102 tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk Spring 2012

checking out n hotel accommodation

Staying in a hotel need not mean putting upwith a homogeneous mega-chain urbanslab with identikit rooms and little charac-ter. There are many extraordinary hotels thatstarted life in a very different guise but nowoffer an accommodation experience with a

twist. Castles, forts, palaces, factories, convents, shipsand caves – all have been transformed into hotels.You can find them throughout the world, but you don’t

have to travel far to enjoy a stay guaranteed to wow you.Fancy yourself as lord of the manor? You can live the

high life and be king of the castle, at least for a few days,in several historic piles in Britain. Dalhousie Castle(www.dalhousiecastle.co.uk), near Edinburgh, is agrand, 13th century fortress that has been turned into aluxury castle hotel complete with dining room in thevaulted dungeon. Guests can try the royal sport offalconry to complete their regal fantasy.Built over 100 years ago, Bovey Castle (www.bovey-

castle.com) is now a five-star golf and spa resort setwithin Dartmoor National Park in Devon. Why not get family or friends together and take over

a Napoleonic fort? Spitbank Fort, a mile off PortsmouthHarbour, has just completed a multimillion pound trans-formation to become a private, luxury destination witheight en-suite bedrooms, three private dining rooms andbars, a wine cellar, rooftop hot pool, sauna and sundecks. Guests have Champagne and canapés in RoyalClarence Marina prior to their private boat transfer. Thefort can be booked from £8,000 per night for exclusiveuse through Clarenco (www.clarenco.com).Ireland has its own castles and stately homes now runas hotels. Among them are County Clare’s DromolandCastle (www.dromoland.ie) and Adare ManorCastle Hotel (www.adaremanor.com), inCounty Limerick.

conventAcross the Channel, France has a numberof chateaux which have become hotels,while Spain has its parador hotels andPortugal its pousada hotels, many of themformer palaces. Spain’s Parador de Granada

(www.paradores-spain.com) is a luxury hotelset in a former 15th century convent which is part of

the famous Alhambra Palace overlooking the city ofGranada in Andalucia. Italy, too, has some grandformer palaces now welcoming paying guests.If those don’t float your boat, why not opt for a grand

home from home that once plied the oceans?Stockholm’s Malardrottningen Hotel(http://malardrottningen.se) was the world’s largestdiesel-powered yacht when it was built in 1924. Given toWoolworth heiress and socialite Barbara Hutton on her18th birthday by her father, it welcomed royalty, moviestars and the world’s movers and shakers and is now a60-room hotel moored near the city centre, its richmahogany and brass decor preserved for today’s guests.For true nostalgia, nothing beats a stay onboard

former transatlantic liner, the Hotel Queen Mary(www.queenmary.com), permanently docked off LongBeach. Step back to the glory days of the multiple holderof the blue riband for the fastest Atlantic crossing in oneof 314 first-class staterooms featuring rich woodpanelling, Art Deco fixtures and portholes.You can stay below the waves, too. Jules Undersea

Lodge (www.jul.com) is a former underwater researchlaboratory that sits 30 feet underwater in a mangrovelagoon at Key Largo, in Florida. Operated for 25 years asa hotel, guests dive down to enter via a “moon pool” atthe bottom. It has two double bedrooms, a galley withmicrowave and fridge and a dining area/lounge with TVwhere guests can watch fish swim by through the large

Rooms with a

wowD

eser

t Ca

ve H

otel

Jule

s U

nder

sea

Lodg

e

n Enjoy falconry atDalhousie Castle

n Where's the key, honey?I'm getting wet out here

n Coober Pedycave room

focus: unusual hotels

checkingoutTLMspring12v1pp102-106_T&L 21/04/2012 13:27 Page 102

porthole window, before venturing out to explore thelagoon on a dive.

cave hotelsThere are even hotels underground. The Desert Cave Hotel(www.desertcave.com.au) is located in the AustralianOutback opal mining town of Coober Pedy, where resi-dents live below ground to escape the heat. Of the 50suites, 19 are underground. All have TV and internetaccess. Hotel facilities include shops, restaurants and bars,and guests can buy opals direct from the local mines.

