With self drive breaks you can travel when you want

Travel when you want

In the run up to your next holiday you are likely to be excited and want to get to your destination quickly. This is the first reason why taking your car is a good thing as it allows you to set off when you want, either early in the morning to explore the destination, or alternatively start your holiday with a lay in bed and set off later in the day.

Attractions not just at your destination, but on your journey

Attractions and views on the way

When you are making your own way to your hotel, you have the freedom to go “off course” if you wish and visit those shopping centres or attractions you keep promising yourself but never seem to get the time to visit. By going self drive you can plan your journey to see some great sights on the way or stop off at a quaint little pub for a spot of lunch.

Take your hobbies with you

Take your hobbies with you

If you are a keen Golfer, Angler or Rambler you have the freedom to take your hobby with you. You can load up the boot with your clubs, casting rods or walking poles and when you get to your hotel simply unload and carry on doing what you love somewhere new.

Visit where you want, when you want

Visit where you want, when you want.

Some of the best things about visiting a new area are getting to explore the local scenery and attractions at your own leisure. Going self drive allows you to see what is available for you to do during the days or evenings and plan your break around what you want to do when you want to do it.

Explore the local areas or travel further afield

Explore the local areas

While staying at your chosen hotel you can walk around the local town or city at your own pace, or if you are up for a drive you may wish to travel further afield to see a range of attractions. With a whole host of attractions from majestic country houses and castles, floral botanical gardens, family theme parks to wild zoos you will never be short of something to keep you entertained during your self drive stay.

Pre-bookable car parking

Pre-bookable car parking

One question that I often get asked is “If I come on a self drive break, where can I leave my car?” As we have now introduced priority parking at selected hotels you are able to guarantee yourself a reserved space for the duration of your stay for just £5.00 per day. This saves you worrying about parking on street and having to move your car every 3 hours or paying council parking charges.

You get to decide the overall pace of your holiday

Relax at your own pace

If you travel in your own car you are free to decide from day to day what you want to do and set your own pace. If you wake up one morning and decide over breakfast that instead of going out you would rather spend the day relaxing with a good book you are free to do so.

Local hotel knowledge

Knowledgeable friendly staff

As you will most likely be new to the area, you can rely on our knowledgeable hotel staff to provide you with local tips on trips and places to visit with their first hand knowledge.

The post Self drive breaks and why they are great! appeared first on Bay Hotels Blog.

Isle of Wight Attractions

Osborne House

Copyright Mark Hogan and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

While on the Isle of Wight your trip would not be complete without a visit to Osborne House, the royal seaside palace where Queen Victoria lived with Prince Albert and their 9 children. While visiting you are able to explore the private beach as well as viewing the Queen’s “bathing machine”, and the Swiss cottage, visiting Victoria and Albert’s private rooms or taking a horse and carriage ride.

Amazon World 

An amazing variety of animals

If you are an animal lover then this should be on your list of places to visit as this “Top Attraction” award winning location is the largest animal attraction on the Isle of Wight. Animal World Zoo Park not only teaches you about the rainforests and conservation, but also allows you to come face to face with some of the world’s beautiful, endangered and unusual creatures.

The Needles Battery

The Needles: Needles Old Battery. Copyright Chris Downer and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

This Victorian coastal defence, which was also a secret rocket testing facility, is perched high above the Needles Rocks at the tip of the island. The old battery was used through both World War I and World War II and now features newly recreated atmospheric rooms, with 2 original guns and an underground tunnel leading to a searchlight placement offering some spectacular views.  The new battery features some interesting exhibits on the cold war and the great space race during which rockets were tested at the facility under great secrecy.

Isle of Wight Fossil Tours

Ryde Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is famed for its Dinosaur heritage and is already regarded as one of the richest areas for discovery in Europe – earning it the title “Dinosaur Island”. Two of our most popular beaches, Compton Bay and Yaverland, are hotspots for finding fossils. You can also join a guided fossil walk with one of the Isle of Wight’s dinosaur experts or, if you have a smart phone, you can download the new Dinosaur Island App that uses augmented reality to let you walk with dinosaurs on the island.

