Ideas please for first child-free night away, within a couple of hours of London

[Smiler]

We are hoping to have a night away together without the little'un for the first time, she's 16 months old. Would like it to be within a couple of hours drive, relaxing, nice food/bar in the place or within easy walking distance, comfy, quiet bedroom etc. etc. Ideally some nice countryside would be good, but not essential as we wouldn't mind just chilling out.

Am currently in Trip Advisor hell and haven't a clue where to go.

Anyone got any tips?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Thurnham in Kent, about 1 1/2 hours drive.

B&B here: Thurnham Keep

Pub just over road for good meals: Black Horse Pub

[trinity]

We spent a weekend at Amberley Castle in East Sussex which was fantastic - very relaxing, lovely grounds and witin easy reach of Brighton for a fantastic child-free day at the seaside.

Word of warning though - its very pricey

www.amberleycastle.co.uk/

[helena handbasket]

Yes, Amberley Castle would be my choice as well. Lovely rooms, fantastic food, and a lovely little village for an evening stroll. Miss Marple would feel right at home there.

It is pricey..... how about just one night? 16 months is a long time! :)

Now I want to go there!

[Smiler]

?400 for one night for B&B on the date we're after - argh! Agree that since is not like we go away often would be OK to splurge, but maybe not quite that much!

Am sure my husband would love it mind you, he likes to be king of the castle!

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

My OH treated me to a night at the Langshott Manor, we had the Henry VII, it was lush, and a private balcony overlooking the moat. The food was great too. I recommend it!

http://www.alexanderhotels.co.uk/langshott/

Phone up or go on laterooms, because my OH haggled and got it cheaper for what is says on the website!

[helena handbasket]

Right, that's a lot of nappies/sippy cups/shoes.

Are you looking for town or country? I can think of a few country cottage/ village ideas if that's what you had in mind.

If not, you can't lose with Brighton.

[ratty]

Museum Inn - Farnham, Dorset. :)

[Belle]

Or even somewhere nice in London? if it has a nice restaurant, you'd be maximising the time you get to yourselves away from the babe. The Charlotte St hotel is meant to be lovely.

[mrs.lotte]

Crazy Bear in stadhampton, oxfordshire; very cool rooms, great restaurant, just off M40 nice countryside and biscester village nearby.

Or malmaison in Oxford (in the old oxford prison) also cool rooms nice restaurant in house and nearby, beautiful walks through city and by river.

[my mum lives nr oxford so kid free nights tend to be nearby so that no time that could be spent sleeping, reading something other than Mr Men, not sharing what i am eating and drinking is wasted!!)

However perhaps easier cos this side of town; hotel du vin in tunbridge wells?

Enjoy

[????]

hey, good shout mrs lotte - the crazy bear is fantastic and I was about to suggest this too.....possibly explains our second one though ::o

[EDmummy]

If the kid/kids are going to be out of your house, I would suggest staying home! It is unbelievable luxury to have the house to yourself with no kids to wake you up in the morning (I have an 8 yr old who has never slept past 6am!). Start with cocktails and then lots of great restaurants on your door step. Wake up with a morning paper and coffee without any demands!

[alfie]

What about Henley? There's a Hotel du Vin, plenty of opportunity for riverside strolls (or picnicking), lots of pretty villages, not too far from London.

[ClareC]

Black Horse at Thurnham is lovely! I can't believe it has come up on this forum (I grew up in that part of the country and its where we often go for family birthday 's etc), food is excellent!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I used to work there!

[ClareC]

What a small world!! It really is off the beaten track! Not really one you would accidentally find!

They have accomodation there now now..... not sure what that's like though.

[ClareC]

Coombe Abbey in Warwickshire is a lovely place to stay and quite reasonable. You can upgrade to a Grand feature room which really is something special :-)

http://www.coombeabbey.com/offers-and-packages/index.htm

[Shaggy]

If you are willing to consider the train, how about the Deans Court hotel in York? And you can probably cheaply upgrade to Weekend First for the trip.

http://www.deancourt-york.co.uk/

[Chocoholic]

If you like walking Alfriston village is fantastic with the South Downs lovely walk into Seaford. There is about 3 - 4

hotels in the village and a couple of pubs that do bed and breakfast very quaint and picturest. About 10miles from

Brighton.Directions A22 or A23 if you want to pop into Brighton.

[mrs cuckoo]

How about Whitstable? - we had a fab evening out gorging on seafood. Stayed in a fishermans cottage right on the beach - sorry can't remember the name of it.

Rye is lovely too!

[DaveR]

I liked this place a lot:

Bell Hotel, Sandwich

Good food and some good deals on rooms. Sandwich itself is quiet and a bit quaint, but it's close to Deal and Broadstairs where there is more going on, and plenty of coastal walking

[Smiler]

Thank you very much everyone, this is really good, not sure where we'll go but have lots of ideas, great!

It's making me look forward to it even more.....

[JKWN]

Hello Smiler

We did our first weekend away without bub two weeks ago - stayed in The George hotel in Rye. It perfectly fits your wish list and we loved it - food in the restaurant was delicious! Camber Sands is nearby for beach strolling and there are plenty of lovely walks in/around Rye.

[quickbrownfox]

We've never been away without our daughter - for no particular reason. We even had her in the room on our wedding night (mother in law did not deliver on promised babysitting!!!)

This thread has made me think seriously about it again. Although I remember we once went to Porto without our dog, and I remember us (pathetically) saying to each other over dinner "I miss Foxy"... "I miss Foxy too".

How sad are we!!!

[snowboarder]

Resurrecting this - any new ideas for a close by first (and prob last for a while too!) night away? Only likely to be able to do one night so kind of fancy somewhere as near as poss to minimise travel time. Somebody mentioned Nutfield Priory to me but not sure if good or not....

Kind of need comfort and nice food. And nice views.