Amazing trip to England and Scotland

Scotland | Apr 14 - Apr 29, 2024

Park Plaza London Riverbank – This was a very nice hotel part of the Radisson chain. 1. Reception/Check in – Check in was very easy. Everyone was welcoming and friendly. Our room was available right away since we got there at about 1800. 2. Service – Was excellent service throughout hotel and very friendly. 3. Room – Was a nice room and comfortable. Lighting was a little dim. A lack of outlets on one side of the bed required me to use an extension cord that I always carry . 4. Location – Wonderful location. On Sunday we walked to the British Museum for a tour. 5. Breakfast – Had a very good buffet breakfast. 6. Local restaurants – We ate at the Hotel Restaurant Chino Latino. We enjoyed some delicious tapas. 7. Hotel Recommendation – I would stay there again happily

Grand York Hotel - This was by far our number one hotel. It was previously headquarters for the Railway. Only been a hotel for 12-13 years. It is beautiful inside and out. We so enjoyed it. 1. Reception/Check in – What a pleasant check-in. Beth was so friendly and welcoming as was everybody we interfaced with. We saw her a couple of times and she always stopped to say hello. Room was available right away. 2. Service – Stellar service throughout the hotel 3. Room – The room was perfect. Very spacious room. Well lit. The ceilings were 5 meters high. We were on the ground floor. Could not have asked for a better room. The porter said it was previously the office of the Railway Manager. Had a beautiful large fireplace. 4. Location – Perfect. We walked with our luggage from train station to the hotel and back and were warmly greeted as we arrived. 5. Breakfast – Not only is this the number one hotel we stayed at but it is the number one breakfast. Grand York has a spectacular buffet breakfast plus you can also order specialty eggs - omlettes fried eggs etc. Service was excellent. 6. Local restaurants – 1. Cote Restaurant we happened to find after visiting York Minister. Delicious Price Fixe menu and very reasonable. We thoroughly enjoyed it. 2. Delrios Italian Restaurant was simply delicious Italian food. Concierge, Matteo, called ahead for us. They were packed and we waited about 20 minutes and had some wine at the bar while waiting. Well worth the wait. Recommend make a reservation. 7. Hotel Recommendation – I would stay there again happily

Glen Mhor Hotel Inverness – This was a very nice hotel. 1. Reception/Check in – Check in was easy but room was not available. Hung around in the bar and had lunch and waited around until room was ready. Maria from reception was so helpful and kind and was a wonderful face for the hotel. 2. Service – Was excellent service throughout hotel and very friendly. 3. Room – Room was very nice and a good size with high ceilings. We were on ground floor thankfully because there was no lift. 4. Location – Wonderful location. River Ness directly across the street. Lots of restaurants close by. Lots of walking possibilities, We taxied to and from the railway station. Not close enough to walk from station. 5. Breakfast – Breakfast was very good buffet but could also order eggs your way along with buffet items. Was at the Wayside Restaurant 6. Local restaurants – Wayside Restaurant at the hotel was good for breakfast. Also we had a early Sunday roast dinner there and it was quite good. After tour on Saturday we walked into town and found a nice Italian Restaurant called Bella Italia that had delicious Italian food. 7. Hotel Recommendation – I would stay there again happily

The Stirling Highland Hotel – This was a very nice hotel. It was previously a high school. 1. Reception/Check in- Check in was easy but room was not available. We walked up to the castle to do our tour that was very nice. 2. Service – Was excellent service throughout hotel and very friendly. 3. Room- Room was very nice and a comfortable size. Had a nice welcome basket with some chocolate bars, crisps, two half bottles of wine plus one full bottle of wine. 4. Location – We taxied to and from the hotel to Railway station. It was a little far and uphill. Hotel was close to the castle. We were there only one nite so did not go into town. We did do some walking around the hotel. 5. Breakfast – Breakfast was good. It was a smaller buffet breakfast but adequate 6. Local Restaurants - Since we were only there for one nite we had dinner there at hotel and it was quite delicious. 7. Recommendation – I would stay there again happily

Malmaison Hotel Edinburg – This was a nice hotel. It was previously a prison at some point. Very awkward getting to our room. Had to go up or down some stairs to get to the lift. 1. Reception/Check in – Check in was fine and reception personnel were friendly and welcoming.. Room was not ready so we went to the Castle to do the Castle tour then the Afternoon Tea then the Whiskey Tasting. All three were great. 2. Service - Was excellent service throughout hotel and very friendly. 3. Room – Room was nice but a little on the small size and dimly lit. Served its purpose though 4. Location – Very good location, We walked to and from Railway Station with luggage. 5. Breakfast –Breakfast was good. Combination buffet and could order eggs, sausage and bacon, 6. Local Restaurants – Ate at the Amarone Italian Restaurant less than a block away from the hotel and on the right. Meal was quite good. Gordon Ramsey Restaurant across from the park. Very close. Food was very good 7. Hotel Recommendation - I would stay there again

