Summer Safari with Shire Hotels

• Summer Safari Promotion 2011
  Back by popular demand – our annual Summer Safari.
  
  Stay from 4 to 7 nights  - choosing to stay put in one spot or hotel-hopping across the UK – and you enjoy the very special rate of £55 per person, including breakfast,  at all our of fabulous 4 star hotels.  Relax in the first-class spa’s, enjoy great food, served in stylish relaxed surroundings (al fresco when we can) and just generally unwind with friends and family.

  We’ve got the perfect destinations - from The Lakes down to the rugged South coast. With great beaches, stunning mountains, stylish cities and superb visitor attractions ready to be explored right on our doorsteps, you can enjoy a hassle free holiday adventure this summer.

  
  

• Our Destinations -
  · Lake District  - North Lakes Hotel and Spa, Penrith
  
  · Yorkshire – Thorpe Park Hotel and Spa, Leeds
  
  · Cheshire – Cottons Hotel and Spa, Knutsford
  
  · Northamptonshire – Kettering Park Hotel and Spa, Kettering
  
  · Bristol – Aztec Hotel and Spa, Bristol
  
  · Southampton & Portsmouth – Solent Hotel and Spa, Fareham

  And this year you can enjoy even more destinations as we’ve included our ‘little cousins’ – Thwaites Inns of Character. They’re a little smaller than our 4 star hotels – typically with 10 to 30 cosy guest rooms – but if it’s the attention to detail, great hospitality and fantastic food that you love about Shire Hotels, we’re confident you’ll be bowled over by the Inns too (and not even miss the Spa!).  Choose from:
  
  · The Yorkshire Dales
     - Lister Arms at Malham – 4 star Inn
     - The Lion at Settle – 4 star Inn
  
  · The Lake District  - Keswick Lodge – 4 star Inn
  
  · Lancaster – Penny Street Bridge – 3 star townhouse
  
  · Millstone at Mellor – 2 star, 2 rosette hotel
  
  To make the most of these great savings you need ‘on Safari’ with us between 20th June and 11th September 2011.

• More infomation...
  V I little P’s
  The summer is all about living the outdoor life and enjoying time with the family, whatever age you’re at. So we’ve made it even easier for Mums and Dads, Grannies and Grandads, aunts and uncles to gather up all the family and head out on safari together. Children stay free when sharing with 2 paying adults in a room, and some hotels will even be able to offer free accommodation for children in their own room*.
  
  Early Bird Bonus
  Book and confirm your Summer Safari before 1st July 2011 and you can enjoy dinner  - for the whole family – on your first night with our compliments, and we’ll even include a bottle of house Champagne too, to help you celebrate the start of your holiday.
  
  Making your booking
  It couldn’t be easier – just call Ann Smith or 0800 854290 and she’ll make all the arrangements for you. We’ll need a deposit of £100 to secure your booking and then you can pay the balance 14 days before arrival.

   

• Itineraries -

  Jane Austen’s Literary Trail
  If you’re a fan of the great lady why not spend a few days visiting the stately homes which had starring roles in the film adaptations?
  
  Split your week between Cheshire and Bristol and explore:
  
  Lyme Park, Cheshire - Lyme Park is a Tudor house transformed into an Italianate palace, famous for its role as ‘Pemberley’, Darcy’s home, in the BBC’s 'Pride and Prejudice'. Jennifer Ehle’s Lizzy was shocked by the approach of the wet clad figure of Mr Darcy, played by Colin Firth, post-dip in the lake. The scene cemented Colin Firth's sex symbol status and turned Lyme Park into one of TV's most iconic backdrops
  
  Montacute House, Somerset - Montacute most recently wowed cinema audiences as Johnny Depp's 'den of iniquity' in 'The Libertine'. Ten years earlier it took on a more refined role in 'Sense and Sensibility'. The Oscar winning film starred Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet as sisters Elinor and Marianne. Our hearts went out when the inconsolable Marianne got caught in the rain, trying to escape the heartbreak of Willoughby's rejection. The garden she passed through was at Montacute.
  
  Stourhead Landsacpe Garden, Wiltshire - The 2005 production of 'Pride & Prejudice' features the 18th-century landscaped garden, Stourhead, and one of its enchanting temples. The Temple of Apollo, set above the tranquil lake, was used as the location for Darcy’s first and futile proposal to Lizzy. Afterwards an offended Lizzy makes her exit across the Palladian Bridge. But thankfully, as we all know, the final outcome is joyous when love prevails.
  
