Reviews for Country Hotels of Britain 2009

The average rating for Country Hotels of Britain 2009 based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2013-02-02 00:00:00 Kevin Mattingly This is a great must-have for those who are planning to take their kids on a trip to England. Whether this is your first time or a repeat visit, this book is invaluable. This excellent Cadogan Guidebook has chock full of up-to-date information on family-friendly sites. This includes attraction descriptions, costs, hours of operation and tips on how to get there. There are also tips on whether sites have special amenities for babies/toddlers. Each section (chapter) is divided according to geographic location - London, the southwest, south, Thames Valley, etc. The authors also rate their favorite or highly recommended spots. As a frequent visitor to the UK, I marvel at how much ground they cover. Everything from gardens, historic buildings, palaces, castles, zoos, parks, amusement centers, beaches, kid-friendly restaurants and shopping areas are covered in great detail. My only complaint with this book is that it is almost completely text - no pictures and few maps. However, the book itself is almost 2 inches thick which really does show how much ground this book covers. This book is an excellent resource for what to see and do on your upcoming trip. If you're into visuals, then I recommend that you get this book and the Eyewitness Great Britain guide. If you're planning to spend most of your time in London and only a couple of days in the countryside, then pick up the London version of this book instead. However, if you're planning to spend a lot of time trekking around London and the English countryside, this and the Eyewitness Guide combined should put you on your way to planning and enjoying a fun-filled family trip to England.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-03-08 00:00:00 Randy Strickland This is the edition that my local library has, and it's the book I'm going to review. However, I have purchased the newer, 3rd Edition which shall be more up-to-date, one hopes. I found this book useful. The author definitely has children in mind, although his exact advice isn't available for every age-range on every topic. He advises parent's of little ones to be careful in old trains as the windows can go all the way down. And he warns people that charter planes are a terrible choice for families, but advice on which site is best for which age group is frequently absent. Still, the author does give an idea of what hands-on activities are available, and that's very, very helpful. The book is written with a good dose of humor, which makes it a pleasure to read, and he tackles areas of Britain in a logical fashion, giving examples of what a day tour might involve. He talks about Passes (to save money) and restaurants, and the usual sorts of things that travel guides include. Surprisingly, there was nothing about dress, nor much about hotels. BUT I'm glad I read this book --it gave me lots of idea for organizing my own expedition-- as is indicated by the fact that I purchased the newer edition. (I'm hoping he has another coming out this year or next.) Worth a read.