Tanja

Has anyone stayed at the Abbey House hotel in Bath? I'm looking at that one, as well as the Queensberry. Thoughts on these or other suggestions??<BR><BR>Also...how much time should I plan on spending at Stonehenge? I'm trying not to "cram" too much into my days...<BR><BR>

steve

Not more than an hour at Stonehenge. I would also suggest Salisbury Cathedral and Old Sarum nearby. If you are driving, also stop by Avebury for a different stone ring

Joanne

We enjoyed the Sydney Gardens Hotel B&B in Bath, it's in a lovely park setting but within walking distance to everything. Nonsmoking, nice ensuite baths, huge breakfast.<BR><BR>Old Sarum and the Avebury circle are wonderful to visit because you can go right in aomngst them. We could have spent a full afternoon at Avebury -- they have a pub and two museums as well as a huge, accessible stone circle.

janis

A good day loop from Bath would include a couple of hours in Salisbury (Cathedral and lovely bldgs and shops), 45 mins -1 hour for old Sarum, 45 mins - 1 hour for Stonehange, and an hour or more in Avebury. Including driving times and lunch this would be about an 8 - 9 hour day.

Joanne

I agree with Janis' schedule, which can also be done if you're driving back from Bath to London, since Salisbury is on the way.

Shelley

I have been to this area twice and want you to know you are in for a treat! I second seeing Salisbury Cathedral and Old Sarum. But if you are staying in Bath, I would also recommend going to Wells Cathedral (especially for Evensong!) and Glastonbury Abbey, where King Arthur was supposed to have been buried. The last time we were in Bath (in June) we stayed at the Eagle House in Bathford - a lovely village a couple of miles from Bath, with bus service into downtown Bath - and found it to be delightful! I am picky about my accommodations, but would stay there again in a heartbeat! Spend a couple of days in the area and see as much as you can!

Tanja

Thank you so much for all of your help!! I am taking 2 days to drive from London to Bath and back, and the schedule ideas are really helping me plan it out. I'm getting really excited about my trip, especially after your input!!

steve

I also liked Wells cathedral. Might also go thru Cheddar Gorge which isn't too far away

Jenny

Another vote for Wells Cathedral - gorgeous, and lovely grounds too, if I remember correctly. It's also not too far to Cheddar Gorge which is worth a visit.

Jayne

This looks like a truly beautiful place to stay...<BR><BR>The outside looks like the cottage used in the Railway Children (the old one)!<BR><BR>http://www.howardshousehotel.co.uk/html/index.htm<BR><BR>I got the link from the Sunday Times - Also, if you are looking for quaint and cute English B&B's check this site out... This lady has done a fab job with B&B all over the world - it basically her book on the internet..<BR><BR>http://www.karenbrown.com/england/index.html<BR>

kam

Stayed at the Abbey House Hotel 3 years ago on way to Wales. Highly recommend it! It's a bit from the center of Bath, but we just parked our car there and walked into town where we stayed for the whole day and dinner. Took taxi back as I recall but only because we were exhausted. Lovely little place, nice breakfasts. I think Stonehenge is highly overrated, but we've been there several times so maybe it's just become old hat. Salisbury Cathedral is very pretty--have you read the book, Sarum? If not you might want to find a copy. Gloucester Cathedral also worth a visit especially if you are going to see the Harry Potter movie. You can spend a whole week using Bath as a base. Cotswolds near here, Tintern Abbey, drive over to Wales etc. Another hotel we looked at was Wooly Grange. It's outside of Bath in a small town. Would be good for touring the countryside.

kam

There was an excellent article on Avebury in the SF Chronicle about a year ago, maybe a bit longer. I can't find it but you could try searching www.sfgate.com/travel and then do a search for avebury. I should have copied it at the time, but we were on our way to Northumberland! Good luck.