Turkey’s Cappadocia region has several cave hotelsbuilt into its honeycombed volcanic rocks, including theboutique Cappadocia Cave Suites Hotel(www.cappadociacavesuites.com).

They may have melted now, but if you’re alreadythinking of somewhere different to stay next winter,a really cool option is to stay in an ice hotel. Thelargest is Sweden’s Icehotel(www.icehotel.com), and you can also snug-gle up inside Quebec’s Hotel de Glace(www.hoteldeglace-canada.com) and the IceHotel Romania (www.icehotelromania.com).

But if you can’t do without your morningcuppa, book yourself into the Tea Factory Hotel (www.heritancehotels.com/teafactory) – aconverted tea factory high up in Sri Lanka’s NuwaraEliya tea-growing region.

Spring 2012 tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 103

checking out n hotel accommodation

Clar

enco

Hot

el Q

ueen

Mar

yH

otel

de

Gla

ce

Dal

hous

ie C

astle

n Former liner, theHotel Queen Mary

n Ice bed in theHotel de Glace

n SpitbankFort, in theSolent

HOTEL NEWSThe Athenaeum Hotel inMayfair has won the TeaGuild’s 2012 award for TopLondon Afternoon Tea.Another 21 capital hotelswere given Awards ofExcellence, including theSavoy, the Ritz, theDorchester, Claridge’s andBrown’s Hotel. Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa in Surreywon the Top City and Country Hotel award. Judgespraised its smart and elegant surroundings, serviceand tasty sandwiches, cakes and scones, as well as thechoice of teas and quality of tea served.www.athenaeumhotel.com,www.pennyhillpark.co.uk

Historic Scottish castleAckergill Tower opens as aluxury hotel on May 1. The15th century Highlandbastion has previously onlybeen available for private

hire. It offers 28 en-suite bedrooms, many of them inoriginal buildings on the estate. Half-board rates startfrom £300, while a Detox Weekend on May 11-13costs £550 per person and includes fitness classeswith a personal trainer, a massage and special menus. www.clarenco.com/ackergilltower

A one-night Royal JubileeCelebration stay at London’s RoyalGarden Hotel on June 2 costs £315and includes tickets to A Gala forthe Queen’s Diamond Jubilee at theRoyal Albert Hall, starring RussellWatson and the Royal PhilharmonicOrchestra, as well asaccommodation in a King Room. Itis also offering a Diamond Jubilee Afternoon Tea in itsPark Terrace Lounge from May 28-June 5 for £22, or£32 with Champagne.www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk

Holidaymakers need to be quickoff the mark to book a Londonairport hotel during theOlympics, accommodationbroker HolidayExtras.com haswarned. It highlights the fact that 320,000international visitors are expected during the Games,with eight million people having tickets for events.While average Olympics London room-only hotelrates are £213 – up 102% on last year – the companyhas overnights at Gatwick’s three-star Days Hoteland eight days’ on-airport parking, from £111.www.holidayextras.com

checkingoutTLMspring12v1pp102-106_T&L 21/04/2012 13:27 Page 103

Most modern hotels are so bland they areinstantly forgettable once you leave.Guests at the new, £60 million Radisson

Edwardian Guildford have no such worry.Tucked off Guildford’s historic high street,

the striking glass façade makes a bold state-ment. But inside is where award-winningdesigner Rabih Hage really has fun.

Walk under the huge chandelier in theatrium lobby and it feels like you are on anAlice in Wonderland film set. A two-storey,free-standing kiosk houses informationpamphlets, plush seating and a TV displayinga roaring fire, with a roof-top business centre

you can look down on from the balcony walk-way leading to your room.

The soaring back wall comprises floor-to-ceil-ing library shelves and attached crooked, whiteladders, up which you half expect to see the MadHatter. Stage lights complete the illusion.

Relish, one of two eateries, is equallytheatrical; murals and nets printed with sump-tuous palace interior scenes are set off by morechandeliers. The wonderfully-inventive, andvery tasty, food is only upstaged by thefriendly, efficient staff. But why skimp on thenapkins at breakfast to use paper serviettes?