  Lacock Village, Wiltshire - Lacock, a wonderfully preserved village dating from the 13th century, played the village of 'Meryton' in the BBC’s 'Pride and Prejudice'. Here the Bennet girls, in particular Lydia and Kitty ‘whose minds were more vacant than their sisters’, shopped for bonnets, sought the latest tittle-tattle from their Aunt Philips, and hoped to attract the attentions of the officers - in particular a certain Mr Wickham.
  You’ll find more information about all of the National Trust properties on www.nationaltrust.org.uk

  We suggest 2 nights at the Cottons Hotel, Cheshire and 5 nights at the Aztec Hotel, Bristol – approx travelling time between the hotels – 2hrs 30 mins – distance 150 miles.

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  World Heritage Trail
  Visit 3 of the UK’s most stunning natural settings – the Lake District, Stonehenge and the New Forest.
  
  The Lake District National Park –  spectacular at any time of year with endless views and unrivalled scenery including the highest mountain, Scafell Pike and the deepest lake, Wastwater.
  
  Stonehenge – the most famous megalithic site in the world.
  
  The New Forest – a unique landscape of woodland, heath and ancient villages that has been shaped by man and nature since the Bronze Age.
  
  We suggest 2 nights at North Lakes Hotel, Penrith, 3 nights at the Aztec Hotel Bristol (so you can visit the historic City of Bath as well) and 2 nights at the Solent Hotel, Fareham

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  A northern Foodie Trail
  Our Chefs are committed to sourcing local produce and we’re happy to share some of our favourites with you.

  The Lancashire Cheese Walks – staying at the Millstone at Mellor, plus you can visit Bury’s Famous Market (and supplier of Black Pudding) and Huntley’s Farm produced ice creams in Samlesbury.
  
  Sweet tooth  – head to Cumbria, home to the world renowned Sticky Toffee Pudding and The Toffee Shop in Penrith – staying at the North Lakes in Penrith
  
  Lishman’s of Ilkley (fantastic sausages) and Bleikers Family Smokehouse in Glasshouses – both favourite suppliers to the Shire chefs and within easy reach of Thorpe Park in Leeds

  We suggest 2 nights in Mellor at the Millstone, 3 nights at Thorpe Park in Leeds and 2 nights at North Lakes in Penrith

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  On your bike
  Pack your wheels and plan a week in the fresh air exploring  - with 4 star beds and fantastic food to look forward to each night. We’ll even prepare a picnic for you each day.
  
  Coniston, Cumbria – pedal power is a great way to explore this stunning part of the Lakes, but if it’s more action adventure that you seek, then Whinlatter and Grizedale Forest are the places to head to.
  
  Northamptonshire – with 15 cycle routes including the Bluebell Line, Brampton Valley Way and Nene Valley Way you’ll be spoilt for choice.

  We recommend 3 nights at the North Lakes, Penrith and 4 nights at the Kettering Park, Northamptonshire.
  

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• Terms and Conditions

  The terms and conditions – a little more formal than we like to be, but just so we’re all clear...
  
  What’s included 
  All rates are based on 2 adults sharing a room and include full English breakfast and VAT at 20%. At Shire Hotels it also includes use of the spa, car parking and complimentary morning newspaper. Bookings are for a minimum of 4 and maximum of 7 consecutive nights at any Shire Hotels or Thwaites Inns of Character.
  
  Children 
  Free children’s rooms are subject to availability at Thorpe Park, Cottons, Aztec and Kettering Park Hotels and offered on the basis on one free room per paying adult room.  There will be a limited number of rooms allocated to this promotion and once these have been taken you may be offered a rate for a child in their own room.
  Free children’s rooms are not available at Solent and North Lakes Hotels  - but may be offered at £40 per child per night.  
  There are no free children’s rooms at Thwaites Inns of Character although each Inn will have a small number of rooms where children can be accommodated free of charge.
  Breakfast  - Shire Hotels and Thwaites Inns of Character – under 4 free, 4 to 10  - £4 per child per night, 11 to 16 £8 per child per night. All other children’s meals to be paid as taken.

  Deposits and payments
  All bookings require a non-refundable, non-transferable deposit of £100 per room paid at the time of booking. The balance should be paid 14 days prior to your first night stay.
  
  Cancellations 
  If plans need to change and you have to cancel your booking – if you cancel within 2 days prior to the first night of your stay, only your deposit will be forfeited. If you cancel less than 2 days before your first night stay you will forfeit all prepayments.
  
  Affinity Points   
  If you’re an Affinity Member – although we cannot accept points in payment  for the accommodation elements of your stay – you will earn Affinity points on this for all your stays at both Shire Hotels and Thwaites Inns’ of Character, and you can spend your current points on food and drinks during your Safari at Shire Hotels, but we’re sorry that Inns of Character cannot accept points for payment at present.
  
  Exclusions  
   Some of the hotels and inns will have excluded dates from this promotion. These include – but are not limited to:
  Cottons Hotel – 19th -21st July
  Kettering Park Hotel – 8-9th July
  Solent Hotel – 6-13th August
  North Lakes – 27-28th August