Short Break Destination / Hotel Suggestions

[st13phil]

OK, thought about a short break for me and Mrs Phil in Liverpool at the end of the month (and thanks to those who suggested Hotels) but having second thoughts, mainly coz wandering around sightseeing in the rain is dull and boring...

So suggestions please for a location and hotel for a break at the end of October, leaving home on a Wednesday morning, returning home no later than afternoon Monday due to work commitments. Could be UK or overseas (but not north Africa - Mrs Phil has been working in Cairo and is in no hurry to return to that or similar places), either warm or cold but definitely with a low chance of rain that would spoil sightseeing. Could be either a city location or a well-appointed "retreat" type hotel with lots of facilities (in which case potential for rain not so important!). Have been toying with the idea of Vegas, but think the flight time may break it as an option. Would prefer places with decent restaurants & bars nearby.

Ideas?

 

[A210AMG]

Hello

Vegas if you have never been is awesome, but no way would I want to go on a 9hr flight both ways for a few days. Same goes for any weekend type break to New York or similar. Never see the point its not enough time and once your there it cheap so rather wait and have a week or more.

With that in mind, Prague is nice as is Bruges and fairly close. Then you have the more obvious such as Paris (lots to see + shows etc).

Weather at the places above could be hit / miss but chose a nice hotel with swiming pool, gym, bar.... you will be fine

 

[Ade B]

Been meaning to go to Copenhagen at some point - meant to be a lovely place - imagine the weather might be a challenge.

Failing that, how about southern/central Spain - check out the Alhambra palace - another on my list..

Or Istanbul, spent a weekend there once on business, amazing place for a short break.

For a retreat break, you could try here in the Alps. Dropped in for a swim once whilst Mrs B had a massage, amazing place.


Ade

 

[A210AMG]

Ade,

my only memory of Copenhagen was the mermaid thing that is suposed to be a tourist 'thing' to see was tiny and it was very expensive to eat / drink / buy anything...

that was about 15 years ago though

 

[Ade B]

Ade,

my only memory of Copenhagen was the mermaid thing that is suposed to be a tourist 'thing' to see was tiny and it was very expensive to eat / drink / buy anything...

that was about 15 years ago though

I have a good friend who's Mother In Law hails from Copenhagen, he has lots of family and spends quite a lot of time there and loves it, my brother also worked there and loved it and from pics I've seen it looks very pretty (lots of islands) and has some interesting 20thC buildings dotted about (bit specialist that one..) there is also the Louisiana Art Gallery which is meant to be very good.

I was in Sweden once a few years back, but couldn't get over the bridge at the time to check it out due to the not yet Mrs B not having the correct visa...

Ade

 

[SEM]

Just had my weekend flights to Austria Cancelled by Ryanair last week in October.. the same flights re arranged in the week are now as little as £1.00 flying into Bratislava Airport. Hertz were also doing a deal £175 for 1 week.. maybe worth checking out.. gutted i cant go now

 

[bigstuff]

just go on to ebay & grab a cottage you get some realy good deals i had a go a few years ago & have now had four in somerset dorset cumbria & the lakes some with swiming pool ect

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Ade,

my only memory of Copenhagen was the mermaid thing that is suposed to be a tourist 'thing' to see was tiny and it was very expensive to eat / drink / buy anything...

that was about 15 years ago though

Yep, I went recently for work and had to see the Mermaid so a colleague took me. He did warn me that I'd be dissapointed & I was!

Also remember spending about £20 for 3 coffees!

 

[Mark300SL]

Vegas is fantastic for a short trip - but the flights can be hard work
Trip out is pretty easy as you leave midday ish, and land about 2.00pm 9/10 hours later
What you gain here you lose on the return though as the afternoon/evening flight lands the following morning, so to get back on a Monday you need to leave on a Sun night/afternoon

That said - Thursday, Friday and Sat in Vegas gives you just enough time to try out some nice meals/shows and it should be cool enough for a helicopter day trip to the Grand Canyon.
We are going back next year in May/June to see Death Valley,Yosemite, Bodie/Mono and Zion/Monument valley. However we have allowed 4/5 days at the end to experience Vegas again

We always spend the last night in old Vegas (Freemont St.) until about 4.00am going back for just 2/3 hrs sleep. This means you can get a good kip on the plane and in my case my bodyclock sorts itself out very quickly.
Before we did this jetlag on the return journey was always by far the hardest part for me. Now I find it incredibly easy to overcome the actual jetlag, although its actually quite difficult for me to force myself to stay out on the last night - which is all I ever did at the weekends many years ago

How times change !

 

[andy_k]

you should try being a tourist in your own (or a local major) town

Book a hotel, try to forget everything you know about the place and do the tourist thing for the weekend.

