Have any of you visited: Althorp, Chatsworth House, Warwick Castle, Syon House, Sissinghurst, Hidcote Manor, Castle Howard, Harewood House or Holkham Hall? Are they worth the visit? <BR> <BR>Also we would appreciate B & B recommendations for the areas of: Northhamptonshire, Yorkshire, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Kent, Norfolk, and the Cotswolds. <BR> <BR>Thanks!

I have visited all of the properties you listed. Most are "musts" (especially Warwick, Chatsworth, Hidecote, Castle Howard & Sissinghurst) and the others are worthwhile. <BR> <BR>As for B&B's -- there are literally hundreds in the counties you list. I would just pick up a B&B book (look for one printed in the UK) in any large US bookstore and pick the particular villages you are interested in. Also do a web search using any good search engine (google, Northernlight etc) Look for entries such as "warwick accomodations" or "Cranbrook B&B". You will find all you need to make a good choice.

Chatsworth, Castle Howard and Warwick are certainly worth a visit. Wouldn't bother with Hidcote Garden. Haven't been to the rest. As long as you are in that area, you should consider Blenheim Palace. Just my opinion.

I've been to Warwick Castle and Harewood House. Warwick is a good site because it is very well laid out and organized. And it is surrounded by a beautiful park where you can stroll or picnic. The interior of the castle is stunning...just like a mansion. The only drawback is that it is a major tourist attraction and can be crowded. <BR> <BR>Harewood House is worth it for the lush interiors and antiques and beautiful furniture. Plus the countryside it is in is breathtaking. The house is nice because you only stay on the bottom floor, so it's not overwhelming or tiring. And when I was there with relatives, we felt like we owned the place because there was only one other couple in the house. The gardens are great and there's a great view of the lake, which has paths lined with a miniature aviary, filled with exotic birds of all kinds.

Go to www.theaa for the British AA club recommendations.

That should be www.theaa.com. I tried your's and it didn't work. Then tried ...co.uk and it defaulted to theaa.com, which worked like a champ.

where the heck is Britian?

I can only advice on Warwick Castle. It is one of the best castles to visit and while you are in the vicinity you must stop at Stratford-Upon-Avon for a bite to eat and see William Shakespeares home.