Pet Friendly Places to Stay in Ayr, Scotland

Isn’t it great when you go on a vacation to somewhere you have never visited before? Do you find yourself getting excited thinking about arriving in a new place to enjoy some free time? Did you know that pets too can enjoy (and benefit from) a break away from home? Increasing numbers of folk are choosing to take their pet with them on vacation and if you visit a place such as the city of Ayr in Scotland you begin to appreciate the many advantages (for you an your pet) such a place has over other cities in the UK. Unfortunately it isn’t very easy finding pet friendly accommodation so I have listed a few Ayr hotels, that allow pets, below.

Situated on the beautiful south west coast of Scotland, the pretty town of Ayr attracts a great deal of visitors year after year. The majority of folk arrive in search of places to visit relating to the world renowned, and Scottish National Poet, Robert Burns. There are a multitude of places in Ayr in which the bard spent some time or to which there are strong associations with him and most are well worth a visit. The best way in which to gain an understanding of the man, his life and his poetry is to visit the surrounding area where you will find many more places relating to him and a host of statues and other monuments dedicated to him.

The general area around Ayr is called the county of Ayshire for which the town serves as the main center (administrative). Overall the county consists of lovely lush and green rural and agricultural land and unspoiled coast and beaches. The lack of pollution is immediately apparent with fresh country smells and crystal clear water, just perfect for you and your pet. Animals love both the countryside and the seaside and as you both explore you may start to suffer from a little deja vu. The fact is that this fantastic part of Scotland is incredibly popular with movie makers and countless number of local places have appeared in numerous works including the mystical cult British masterpiece called “The Wicker Man”. The Wickerman Festival is held just down the road at the end of July each year, it is a family friendly music and arts festival which is growing in size and popularity and I can not recommend it enough.

The Wickerman Festival is held in the neighboring county of Dumfries and Galloway but for this article I am concentrating on Ayr and Ayrshire however, before I list the pet friendly accommodation I would like to request that you really take care to ensure that your chosen hotel or guest house does not regret allowing pets in their rooms. Some places make a charge for pets while other may only charge if there is damage or the room requires extra cleaning but if everyone’s pet behaves pet lovers will keep their excellent reputation.

Three Hotels Which Allow Pets

The Swallow Station Hotel

With seventy three rooms this is a large pet friendly hotel located in the very center of Ayr. Next to the train station the 3 star accommodation has it’s own bar and restaurant and is overlooking Burns Statue Square, about ten minutes from the airport. No extra charges for pets.

Horizon Hotel

Another centrally located pet friendly hotel the Horizon offers 3 star accommodation in a considerably smaller establishment (25 rooms). No extra charges incurred for pets. Excellent views over towards the Isle of Arran.

Savoy Park Hotel

Another 3 star pet friendly hotel is the Savoy Park, minutes from the town center. A small (fifteen rooms) family run establishment which does not charge extra for pets and offers free broadband internet in every room.

Guest Houses In Ayr Which Allow Pets

Canter Holm Guest House

The six roomed Victorian residence of Canter Holm Guest House is another 3 star pet friendly Ayr establishment which is centrally located. Sadly this is the only place on our list that says “Charges may be applicable) when referring to having a pet in your room.

Grange View

With only three rooms the 3 star Grange View Guest House is located roughly two to three minutes walk from the very center of Ayr. Pets are allowed and there are no extra charges and you will find the owners extremely helpful in making any requirements such as arranging reservations for restaurants and the likes.

Far, far too few guest houses and hotels in Ayr allow pets. This is such a great shame as fewer places rival the town as a suitable destination for a vacation with a pet. Obviously with so few pet friendly places it is important to make your booking at the first opportunity and, if you manage to book a room, please have a thoroughly enjoyable vacation.

If you are looking for pet friendly Ayr hotels or you want to pick up a last minute bargain you will find the above mentioned hotels discounted at http://hotels.simplytop.com/.

Birmingham Vacations And Where To Stay

Have you noticed that fewer people are taking a summer vacation to the usual sun and sand destinations this year? One of the main reasons for this is, obviously, the state of the present economic climate but another reason is that more and more folk are looking for a vacation offering something a little bit different. One place which is a superb vacation destination which answers both these issues is the fascinating city of Birmingham in England. Firstly booking your own city hotel (rather than booking a package vacation) will save you a small fortune and coupled with the fact that the British pound is struggling against foreign currencies England is the vacation destination of choice. Secondly city vacations are now more popular than ever and the city of Birmingham ticks all the right boxes for a superb city vacation, such as excellent facilities, extremely interesting places to visit, plenty of bars restaurants, cafes and the likes as well as more cultural attractions such as museums and galleries of the highest standards.

The city of Birmingham has a superb collection of things to do and places to visit including a few interesting museums and art galleries, for example the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Barber Institute of Fine Arts and the new museum called Thinktank in the Eastside. The city also possesses a large number of square miles of parkland and woodland, Sutton Park being the largest with 2,400 acres making it the very largest urban nature reserve in the whole of Europe.

