Maya

We love England (especially exploring the english countryside and north wales) but my husband having the hassle of changing accomedations for each area we visit (spending valueable time booking the accomedation at the tourist information office and the worry of not finding the place).<BR>This time we are thinking of booking ahead at one BB or Inn for a few days and driving around.<BR>Any suggestions for a location comfortable as a hub for daytrips?<BR><BR>To ease the hassle we are thinking

Lisa

Your idea is a very good one. London is of course an obvious choice (though not the cheapest one.) But the "hubs" you chose will depend on which areas you want to explore.

sylvia

Why not go for self catering. You can base yourselves in a nice cottage and explore the countryside around.<BR>Have a look at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...#Accommodation for firms.<BR><BR>I personally use English Country Cottages website at http://www.english-country-cottages.co.uk/<BR><BR>A good tip is to go for a property that only accommodates 2 and which specifies no children and no pets. It's not politically correct of me to say so but that sort of place will be well or even luxuriously furnished because the owners know that it won't be damaged by the tenants.

Joanne

The original post actually brings up two separate problems -- frequent relocating AND uncertainty about accommodations and the time lost in booking. You can deal with them separately and eliminate the second problem by simply booking in advance. Be careful, you don't want to trade one hassle (time and uncertainty of last-minute bookings) for another (starting and ending each day with a long drive).<BR><BR>I recommend booking ahead and staying two nights each at different B&B's along your itinerary (which you don't specify what part of England you want to see). For example, we booked 3 B&B's in advance and spent 2 nights each in Stratford, Hay-on-Wye, and Bath.

janis

Whenever I am in the UK for more that 10 days - which is usually a couple of times a year - I always book at least one week in self catering. And I ALWAYS rent a flat when in London.<BR><BR>But London is not the best choice for a base for touring other areas since it is by far the most expensive per night.<BR><BR>No matter where you want to go -- Kent and teh south coast, Oxford and the Cotswolds, Devon/Dorset and Cornwall, Yorkshire, East Anglia, Wales, Scotland - or anywhere else -- there are hundreds of wonderful self-catering cottages that make great bases. <BR><BR>As just one typical example - If you rented a cottage in mid-Kent you could visit anyplace from Canterbury to Dover to Hampshire . This covers a LOT of territory and you are never more than 90 minutes from "home". There would be over 20 castles, 12 or 15 cathedrals and abbeys, too many gardens to mention plus Brighton, the coastal resorts and thre steam railways. Absolutely no need to B&B to a different place every night.<BR><BR>The same goes for just about anywhere else in the country. Do a web searhs for Self catering cottage or Holiday Cottage, or similar and you will find an unbelievable selection.