Tag Archives: hotel

Hotel Ranieri

Posted on by
4

Finding affordable accommodation in the centre of Rome isn’t easy. We were fortunate to be able to plan our trip well ahead and booked a wonderful hotel in the historic centre of the city. We had arranged airport transfer through the hotel and enjoyed a very comfortable ride, the driver kindly pointed out some of the sights along the way. Hotel Ranieri is set in a restored 19th century Umbertine palace on Via Venti Settembre.

1.Hotel Ranieri

The entrance is very inviting and almost hidden from the road by the beautiful orange trees lining the footpath.

2.entrance

The hotel has 47 rooms over five floors as well as some privately owned apartments. The staircase is magnificent, whether standing at reception looking up

3.staircase looking up

or on the fifth floor looking down.

4.staircase looking down

The tiny lift was just big enough for two adults with a suitcase each, certainly reminiscent of a bygone era.

5.lift

Our room was very comfortable and we could open a window onto a courtyard (five floors below), no need for the air conditioner. It was also surprisingly quiet, not what we expected on such a busy street.

7.room

Beyond the reception desk and an interesting work of art,

8.art

the lounge bar had a relaxed, intimate ambience, a very pleasant setting to partake of a beverage.

9.lounge bar

Breakfast was included in the room rate, and down the stairs to the basement

was a bright and airy breakfast room.

12.breakfast room

There was something for every taste, a great way to start the day.

Harrogate

Posted on by
2

One of the advantages of travelling off season is the availability of accommodation. We stayed at the St. George Hotel, a magnificent Edwardian building right in the heart of Harrogate.

1.St. George Hotel2.St. George Hotel

It was like stepping back in time, with elegant furnishings in the lobby

and a very welcoming, comfortable room.

5.St. George Hotel

Not only had we found a fabulous place to stay, a three-course dinner each night was included in the price. The dining room had a huge central dome with stunning leadlight.

6.cupola in dining room

This pic isn’t very clear but it shows the intricate detail in the ceiling and cornices.

7.dining room detail

On a sunny autumn morning, we strolled the streets of Harrogate and soaked up the history of this beautiful North Yorkshire town. Known as ‘The English Spa’ after healing waters were discovered in the 16th century, the wealthy flocked to the town for treatments. The Royal Baths, considered to be the most advanced centre for hydrotherapy in the world, opened in 1897.

8.The Royal Baths

The Kursaal opened six years later, the German word translates as ‘Cure Hall’. At the beginning of World War I, the theatre was renamed the Royal Hall and is now a venue for events and entertainment.

9.Royal Hall Kursaal10.Royal Hall Kursaal

The architecture throughout the town was spectacular and the multitude of shops were housed in fantastic buildings.

11.Westminster Arcade12.Harrogate

A walk through the park

13.Montpellier Hill14.Montpellier Hill

brought us to the Montpellier Quarter, home to exclusive shops, cafés and art galleries.

15.Montpellier Quarter

Too early in the day to visit the Royal Pump Room Museum, it sounded like a fascinating journey into the bygone era of weird and wonderful spa treatments. Built in 1842, the octagonal structure is quite distinctive.

21.Royal Pump Room Museum20.Royal Pump Room Museum

The Majestic Hotel certainly lives up to its name. Set in eight acres of landscaped gardens, the palatial Victorian hotel sits on a hill overlooking the town. Built in 1899, it has an interesting past with many celebrity guests, a fire in 1924, three bombings in 1940 and the subsequent loss of the massive glass Winter Garden that earned it the nickname the ‘Yorkshire Crystal Palace’.

22.The Majestic Hotel

Next time, I would like to stay at the Majestic Hotel.