Some Interesting Places To Stay In Birmingham

The Macdonald Burlington Hotel

The Burlington can be rather a cheap place to stay but it does not cut corners. This 4 star luxury hotel offers superb service with modern facilities all within a two minute walk of New Street station. If you are arriving by car you will be pleased to know that the hotel is adjacent to a 2,000 space NCP car park.

The Holiday Inn

Offering superbly priced 3 star hotel accommodation in the very centre of the city is the Holiday Inn. Offering a range of rooms from the basic to the executive rooms (which feature air conditioning) this hotel is excellent for business visitors.

Staying Cool at The Rotunda

The studio serviced apartments of Staying Cool at The Rotunda are in an incredible style and will appeal strongly to those who like to stay in boutique hotels. Rather than being expensive Staying Cool at The Rotunda offers four and five star accommodation at a surprisingly low price.

Birmingham has plenty more hotels than the three mentioned above. There is a massive variety in choice ranging from some of the most luxurious hotels in England to small guest houses, all offering superb service and many facilities. Whether you are visiting the city for business or pleasure you can be sure to find a most suitable place to stay at a very reasonable cost.

Looking to find the best deal on hotels in Birmingham, then visit Karl Fraser’s site to find the most comprehensive listings of Birmingham bed and breakfast for you.

Top Holiday Cottages in Anglesey, Choose Your Secluded Island Cottage Retreat

You have a great choice of holiday cottages in Anglesey should you decide to make this beautiful island off North Wales your vacation destination. Offering a combination of excellent road connections and plenty of quiet, secluded seaside locations, an island cottage is ideal for a small group of friends, a couple or a family looking to escape from the hectic lifestyle, offering a temperate climate and spoiled with lots of sunshine.

Whether you decide to come to Anglesey in the summer or winter there is a wide selection of self-catering cottages for you to choose from, with some located inland near interesting historic attractions, like the last remaining working windmill in Wales at Llynnon. The country lanes are great if you like cycling and there are some designated routes passing cultural sites of interest. Many of the holiday cottages in Anglesey will still retain the traditional features, such as farmhouse cottages next to a working farm, where visitors can get a first hand view of life on a Welsh farm today.

Of course you may want to have a restful break in a coastal cottage adjacent to the Anglesey Coastal Path, covering 125 miles of island coastline within a special Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Walking these paths gives you the chance to experience absolutely amazing mountian and sea views. Imagine leaving your cottage garden near Benllech shortly before breakfast and taking the path along the coast, enjoying the sun rising over the horizon. Benllech and Lligwy on the east coast have a good choice of coastal cottages, and these seaside villages also have some fine beaches nearby including Traeth Bychan, suitable for families who love sailing, fishing and for keen walkers.

You will find that a holiday cottage in Anglesey could be a modern designed, four bedroomed house which can sleep up to 10 people or a small traditional farmhouse cottage in a secluded copse, with pheasant, cattle and sheep nearby, which caters for just 2 to 3 guests, and privacy enhanced by hedgerows and a secluded garden with fine apple orchards. Guests will find most cottages offer central heating, washing facilities and a shower, and young children are catered for with extra beds and cots. An access statement for people with disabilities is often provided and these self-catering cottages have a hairdryer, a TV and satellite arrangement.

Imagine your island cottage near to the sea and you can strole along a wide sandy beach, the sea glistening and sun setting ahead of you. You could achieve this by getting a cottage on the south west strech of Anglesey coast. Running from the magical Llanddwyn beach near Newborough in the south to Aberffraw and its quiet sand dunes and marram grass stretching for miles to the sea and on to the “mecca” for surfers at Rhosneigr in the south west, there is an excellent range of coastal cottages to pick from.

Should you venture further west on Anglesey you will find secluded coastal properties on Holy Island near Porth Dafarch, Rhoscolyn and Trearddur Bay, and there are some award winning sandy beaches nearby, just look for the Blue Flag. Here also visitors can reach the coastal path and walk to the enigmatic South Stack lighthouse and see the seabirds and marine life off the cliffs. While on the eastern coast you can pick up some coastal cottages in very sheltered ltered locations such as near Penmon and Llangoed, and close by are the historic Penmon Priory, Dovecote and Seiriol’s Well. South of here you can visit Beaumaris Castle, the famous UN World Heritage site on the Menai Strait and this character seaside town offers some great views of the mainland mountains.

You may be wanting to stay on this beautiful isle for a weekend or a week, either way you can be confident of finding a suitable island holiday cottage to meet the needs of your group or family. For some the ideal holiday is coasteering, kayaking, sailing or surfing, while others opt for a more sedate and relaxing break, perhaps visiting attractions such as galleries and museums or walking the coastal path. Whatever you decide to go for, the best way to prepare for your island vacation is to book one of the many fine, character holiday cottages in Anglesey.