Isle of Wight Steam Railway 

Wootton Station, Isle of Wight. Copyright Brendan and Ruth McCartney and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Take a ride on a vintage steam train, during your visit to the award winning Isle of Wight steam railway and take a special journey back in time to a bygone era when steam power was king. Relax in gloriously restored Edwardian and Victorian carriages where you are able to take in some of the islands spectacular unspoilt countryside.

Have we missed out any attractions that you think should be on here? If so please post your comments below.

The post What to do on your next visit to The Isle of Wight appeared first on Bay Hotels Blog.

What can I do in Newquay?

Newquay Golf Club

Newquay Golf Club

Described as one of the finest links in Cornwall with magnificent views over the Atlantic Ocean and overlooking the famous Fistral Beach, this scenic 18 hole golf course is great for everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals! The 69 par 6141 yard course is open all year round so come rain or shine you should be in for a good game.

Newquay Zoo

Copyright Andrew King and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Newquay Zoo is Cornwall’s biggest zoo and is a part of the Whitley Wildlife Conservation trust. A great day out for all the family with zoo keeper talks and activity trails, seasonal activities as well as a play area to help keep the kids entertained and a cafe where you can put your feet up with a good cuppa.

Sea Safaris

Cornish Coast. Image Credit: Thomas Tolkien for reuse under Creative Commons License 2.0

If you have some free time in Newquay and the weather is favourable then a trip out on a sea safari is a must as it allows you to explore the Cornish north coast and cruise around the hidden coves and beaches as well as viewing some of the natural wildlife in their own environment.

Classic Air Force Museum

Newquay Air Force Museum

There is lots to keep people entertained at this air museum, naturally there are plenty of aircraft, but not only that there are also regular special events held here, friendly and knowledgeable guides, a huge model collection, cafe and even a cinema! The museum also houses the giant VC-10, an in-flight refueller over 170 feet long and 40 feet tall that is capable of refuelling 3 planes simultaneously!

Crealy Adventure Park

The award winning adventure park of Crealy is set in 11 acres of Cornish countryside with exciting thrill rides, hundreds of animals and 40,000 square feet of indoor play areas amongst 35 acres of outdoor play areas.

Fistral Beach

A quiet beach stroll

Fistral Beach is possibly one of the most iconic beaches in Cornwall as well as one of the most consistent and best surfing beaches in the UK and Europe. The beach also plays host to various events and festivals such as Boardmasters ( Europe’s largest surf and skate festival), UK Zapcat championships, the English National Surfing Championship to name but a few. Naturally the sandy beach is lovely if you just want to take a quiet stroll and enjoy the views.

Have we missed any attractions off this list that you think should be added? If so please leave your comments below.

The post What to do in and around Newquay appeared first on Bay Hotels Blog.

Cornwall

Encompassing the most southern tip of England, the county of Cornwall is one of the most exciting and popular UK holiday destinations.  There is plenty to see and do in Cornwall for everyone, but we have picked five of the most popular attractions to visit when taking a hotel break in Cornwall.

Minack Theatre. Copyright “Worm that turned” licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

Minack Theatre

The world famous Minack open air theatre was, built into the Cliffside around 80 years ago, with a very interesting story behind it (but you will have to find that out when you visit). Over the years numerous theatre companies from across the country have performed here with shows ranging from Shakespeare’s classics to Emily Bronte to Noel Coward. To see what is on, take a look here, www.minack.com 

The Lost Garden of Heligan

Heligan is a unique and beautiful place with over 200 acres to explore and discover, including the Victorian productive gardens, lush sub tropical jungle, romantic pleasure grounds and pioneering wildlife project. After all that exploring you can relax in their coffee shop and add to your own garden collection from their unique plant shop. Find out more here, www.heligan.com

Flambards

Described as a family fun day out, Flambards is perfect for all the family, offering a large selection of attractions and rides to suit everyone. For thrill seekers there are rollercoasters and sky rides, if you want a more hands-on experience there is the “Hands on Science” section, or alternatively you can travel back in time to their Victorian Village which started with 3 shops in 1979 and now boasts over 50 shops cottages and businesses. To find out more and opening times see here, www.flambards.co.uk

