Accomodation Recommendations: Devon, Cornwall, Highlands

Hi,
Just returned a month ago from a trip to Devon and Cornwall. You mentioned you prefer hotels, but, I can only recommend a B & B in Penzance. It was excellent. Lovely rooms, great breakfast room and lounge and excellent hosts who are a wealth of local info. It is Camilla House in Penzance. Check out their web site. It is in the Rick Steves England Book and also recommended by Fodors and Frommers.
As an aside, if you are considering staying at the Red Lion in Clovelly, I would pass. We did not have a good experience there, and it was the most expensive night of our trip. Horrible bed, average food in the dining room. Would not return ever. Have a good trip.

We traveled Cornwall/Devon with some local British friends and stayed in Newquay at the Hotel California. Nothing fancy but clean and very acceptable. Newquay is not a place to sight-see but hang your hat. If you look at laterooms.com you can get rates as low as £45.50. It is a central location to travel a good distance around. Bristol is the closest international airport and fairly convient. You'll love Cornwall.Devon area.

Perhaps this is entirely too late, considering I just joined this board. For future travelers to Cornwall - I was stationed near Newquay (RAF St Mawgan) for 2 years. Newquay is home to Fistral Beach - England's preferred location for surfing. Although I too am a surfer (longboarder to be precise) Fistral Beach has plenty to offer to non-surfers as well. Newquay can be reached either off of the A30 (main highway through Cornwall), via train (Great Western - with service from London Paddington), or as a last resort, the National Express bus company. I say that as the seats are not quite comfortable if you are at the 6-foot range or taller. It was a very trying trip (7 hrs.) to London, but full of friendly people and drivers. Anyway, Newquay is home to numerous caravan parks(vacation trailers) and quite close to Truro, St Austell, Penzanze, the Lizard, Lisquard, to name but a few places. Re-look at what Newquay has to offer, it's a beach town to be sure - Cornish style!!

j.c. I've stayed several times at the Richmond Hotel in Strathpeffer, which is north and west of Inverness. It's a tiny Victorian spa town and most of the other hotels cater to bus tours so you want to avoid them. I stay there as it's our base for walking trips. You can do day trips to the west--Ullapool or Gairlock. Or if it's raining in the west, you can go east to Dornoch or southeast to the Cairngorms, or so to Loch Ness. Glen Afric is within and hour. The Black Isle and the area to the east of Inverness is close as well. I've not found a place in the west to stay, although I enjoyed the Picture House in Broadford on the Isle of Skye. If you haven't checked out www.visitscotland.co.uk you should. It's got some useful suggestions. BTW consider Perthshire. The area around Aberfeldy is very nice. Dunkeld further east has a great pub for music called the music bar. You need to go late in the week to be sure of music.

Pam

Actually, given the state of the dollar, I spent this trip's money in London. The rest of that itinerary is still on the agenda for the future.

Hi j.c.

Just as well you don't live in Australia if you cut your trip short because of your dollar against the pound. You get 50 pounds for your 100 dollars - try 43 pounds for our 100 dollars. It has been this way for the past 15 years at least.

JC- if you are still wanting ideas for the Highlands- consider Aviemore. We stay at the Caringorm hotel across from the station. It is marvelous and only a bit twee. Aviemore is a great village and has a micorbrewery that gives tours with free tastings. Lots to do , esp if you like walking, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities.