Taking Vacations In Birmingham And Where To Stay

Have you noticed that fewer people are taking a summer vacation to the usual sun and sand destinations this year? One of the main reasons for this is, obviously, the state of the present economic climate but another reason is that more and more folk are looking for a vacation offering something a little bit different. One place which is a superb vacation destination which answers both these issues is the fascinating city of Birmingham in England. Firstly booking your own city hotel (rather than booking a package vacation) will save you a small fortune and coupled with the fact that the British pound is struggling against foreign currencies England is the vacation destination of choice. Secondly city vacations are now more popular than ever and the city of Birmingham ticks all the right boxes for a superb city vacation, such as excellent facilities, extremely interesting places to visit, plenty of bars restaurants, cafes and the likes as well as more cultural attractions such as museums and galleries of the highest standards.

Birmingham has a healthy number of places to visit and things to do which include some fine museums and art galleries, for example the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and the Thinktank, a new museum in the Eastside. Birmingham also has an incredible number of hectares of parks, open spaces and woodland, Sutton Park being the largest with 2,400 acres it is also the largest urban nature reserve in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Where To Stay In Birmingham

Macdonald Burlington Hotel Birmingham

The Macdonald Burlington is located in the heart of Birmingham and it is only a couple of minutes from New Street station (and adjacent to a 2,000 space NCP car park). The price is extremely reasonable especially when you consider that this is a 4 star rated hotel offering a whole host of modern facilities and first class, friendly, service.

The Birmingham City Centre Holiday Inn

Another city centre hotel offering superb accommodation at a very reasonable price is the Holiday Inn. This 3 star establishment is a little further away from New Street station (roughly a five minute walk away) but is maybe more suited for those visiting Birmingham on business.

Staying Cool at The Rotunda

If you find boutique hotels appealing then we are sure that Staying Cool at The Rotunda will impress. These studio serviced apartments have a fantastic style and are a great place to stay for a weekend city break. You will be amazed at how little it costs these days to stay in such luxury and Staying Cool at The Rotunda offers both 4 and 5 star accommodation.

The three hotels discussed above are just three of a multitude of fine establishments to be found across Birmingham. Whether you want to stay in a cheap and cheerful chain hotel, a first class luxury boutique hotel or a simple family run guest house you can be sure to find the perfect place to stay available at surprisingly low prices.

Learn more about hotels in Birmingham. Stop by Karl Fraser’s site where you can find the best deals on Birmingham bed and breakfast.

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Introducing Harry’s Hotel And Bistro, Aberystwyth

Wales is a small country with epic scenery, beautiful coastlines, lush valleys and green hills. The seaside town of Aberystwyth nestles between three of these hills on one side and the harbour, fed by the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol, to the other. Although the town may be described as being small it certainly has a disproportionate number of excellent facilities making it a truly superb place in which to take a vacation.

While the two beaches of Aberystwyth do not benefit from the soft golden sand usually found along the Welsh coast this does not make it any the less popular. There are basically two reasons for this popularity, water sports, such as surfing, and the elegant wide promenade and splendid Victorian and Edwardian architecture.

Ever since the late’th Century Aberystwyth has been a University town (the university college, Aberystwyth University, was established in’72) and today the University of Wales (as it is now called) has an enrollment of around eight thousand students annually. As the population of the town is around sixteen thousand the students account for roughly a third of the total population during term time.

With such a large student population you will find plenty of pubs, bars and cafes dotted around the small town but few compare with Harry’s Hotel And Bistro for atmosphere.

Harry’s Hotel And Bistro is situated right in the centre of town and features a wonderful Irish Bar which often features live music. The recently refurbished Bistro has an open plan kitchen and a Modern Bistro style menu.

The one way system in place at Aberystwyth can confuse some people, Harry’s is easy enough to find as it is on the left hand side of the road on the one-way system along North Parade.

All of the rooms available at Harry’s Hotel are more spacious than you would expect in this price bracket. Most rooms have a seating area with soft furnishings and a flat screen television with satellite TV. Other facilities include the usual array of implements such as a hairdryer and tea/coffee making facilities but other services include such things as a laundry/valet Service and other services more associated with luxury hotels.

Aberystwyth benefits from being between two and three hours from such conurbations as Liverpool, Manchester, Cardiff, Birmingham and Bristol. If you will be visiting one of these cities on business one of the best ways in which to unwind after a hard week is to spend the weekend enjoying yourself at Harry’s Hotel & Bistro.

If you are planning a vacation or weekend break in Aberystwyth, then visit Karl Fraser’s site which has further information about Harry’s Hotel And Bistro and where you can book online.

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Glasgow City Breaks

Glasgow is a great place to have a vacation if you wish to explore the lowland of Scotland and this article examines some of the reasons why you should consider this a fascinating destination worth further investigation.