National Maritime Museum Cornwall

National Maritime Museum

A trip to Cornwall is not complete without learning about Cornwall’s nautical history. The museum host a number of displays and for 2014 the main display is “Search & Rescue” where you can step aboard the 70ft Sea King helicopter or get up close to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Atlantic 75 inshore lifeboat. Don’t forget to also take a walk up the lookout tower where you can look over Falmouth and Carrack Roads. Click this link to find out more, www.nmmc.co.uk

The Eden Project. Copyright “Patrick Charpiat” licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 France

Eden Project

Boasting a new attraction of the SkyWire, which at 660m is the longest zip wire in England, as well as the fastest! Naturally however this is not what “the biggest conservatory in the world” is best known for, and with its stunning gardens and biodomes as well as fantastic arts and music events Eden is a must for anyone visiting Cornwall. Visit their website here, www.edenproject.com

If you fancy visiting Cornwall then you have the choice of either the Bay St Ives Hotel in St Ives or Bay Beresford Hotel in Newquay. Both hotels offer Dinner, Bed and Breakfast board basis and are ideally located to visit Cornwall’s attractions.

The post Five Things To Do In Cornwall appeared first on Bay Hotels Blog.

Hotels History

Hotels History

As you can see the hotel has changed a bit from the 5 bars it used to offer to a more modest 2. Georges Kitchen and Steakhouse has been transformed into our restaurant which has recently undergone a renovation last year. This is not the only renovation the hotel has seen over the years, as within the last 2 years just under 50% of the bedrooms were newly refurbished and there is more planned, the public areas are set to be completely refurbished in the early part of next year also.

Entertainment is still important to us with Lee Shetliffe as our long standing resident host as well as multitude of entertainers from vocalists to comedians performing throughout the week in our Riviera Suite (which was the Shakespeare Music Lounge). At Bay hotels we can be summed up by our strap line, “for the best of times” this is because we are about getting away from it all and having fun with your family and friends. If you have stayed with us in the past you will know that our very popular entertainment programme is provided on the majority of nights, it features a variety of acts from across the country allowing you to sit back and enjoy the show!

Hotels History

Hotels History

As with all of our building we take a keen interest in our hotels history so if you have ever been to any of our hotels over the years and have any interesting articles, photos or itineraries we would love to hear from you.

The post Esplanade Hotels History appeared first on Bay Hotels Blog.

It doesn’t matter where you wake up when visiting one of our hotels in Scotland, the view is always worth the journey!

My first job with the company was as a receptionist in the Bay Highland Hotel, Strathpeffer. A lovely little village in Scotland within easy travelling distance of beautiful places such as Ullapool, which should definitely be on your list of things to do!

I am currently the Assistant Manager at the Bay Dornoch Hotel. Dornoch is a beautiful village with a stunning Cathedral, some quaint wee shops to spend your pennies in and a spectacularly well looked after beach. I can say with fondness and from personal experience, a dip in the water, even if just up to your knees, is an absolutely bracing experience!

What can I do in Scotland?

View from Bay Caledonian Hotel

Scotland offers some amazing views and whether you prefer the spectacular view of Loch Linnhe  as seen from the front door of the Bay Caledonian Hotel or the stunning sea view from the grounds at the Bay Dornoch Hotel.

The view from Bay Dornoch Hotel

Dornoch is an excellent base for the Orkney Tour as well as the historic Castle of Mey. Fort William is just an hours ride to Oban, its only 4 miles from the Treasures of the Earth attraction and 45 minutes from stunning Fort Augustus.

On your way up to Scotland by letting a friend do the driving allows you to relax and appreciate the sights. Alternatively take the wheel yourself and arrive at your own leisure. Each hotel has information on walks, museums (such as West Highland Museum in Fort William), distilleries (like the Glenmorangie Distillery in Tain near Dornoch) and many more local attractions just waiting for you to explore.