You can end up discovering stuff you had no idea about

 

[bigbobs cl]

Like has been mentioned i wouldn`t go to Vegas for less than a week. I go every year for a Boys holiday and wouldn`t do less than a week. Prague gets my vote for a short trip, plenty to see and loads of history there.

Bob

 

[coupe deville]

come to Barnsley me owd c0ck an al teck yu booarth rarnd tarn to see sites. tha niver knows we might bump into dickie bird [he lives next door honest, yes true I'm being serious for a bit] and he'll tell thee a right tale a two abart geoff boycott or arthur scargill. eeh by gum tha'll have a reight gud time, tripe n elder, pigs trotters, cow heel, barnsley bitter, thal not know thas been born by eck. al sithy when tha gets here and al gu to footer are stairs if tha dunt want to move here permanent like

 

[bigbobs cl]

come to Barnsley me owd c0ck an al teck yu booarth rarnd tarn to see sites. tha niver knows we might bump into dickie bird [he lives next door honest, yes true I'm being serious for a bit] and he'll tell thee a right tale a two abart geoff boycott or arthur scargill. eeh by gum tha'll have a reight gud time, tripe n elder, pigs trotters, cow heel, barnsley bitter, thal not know thas been born by eck. al sithy when tha gets here and al gu to footer are stairs if tha dunt want to move here permanent like

And for the English speaking members

 

[coupe deville]

interpreters can be had for a small fee

 

[whizzkid11]

South of France is a nice short break... even take a drive around - Marseille, stay at the Palm Beach Hotel, - drive round Cote D'Azur, Monaco, Cannes, Monte Carlo... even the Swiss Alps of you fancy it ....

Makes for a nice break.... as short or as long as you want it to be... short flight over to Nice or even drive...

 

[st13phil]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Thoughts thus far:

Vegas - Point taken about the time to get there & back, but both of us are used to long hauls and short stays for business, so it may yet not be a deal breaker

Prague - Tempted by that. Have flown in and driven straight out of it a few times when I visit a factory in Plzen for work. Much to see but possibly spoiled by "Brit's on the p**s" stag do's?

Bruges - Nice place, been before. I like Brussels too.

Copenhagen - Visited it about 20 years ago. Intriguing city, but my abiding memories are that the whole place was shut on a Saturday (may have changed now) and that food, refreshments and alcohol in particular were ludicrously expensive. (We were staying in the SAS Royal hotel for a conference and a couple of us quaffed the - very modest - contents of a colleagues minibar one night. He was in much brown stuff for that expenses bill: over £250!!!)

Spain - Just back from a two-week touring holiday staying in historic Paradors. Love the place, but too soon to go back. The Alhambra is spectacular, BTW.

South of France - I love the place but have only ever been there in spring or summer. Used to stay in Bandol for the Bol d'Or race every year until it moved to Magny Cours. Anyone with experience of how much of it is shut down "out of season"?

Anyone been to Valletta, Malta? It sounds like it may be interesting.

Please keep the ideas coming

 

[pammy]

I have - Malta's lovely and if you haven't been, well worth a visit. Try and get a trip in to Gozo which is very pretty.

Valetta's a good place for a long weekend. Malta's not great for beaches - but has all the atractions of a small island - history, landscape - and they drive on any side of the road they choose - but most speak English. Heavy italian influence and the freshly landed swordfish is divine.

A good and fairly novel choice for a weekend.

 

[Gollom]

you should try being a tourist in your own (or a local major) town

Book a hotel, try to forget everything you know about the place and do the tourist thing for the weekend.

You can end up discovering stuff you had no idea about

What a great idea!

 

[pammy]

you should try being a tourist in your own (or a local major) town

Book a hotel, try to forget everything you know about the place and do the tourist thing for the weekend.

You can end up discovering stuff you had no idea about

Missed this before - but it is a good idea. I used to do this. Every year we would take a day off and be tourists in our own town. It is amazing what you take for granted on a daily basis. You can find loads of hidden treasures.

 

[Mr E]

South of France - I love the place but have only ever been there in spring or summer. Used to stay in Bandol for the Bol d'Or race every year until it moved to Magny Cours. Anyone with experience of how much of it is shut down "out of season"?

Mrs E and I have often gone down there early November for a long weekend. Usually stay in Monaco and if you book it right you can get free return helicopter transfers from Nice which is very cool.

Usually stay the the Hermitage as you can walk through straight into the spa. You'll also get a passport giving you free entry to all the tourist places in the area, and many of the very good restaurants have toned down the prices so that you can actually afford to enjoy 3* food.

Hire a car - tour the corniches, pop into Italy.

Would be my choice every time - although we went to Hong Kong for the weekend (yes, two nights!!) a couple of years back and although it was knackering it was one of the best trips I've ever made.

Try here for prices and details for Monaco.