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The Best Mid-Range Hotels
The Sanctuary House Hotel (London; tel. 020/7799-4044; www.fullershotels.com): In a historic building close to Westminster Abbey, a brewery has converted an old building into a traditional English inn with pub downstairs. It's like something you might find in the countryside of England, but instead it's in the historic heart of London. The place is a bit nostalgic, like the food served -- all the old favorites such as roast beef, Welsh lamb, and Dover sole.
The Fielding Hotel (London; tel. 020/7836-8305; www.the-fielding-hotel.co.uk): Named after the novelist Henry Fielding of Tom Jones fame, this hotel is one of the most eccentric in London. You'll either love it or hate it. Most guests love its cramped, quirky, quaint aura, and its location at Covent Garden is unbeatable. Everything is old-fashioned and traditional, but if you complain that the bedrooms are too small, Smokey, the African gray parrot, will tell you off!
The Jenkins Hotel (London; tel. 020/7387-2067; www.jenkinshotel.demon.co.uk): Hailed by one London publication as one of the 10 best hotel values in town, the Jenkins was featured on the PBS Mystery! series, Poirot. Those seeking decent accommodations in Bloomsbury, at an affordable price, have made their way to this address in Cartwright Gardens ever since Maggie Jenkins opened the place in the 1920s. Rooms are small but well furnished, and some of the original Georgian charm remains.
Mermaid Inn (Rye, Sussex; tel. 01797/223065; www.mermaidinn.com): England's most famous smugglers' inn, the Mermaid sheltered Elizabeth I on her visit to Rye in 1573. At the time of the queen's visit, the inn had already been operating for 150 years. Still going strong, it leans heavily on English romance -- old-world furnishings, some four-poster beds, and even a secret staircase. From its doorstep, the cobblestone streets of ancient Rye await exploration.
Powder Mills Hotel (Battle, Surrey; tel. 01424/775511; www.powdermillshotel.com): Near the famous battlefield at Battle Abbey, this Georgian house stands on 61 hectares (150 acres). A historic property that once catered to luminaries such as the duke of Wellington has been successfully converted to receive paying guests, housing them in style and comfort -- all at an affordable price.
Apsley House Hotel (Bath, Avon; tel. 01225/336966; www.apsley-house.co.uk): Away from the city center, this 1830 house was supposedly constructed for the duke of Wellington. Its owners have restored it and created a period house of character with an ambience of subdued elegance.
Chideock House Hotel (Chideock, Dorset; tel. 01297/489242; www.chideockhousehotel.com): A former 15th-century thatched house, once used by the Roundheads in 1645, is now a hotel of charm and grace with fireplaces and individually decorated bedrooms.
Ravenwood Hall (Bury St., Edmunds, Suffolk; tel. 01359/270345; www.ravenwoodhall.co.uk): Deep in the heart of East Anglia, this was once called Tudor Hall. Today, it stands in a 2.7-hectare (7-acre) park and gardens with an outdoor pool and tennis courts. Sleep in a four-poster bed and immerse yourself in old England after having had a good dinner and a toasty "warm-up" at the fireplace.
Henllys Hotel (The Old Courthouse, Betws-y-Coed, North Wales; tel. 01690/710534; www.guesthouse-snowdonia.co.uk): This luxurious B&B has the amenities of a small inn. It was converted from a Victorian magistrates' court and is set in lovely gardens along the river.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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