SCOOP
TRAVEL
The UK’s chicest
retreats revealed
Booking a hotel for a romantic
weekend away, then finding out
that the place you’ve booked is
like something out of Fawlty
Towers, is every traveller’s
worst nightmare. That’s where
brand-new travel guide the
Little Black Book Of Hotels
comes in, written by Alex
Polizzi, presenter of The
Hotel Inspector.
Taking her own catalogue
of disappointments as her
starting point, the awardwinning
hotelier (credited with
transforming many a dreary
B&B into a boutique state of
luxury) has handpicked 52 of
her favourite British getaways
(one for every weekend of the
year), and combined her stamp
6 WWW.STYLIST.CO.UK
of approval with expert advice.
We’ve earmarked our favourites,
should you need any help...
COWLEY MANOR,
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
This grand Victorian pile is
gloriously modern inside, with
funky geometrics, Sixties-style
chairs and an art collection
that would make Tracey
Emin envious. Relax by the
(heated) outdoor pool or
spend hours exploring the
woods and lakes
in the sumptuous
55 acres of grounds
(from £175 per
room, per night,
including breakfast;
cowleymanor.com).
HURST HOUSE ON
THE MARSH, WALES
The manager of this remote
hotel in Carmarthenshire’s
windswept marshes describes
the vibe as “Soho meets the
Famous Five”. Escape to one
of the former dairy farm’s airy
mezzanine suites, or one
of the spacious converted
outhouses for the perfect
break from the city (from £175
per room, per night, including
breakfast; hurst-
house.co.uk).
ALEX POLIZZI, HOTEL
INSPECTOR: SHE HAS
OUR DREAM JOB
Little Black
Book Of Hotels;
out 6 August,
Quadrille, £20
IT’S WHAT EVERYBODY’S
TALKING ABOUT…
COWLEY MANOR: NOT AS LARGE AS
STYLIST’S EAST WING, OF COURSE,
BUT STILL JOLLY NICE
A FORMER DAIRY FARM,
HURST HOUSE IN WALES IS ALL
PLUSH ELEGANCE NOW…
HURST HOUSE’S HEATED POOL
AND HOT TUB: THE PERFECT
SPOT FOR A COCKTAIL OR THREE
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