Coming from the magical island of Anglesey Wales in the UK, the author, David Phillips, owns an informative website focusing on local news and information. Find out more about Anglesey holiday cottages to help make your vacation more pleasurable.

Vacations In Inverness, Scotland And Some Facts You Should Know

Inverness, commonly referred to as being the capital city of the Highlands of Scotland, was granted city status in the year two thousand and one and at the moment is the only city in the region. Uniquely (in Britain) Inverness has no legal boundaries which can create problems when estimating populations. The problem is made worse by the fact that the population is rising dramatically, the city has the highest growth rate in the United Kingdom. One certainty we know of is that Inverness has a very content population, in 2008 the Telegraph.co.uk ranked Inverness fifth out of 189 cities in Britain for its quality of life. Following on we can state that Inverness is a lovely place in which to live and this is more than likely one of the reasons which make the city incredibly popular with tourists. Importantly there is a great deal of Inverness bed and breakfast accommodations with the majority of it being available to book online.

Inverness is also frequently referred to as the gateway to the Highlands of Scotland for the obvious fact that it is best placed to make the most of the Highland public transport system and a large amount of tourist attractions are close by. Possibly the best way to reach them is via a tour or day trip. A few companies visiting places such as, Urquart Castle, Culloden or Loch Ness or for the hardy visitor it is possible to visit John O’Groats and Orkney on a days round trip. It is also possible to go on a small selection of city tours, such as those run by City Sightseeing.

Some tourists choose to stay in two different cities or towns in the Highlands of Scotland say Fort William & Inverness. The town of Fort William is more popular with people who enjoy sports especially mountaineers, hill walkers and ramblers who get excited getting to the top of Ben Nevis which looks down upon the town’s center. In a similar fashion bed and breakfast accommodation in Fort William and rather like other Scotland bed & breakfast it is always cheap, very good value for money and amazingly comfortable, tidy and clean with world famous hospitality.

One of the most important things to remember is that Inverness’s airport is, roughly, 7 miles east of the city at Dalcross. It is relatively easy to hail a cab to the small and busy airport which is not very expensive. If you require maps of the area then you can get them for free at the tourist office, which is on Castle Wynd. While you are enjoying you vacation in Inverness you should make a point to visit Inverness Castle, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, the Mercat Cross and ’stone of tubs’ especially the Castle Garrison Encounter, an interactive experience which is immensely enjoyable.

Taking Liverpool Vacations And Some Facts You Need To Know

Liverpool, once the second city of the British Empire, has, since WOrld War II been in decline. In recent years there has been a marked increase in investment with the centre of the city undergoing regeneration. In 2008 Liverpool was the European Capital of Culture throughout the full twelve months there were numerous events ranging from music concerts by world renowned musicians and singers to superb art exhibitions. No longer the European Capital of Culture what is there to attract visitors to this lively city? Well there are plenty of new Liverpool hotels which cater for all tastes. In the article below I introduce you to 3 tourist attractions in Liverpool.

Tate Liverpool

Found at the Liverpool’s waterfromt, as part of the Albert Dock complex, is Tate Liverpool. Since opening in 1988, the Tate, for a short space of time, was the largest gallery of contemporary and modern art in the United Kingdom, outside London. The Tate is a highly popular visitor attraction in Liverpool, catering for in excess of 600,000 visitors through its’ doors each twelve months. The gallery is in one of the 5 converted warehouses orignally converted by James Stirling. However, the building had to undergo further refurbishment in1988 to create more gallery space. In 2007 the foyer was redesigned, giving the gallery a more modern appearance and better proportions in the reception area.

Albert Dock

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, whom the docks were named after, opened the docks in 1846. Over the years the docks were extremely busy, but eventually had to close to shipping in 1972. For many years the docks lay derelict and quiet, until the 1980’s when they were redeveloped with funding from the Merseyside Development Corporation. The dock consisted of five warehouse buildings, all of which are Grade I listed, making the Albert Dock complex the largest set of Grade I listed building in the United Kingdom. The docks are now home to a number of attractions, including the Tate Liverpool and the Merseyside Maritime Museum.

Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral

Liverpool is celebrated for having two cathedrals: the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral. When John Charles Rye was assigned Bishop of Liverpool in 1880, ironically Liverpool did not have a cathedral at that time. Eventually, after a lot of discussion, the powers that be decided that a cathedral was required. In 1902, they chose to hold an open competition for the design of the cathedral. The winning design was chosen in 1903, and astonishingly, was a proposal by student Giles Gilbert Scott, who had no former building experience. Another architect, George F. Bodley, was nominated to work with Scott, and oversee all designs and construction works. King Edward VII laid the foundation stone in 1904, and in 1910, the first part of the cathedral, the Lady Chapel, was finished.

Besides the 3 tourist attractions examined above Liverpool has a great many more. Not only this there are a great many more not too far away from the city, perfect for a day visit. If you are planning to spend time in Liverpool you may wish to take a look at our web site which has a comprehensive list of Liverpool guest houses and hotels as well as a selection of Liverpool apartments.