Bagpipes and tartan, as soon as you hear these words or see these two items, the odds are that the word “Scotland” will spring to mind (or vice versa). You usually see these items in a lovely piece of art or on a box of shortbread. While many see the history of Scotland as romantic many see the raw facts and accept that most points in the history of Scotland are punctuated by battles and bloodshed. Just looking across the stunning landscapes you will, in only a short distance, come across a historical site associated with the nation’s turbulent history. In fact these sites draw enormous numbers of folk each and every year.

In order to visit many of the finest historical sites in Scotland it is necessary to travel extensively but often it is possible to visit a respectable number of first class historical sites if you remain in one place, especially if this happens to be the city of Glasgow. Glasgow has a wealth of superb visitor attractions and masses of important historical sites all within easy reach. The following examines just three of these places of interest, Crookston Castle, Glasgow Cathedral and Newark Castle.

Glasgow Cathedral

St. Mungo is the patron saint of Glasgow and the city’s most ancient Cathedral is dedicated to him. Glasgow has much to thank the saint for as it was he who first built a church there in the seventh century thus setting the foundations of this important city. St. mungo died in 612 and his original building was extended, altered and eventually replaced during the twelfth to thirteenth centuries. The Cathedral was consecrated in the year 1197, making it one of only a small number of medieval ecclesiastical buildings still standing following the destruction during the years of the Scottish Reformation and it is one of Glasgow’s most important landmarks.

Crookston Castle

Crookston Castle is a twelfth century ringwork fortress and keep made of stone. The castle was built by Sir Robert de Croc and, in the fourteenth century the castle and it’s lands came into the possession of Sir Alan Stewart and then the 1st Lord Darnley, Sir John Stewart. The castle has a strong association with the tragic Mary Queen of Scots who married Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley (her second husband).

Newark Castle

In 1478 Newark Castle was built (by George Maxwell) on the Firth of Clyde’s south shore. Some of this building remains visible today but much has been replaced or rebuilt. The most extensive works were carried out, just over a hundred years later, by Sir Patrick Maxwell who created a 3 storey Renaissance mansion replacing the original hall with a new north range. Historic Scotland now keep the castle for the nation, it passed into state hands in 1909.

The above is just a small selection from a very large number of Glasgow attractions and if this is not enough for you, you could always visit the nearby cities of Edinburgh and Stirling. These two cities will especially interest those have a fascination of castles. Glasgow really is hard to beat as a vacation destination in Scotland.

Looking to find the best deal on cheap hotels in Glasgow, then please visit our site to find the most comprehensive listings of cheap Glasgow hotels.

categories: Glasgow,Scotland,city break,weekend break,travel,travel and leisure,vacations,destinations,destination,vacation destinations,travel tips,recreation,holiday,holidays

Taking Vacations In Swansea

Each year more and more people discover superb vacation destinations in the United Kingdom. While most folk choose to stay in London increasing numbers are looking to other UK cities as possible destinations suitable for short city breaks and one such city is the city of Swansea in Wales.

Cardiff is the largest city (by population) in Wales with the city of Swansea being a close second. The advantages of the city to travelers is that it is a coastal city so you have the benefits of a seaside resort coupled with those of a modern city and on top of this you are easily in reach of some of Britain’s finest beaches.

So the beach lover is more than catered for but Swansea is perfect for virtually any type of vacation as it has a large number of excellent attractions. Of course the sea will keep many happy and the the stunning countryside will satisfy many others but the city itself has all of the twenty first century entertainments and amenities you would expect in an important city.

Beaches In Swansea

Within the larger area of Swansea (Swansea county) there are so many fantastic beaches that they can not all be listed here but the two most famous are Oxwich Bay and Three Cliffs Bay. Among the many other beaches, besides Swansea Bay, are the beaches of Limeslade, Rotherslade, Horton Bay, Mewslade Bay, Pwlldu Bay and a great many more bays and coves.

Lounging around on a sun kissed beach is great for some folk, paddling or swimming is great for others but for some this type of thing is far too leisurely. If you fall into the latter category you will, most probably, be pleased to hear that virtually any water sport is popular in Swansea Bay. You will see plenty of yachts and dinghies but surfing, water skiing and the likes are also incredibly popular.

Other Attractions

As mentioned you will find modern entertainments such as the cinema and the likes. If you want something a bit more cultural then there are a few superb museums to visit, the the National Waterfront Museum is highly popular. If you are interested in Dylan Thomas then a visit to the Dylan Thomas Centre is a must but you may also want to visit the park in which he played as a child (Cwmdonkin Park). If you want lively nightlife then head to Wind Street where you will find plenty of bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants etc.

Looking to find the best deal on hotels in Swansea, then visit Karl Fraser’s site to find the most comprehensive listings of Swansea bed and breakfast for you.

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