It doesn’t matter what time you have to get up to travel to Scotland, when taking in the sights, sunrises and sunsets, time stands still.

I have spent 2 winters now in Fort William while Dornoch is closed for the winter. During that time the views from the hotel were absolutely amazing! If you are not afraid of heights, you could take a ride on the Gondola at the Ben Nevis Mountain Range to take in the breathtaking vistas! If this is not your cup of tea, then just relax in the hotel and order from our extensive lounge menu if you have a free day. The trips here include Oban, which has always been a firm favourite for me and Fort Augustus, a tranquil wee haven with more than a few photo opportunities.

Fort Augustus at mouth of Loch Ness

I have worked around different parts of Scotland like Strathpeffer, Dornoch and Fort William. I have to say I have a favourite but what is your favourite? We would love to know what you think or, if you haven’t ventured that far north, come and see us, you will not be disappointed!

The post Why should you visit Scotland? appeared first on Bay Hotels Blog.

Glenshee Ski Centre

When you are up in Scotland this winter, amongst many popular destinations for many visitors one of the main attractions is the Glenshee Ski Centre which has the UKs most extensive snowboard and ski facilities. The Centre boasts an impressive 36 runs with 22 lifts, these runs give skiers and boarders a lot of diversity with natural terrain for all standards. If you are new to skiing and want to get started then they have a range of equipment for hire from poles and boots to skis and boards.

Glenshee Piste Map

If you are a seasoned skier then you can just arrive and ski privately or alternatively you could join one of their classes or even hire an instructor or get into some race training. The centre opens daily from 8.30 AM and closes at 5 PM.

After all that time skiing you will have worked up a good appetite!

To satisfy your hunger where better than trying the new “pop up” Restaurant at the Bay Invercauld Arms Hotel, its less than a 10 minute drive away! It opens up on weekends from Friday to Sunday between 12 and 8, this weekend will be the third weekend it has been open and it has proved to be a definite hit with guests, locals and skiers alike. One of the most popular items on the menu is “The Chicken Balmoral” which is a succulent breast of chicken stuffed with haggis and served with a creamy whisky sauce. The plans are to extend the menu as we get closer to the summer and we will also launch a new lunch time menu for Easter.

Rump of Lamb		Chorizo Chicken		Chicken Balmoral
Baked Salmon		Pop Up Restaurant		Bay Invercauld Arms Hotel

Have you ever been skiing in Scotland? If so did you visit the Glenshee ski centre and what did you think, we would love to hear from you

The post Invercauld Arms Hotel restaurant “Pops up” near Glenshee, Scotlands largest Ski Centre appeared first on Bay Hotels Blog.

One item that we saw on many of your comments was the fact that there was no WiFi connectivity in our hotels. Well we have listened to your comments and taken them on board. We are pleased to announce that over the past couple of months we have been installing WiFi across our estate and have recently completed this in all bar one of our hotels! Now it is easier than ever to check your Emails, share your photos with family and friends, update your Twitter and Facebook accounts or keep up to date with current events around the globe while enjoying a drink from the coffee shop or bar. Don’t forget also that you can keep social with us here at Bay Hotels by sharing you photos and experiences across our social media platforms. Our Facebook and Twitter pages which can be found here

WiFi coverage in our hotels.

This WiFi service is available in all of our public areas such as our reception areas, bar areas and lounges like our recently refurbished “Bay Cafe” at the Bay Torbay Hotel or newly refurbished “Ascot Bar” at the Bay Carlton Hotel.

Not only will you find WiFi available in our public areas but this service is available for free!.

All you need to do in order to gain access is turn on your WiFi when in the hotel and sign up free to “The Cloud”

As always we would love to hear your thoughts on this and any other suggestions you have for our hotels.

The post WiFi in our hotels appeared first on Bay Hotels Blog.

Christmas Markets

Those were the days before I discovered Christmas Markets. You can get a wide variety of festive gifts, souvenirs, novelty stocking fillers, Fashion items, home accessories and gifts for all the family from market stalls all in one place. During most Christmas markets festive lighting, decorations, Christmas trees and traditional family fun fairs will be complimented by a daily programme of entertainment and music.

