for an obvious stop although accommodation is very limited.

• Saddlesombe Farm: We thoroughly recommend a stopover at Saddlescombe Farm with owners Camilla and Roly. They have some very nice B&B accommodation but more importantly you can spend some time here experiencing life on a working farm. The farm is just 5 miles north of Brighton and here you can find sheep, cows and arable crops in abundance! http://www.camillaandroly.co.uk/bed-a-breakfast

Alfriston (78 miles from Winchester)

The ancient village of Alfriston dates back to Neolithic times and is featured in the Domesday Book of 1086. In the centre of the village green (The Tye) is the ‘Cathedral of the Downs’, St. Andrew’s Church, which lies on a raised mount surrounded by a flint wall. Right alongside the Church is the Clergy House, a National Trust property, the first purchased by them.

• Bo-Peep Farm: This lovely farmhouse has three rooms available as B&B accommodation. Sitting alongside the ‘Old Coach Road’ which runs from Firle to Alfriston, it’s an ideal base for walkers, runners and cyclists. There’s plenty of off-road parking and safe cycle storage. http://bopeepfarmhouse.co.uk/rooms/

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Despite Britain’s obsession with spa tourism in the late 18th Century, when hoards of society’s finest descended on elegant spa towns to ‘take the waters’, there is only one true geo-thermal ‘bathing’ source in the UK. And even Bath, Britain’s only warm water spring with over 10,000 years of bathing history to its credit, was closed in 1978 through lack of demand.

The Chieftains in Bath needed 23 years to realise they’d made a terrible mistake; a mistake which cost £30 million in funding and five years in construction to redress. Opened in late 2006, Britons are once again donning their loin cloths and re-discovering the therapeutic wonders of bathing in geo-thermal spring water.

The water which originates from deep underground, originally fell as rain on the nearby Mendip Hills. The water then passes through limestone aquifers to a depth of between 2,700 and 4,300 metres where geothermal energy raises the water temperature to between 64 °C and 96 °C.

Under great pressure, the heated water rises to the surface along fissures and faults in the limestone. Hot water at a temperature of 46 °C rises in the centre of Bath at the rate of 1.2 million litres every day from the Pennyquick geological fault.

Bath offers two very different bathing experiences. The smaller Cross Bath is suitable for groups of up to ten people and can be hired for private use. The larger Thermae Bath Spa (New Royal Bath) is a much larger facility offering two different pools, various steam rooms and a restaurant. The thermal water in both baths is cooled to the optimum bathing temperature of 33.5 °C.

The Cross Bath

The Cross Bath is an intimate open-air thermal bath. Benefitting from its own changing facilities, the Cross Bath is housed in a separate building and provides an alternative to the more extensive spa facilities at the New Royal Bath.  Where the Cross Bath now stands, the Celts once revered their goddess Sul. After the Romans invading Britain in 55 BC, the Romans named their settlement in honour of Sul and called the town ‘Aquae Sulis’ or ‘Waters of Sulis’. The Cross Spring is now recognised as an official sacred site.

The New Royal Bath

Opened in 2006, the New Royal Bath is “a fusion of glass, stone, light and water”. Day or night, enjoy stunning views over the City of Bath and the surrounding hills. Relax in two spectacular baths (one indoor and one rooftop outdoor pool), fed by the naturally warm, mineral-rich water. You can also rest and relax in the multi-sensory Wellness Suite, book treatments and enjoy a light meal in the excellent restaurant.

Accommodation in Bath

Here at Stay In Britain, we feature hotels, guest houses and B&Bs in the local area surrounding Bath which offer great value for money. Uniquely, we only feature independent properties which you will not find on the major booking websites. And because the property owners don’t have to pay commission to the major booking sites, they can offer you the best prices. Book direct using the contact details supplied… it’s as easy as that! We wish you an enjoyable stay.

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We are sad to announce that the old stayinbritain.co.uk website is no more. As of early July 2017, the site is under new ownership, if you have any specific concerns we will do our best to help. Contact us here

This website is under new ownership and many previous accommodation listings have been removed. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused. We will be updating the site significantly over the next few weeks, if you are interested in your property being listed, then pease contact us. We will be building out mini sites focused on some of the most popular areas of Britain as well as blogging regularly about venues, events, new holiday properties and more.

 
www.stayinbritain.co.uk/attractions, www.stayinbritain.co.uk/about, www.stayinbritain.co.uk/venues, www.stayinbritain.co.uk/regions, www.stayinbritain.co.uk/events, www.stayinbritain.co.uk/blog, www.stayinbritain.co.uk/airports, www.stayinbritain.co.uk/inspiration, www.stayinbritain.co.uk/country/ireland

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