Tonight I am staying the night at the Cartref Guesthouse, Carlisle.
I have stayed here before, and it is a little gem.
There are very personal reasons why I am here tonight, of all nights, and why I chose the room I did.
I have paid £39 room only for a single non en suite room, it would have been £50 with breakfast but I am away very early tomorrow. A fixed, non dynamic price. Right in the city centre. They do also have en suites.
I get a room with 4 electric sockets and a USB socket, a little library in the room, a bathrobe (yes at this price point), copious local information including restaurant recs, more smellies (from a local company) than you could possibly use, a free parking permit (if needed), a fully opening window, etc, even proper sugar lumps for my coffee, and a hot water bottle for winter use.
I've had the breakfast before (which you pre -order). You get an amazing choice, freshly cooked and all locally sourced.
Carlisle is very handy for Hadrian's wall and the Lake District (especially if arriving late), and has lots of history of its own to explore.
I had an early dinner tonight at the Apple Tree inn, using the daytime menu for seniors (over 60) - three courses for £7.49 + a pint of Cider for £3.09.
A great price.
Perfectly acceptable, it's a Greene King pub. Yes there are way more up market places in the city.
But the reason I ate there, apart from the price, is that it was one of the earliest of the purpose built WW1 state managed pubs in the city.