It’s not just the shopping that I go for but it’s the whole festive experience. It is great to soak up some festive atmosphere and enjoy a hot chocolate, hog roast or roasted chestnuts while browsing the range of stalls for those last minute gifts and stocking fillers.

Roasting Chestnuts.

Christmas markets have always been popular often bringing foreign traders from places such as Germany, France and Italy. These happen all over the UK from cities like Oxford, Birmingham, Glasgow and London to small town centers and can last from just a few days to a few weeks

Christmas Markets to visit.

If you are thinking of visiting some of these fantastic Christmas markets while staying with us why not visit the Isle of Wight Christmas Market, while staying the Royal Esplanade Hotel or the Broadway Park Hotel with market dates yet to be confirmed. Alternatively while staying at the Carlton Hotel in Great Yarmouth you could visit the Great Yarmouth Christmas Fayre, again with dates yet to be finalised. When staying at the County Hotel or the Marine Hotel in Wales you could visit the Llandudno Christmas Fayre from 21^st to 24^th November, with over 100 stalls of crafts and food. If Christmas festivals are more your thing then while staying at the Eden Arms Hotel visit the Durham City Christmas Festival from 6^th to 8^th December which offers entertainment, carol services, lantern procession, huge craft/gift marquee and much more.

These are just some of the many Christmas Markets around the UK but for a list of over 200 market and Fayre listings take a look here

If you have been to any good Christmas Markets that you think we should know about we would love to hear from you, please comment below.

Image Credit: Christmas market. Copyright David Dixon and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Image Credit: Roasting Chestnuts. Copyright Achromatic and licensed for reuse under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.

The post Christmas Markets to visit appeared first on Bay Hotels Blog.

We have a rolling pattern of refurbishment that occurs over all of our hotels each getting a set number of rooms either renovated or upgraded each year. So far we have done 330 bedrooms over 25 hotels and 72 bathrooms over 12 hotels. Not only do we keep our bedrooms and bathrooms renovated and upgraded when possible but the public areas undergo renovations and upgrades when possible, although this is slightly harder due to the hotel needing to be closed. Having said this we have fully renovated 1 ballroom, 2 lounge bars, 1 lounge room, 2 restaurants and 1 function room across 6 hotels with more public areas and rooms in the pipeline before the year is out.

Have you seen our blog post about the Torbay hotel refurbishment project which details the process of a room upgrade to see what happens take a look here.

Bay Torbay Hotel room Refurbishments Part 1

Bay Torbay Hotel Room Refurbishments Part 2

Why you should treat yourself to one of our Room upgrades?

There are many reasons to choose a room upgrade and while our standard rooms are a great value option with a comfy bed, television, en suite, hot beverage making facilities, hairdryer and direct dial telephones, if you wish to make you stay extra special you could upgrade to one of our Premier or Superior rooms. Upgraded rooms include new contemporary interiors with extra features including 32 inch televisions for people staying in our Premier rooms.

We have a range of room upgrades to suit all tastes and budgets starting with our new Standard Plus rooms from just £5 per night which include our newly redesigned rooms featuring attractive new decor, contemporary furnishings and flat screen TVs.

Our rooms with a view make the most of your location with a scenic or sea view room and are available across our range of bedrooms from £7 per night

On top of our standard features our Superior rooms feature more luxurious beds, en suite shower over bath, 26 inch flat screen digital televisions with prices from £12.50 per night.

If you are looking to celebrate something really special you could opt for our Premier rooms which again feature all of the standard features but instead get our most luxurious beds (4 poster beds in our double rooms), luxurious bathrooms with bath and separate shower, a comfortable lounge style seating area as well as 32 inch flat screen digital television from only £16.50 per night.

A Standard Room	A Standard Plus Room Upgrade
A Superior Room Upgrade	A Premier Room Upgrade

Have you stayed in one of our room upgrades before? If so we would love to hear from you what you thought about it below.

The post Room Upgrades at Bay Hotels appeared first on Bay Hotels Blog.