The daily Queen of Hearts Afternoon Tea

includes tarts and a Madhatter Milkshake,besides teas.

Guest rooms are comfortable and a restfulchocolate-brown. The bedside iPod dock is anice touch. Shame the immovable hairdryer inthe wardrobe isn’t closer to the looking glass.

It costs £10 to use the superb spa’s facilities(sauna, steam room, small pool, relaxationroom, five treatment rooms). But indulgeyourself with a massage. It will have you grin-ning like a Cheshire Cat, as will your stay.

Peter Ellegard

104 tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk Spring 2012

checking out n hotel reviews

Approaching Rhinefield HouseHotel on the wooded drivewayin the heart of the New Forest,the first view you get of thismagnificent edifice, framed bysoaring redwood trees, is to diefor. Which was fitting, as I wasstaying there for a murdermystery weekend.

The grand Gothic and Tudorexterior, creaking oak front door

and maze of corridors and stairsadded perfectly to the occasion.As did the baronial-style,chandeliered public rooms withtheir lofty leaded windows andornamental gardens beyond.

Hercules Poirot and SherlockHolmes would be in their elementin this magnificent country househotel, part of the Hand PickedHotels group and offering 50

bedrooms, outdoor pool and leisurecentre in 40 acres of woodland. Butwith friendly staff and four-starcomforts, it felt very homely evento a lesser sleuth like me.

Some rooms are in the newsection, which is used as aconference and wedding venue.Mine was in the old part, with astone-mullioned window, but wasvery cosy. I particularly liked thetoy New Forest pony left on thebed, which you put outside theroom if you don’t want to bedisturbed. Unfortunately, thebathroom radiator did not work,making for a quick dash forwarmth after showering.

With two AA Rosette finedining in a stately restaurantboasting a carved Armada friezeabove the fireplace, the food isfirst rate, although my murdermystery companions and I ate inthe glorious Grand Hall.

What a pity not all of themstayed around to enjoy thewhole weekend.

Peter Ellegard

factboxRadisson Edwardian Guildford3 Alexandra Terrace, High Street,Guildford, Surrey GU1 3DA Tel: 01483 792300www.radissonedwardian.com/guildfordDouble room from £99 B&B

best forl Sense of funl Exquisite foodl Spa breaks

could do betterl Paper napkins? No…

Centre stage

To die for

factboxRhinefield House HotelRhinefield Road,Brockenhurst, HampshireSO42 7QBTel: 0845 072 7516www.handpickedhotels.co.ukDouble room from £135B&B

best forl Forest escapesl Romantic breaksl Weddings

could do betterl Warm rads, please

n Theatrical lobby n Relish restaurant

n Restful rooms

Radi

sson

Edw

ardi

an H

otel

s/M

arcu

s Pe

el

Radi

sson

Edw

ardi

an H

otel

s/M

arcu

s Pe

el

Radi

sson

Edw

ardi

an H

otel

s

Han

d Pi

cked

Hot

els

Han

d Pi

cked

Hot

els

n Rhinefield HouseHotel and pond

n Lounge

checkingoutTLMspring12v1pp102-106_T&L 21/04/2012 13:28 Page 104

Spring 2012 tlm � the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 105

Lansdowne Place Hotel & Spa

LLaannssddoowwnnee PPllaaccee HHootteell && SSppaaLLaannssddoowwnnee PPllaaccee,, HHoovvee BBNN33 11HHQQTT:: 0011227733 77336655226666 FF:: 0011227733 772299880022 EE:: iinnffoo@@llaannssddoowwnneeppllaaccee..ccoo..uukk wwwwww..llaannssddoowwnneeppllaaccee..ccoo..uukk

“The best of Brighton & Hove”

• Luxury 4� hotel just steps away from Hoveseafront

• Stunning bedrooms• Function rooms up to 250 delegates

• Cocktail bar and Restaurant• ESPA

• Friendly staff at your disposal 24h a day

“We make your stay the best experience”

� � � �BRIGHTON & HOVE

105TLMspring 29/3/12 12:30 Page 1