Henrietta House Bath – I give this hotel a generous 3 star because of the downstairs niceness and friendliness of staff with the exception at check in. Our room was TERRIBLE 1. Reception/Check in – The gentleman at reception upon arrival was the most unfriendly and unwelcoming individual we had met at any Hotel on this trip. He was the only one because everyone else at the hotel were very friendly and provided good service. We left our bags in the lobby area and went off to do the Jane Austen and Roman Bath tours. When we came back there was a young woman, Kosmina, who was the most friendly and welcoming at the front desk. She was simply delightful. Direct opposite of the earlier encounter with the gentleman. She gave us necessary keys for our room. 2. Service – With the exception of our first encounter at afternoon check in everyone was so friendly. 3. Room - TERRIBLE! . Very small and low ceiling. I am short but when I lifted my arm up I could touch the ceiling. There was no closet just some hooks on the wall with hangars on them. The room was at an incline. The sliding bathroom door did not shut all the way. The bathroom was the size of a postage stamp. The shower space was so tiny. Taking a shower caused such a puddle that my wife could not wash her hair for fear of flooding the bathroom. I should have asked for another room but because of the sour reception we received at check in we just lived with it for the three days. Do not know what was charged our travel company but it was not worth it because of the poor room. I am sure there must be other rooms in much better condition and bigger. 4. Location - Location was good and close to restaurants and center of town. Taxied to and from the Railway Station. 5. Breakfast – Breakfast was good and from a menu. Breakfast did not start till 8:00 am though. 6. Local restaurants – Scallop Shell was delicious and had the most delicious Fish and Chips. A Tour driver said these Scallop Shell Restaurant Fish and Chips were the very best in England. They were indeed best Fish and Chips we had on the whole trip. Clayton’s Kitchen was delicious for dinner also. 7. Hotel Recommendation – Would stay there only in a completely normal room with a larger bathroom otherwise not,

This was an incredible tour to see historical sites and the country side as these. Stonehenge was breathtaking as well as Avebury, and Cotswold Villages

The tour of the Divinity School, Old Bodleian Library was so interesting and educational. Being at Oxford University was an exciting experience. It was simply beautiful to tour the grounds. The surrounding made you feel you were in a Harry Potter movie

This was simply delightful. The tea and sweet and savory food was delicious. Our service was stellar

This Whiskey Tour was fabulous. They have this down perfectly. It was so enjoyable and informative.

Caledonia Sleeper - This was an interesting experience on the twelve hour overnight train ride. 1. Passenger Assistance - Passenger Assistance was great and recommend it for seniors who are taking trains.. In Inverness the individual took us to our cabin and then I went with him to drop off luggage in another coach that had lots of space for luggage. So friendly and helpful. In London we were met right at our coach by a young woman who had a motorized style golf cart where she loaded our bags and drove us out to the exit where we then saw driver from Pinkberry. Driver was very friendly and we got to the hotel fairly quick considering traffic. 2. Caledonia Lounge _ This lounge was not in railway station but just across the street. Because of luggage we did not walk over there. It was raining a little bit too. I checked it out myself though and it was small but nice with some soft drinks and snacks. 3. Sleeping Cabin – was very small. I can see why doubles sell out so fast. We were both able to sleep in the bunk beds. I am glad we had this experience though. 4. Club Car – We went to club Car immediately upon boarding because it filled up so quickly. Breakfast was just ok. My wife had a sausage sandwich and I had a bacon sandwich. Both very small. 5. Recommendation – we would do it again but really trying to have a double.

This tour was given by a graduating college student who had a lot of passion for the subject. the tour was of the street art murals both sanctioned and non sanctioned. It was a wonderful two hour tour.

After a long trip having a driver and a car waiting for you is a good start to the vacation. Drive in to London gave us the realization of the amount of congestion and traffic in London

York Minster is a sight to behold. it is incredible and the history that it has. My wife and i did a self tour. We missed the last tour of the day by 20 minutes.

This was a great tour. The highlight for me was visiting the OLD Course of St Andrews Golf Course. Walking the streets of St Andrews was quite interesting seeing the different buildings and arceitecture.

This was a spectacular tour. Very disappointed we did not see Nessie though. The beauty of the countryside and mountains plus Donan Castle were wonderful.

This was very nice self guided tour of the castle. We were able to take our time. The Stirling Heads were a sight to see the intricacy of the carving. We were able to walk around the castle and walk through the cemetery and look at a spectacular view

Wonderful Tour. Whitby was a charming port town. Had a delicious lunch there. Scenery on the tour was spectacular. The steam train was a nice addition. This has a bridge goign over the train tracks used in a Harry Potter movie as well as the 9 3/4 wall he comes through. If you want to see 9 3/4 wall go to Kings Crossing Railway Station in london