Quiraing Guest House on the Isle of Skye
My wife, Nancy, and I highly recommend the Quiraing Guest House (Viewfield Rd., Portree, Isle of Skye IV519ES, SCOTLAND; phone/fax 011-44-147-861-2870).
Accommodations Worldwide
The Thanet in Bloomsbury, London
We go to London, ENGLAND, as often as we can and always stay in Bloomsbury, as we like everything the area offers. We’ve stayed in many hotels there, but our favorite is The Thanet (8 Bedford St.; phone 020 7636 2869, 020 7580 3377, fax 020 7323 6676, e-mail thanethotel@aol.com). It’s small and friendly and serves a fabulous full English breakfast.
The 2004 rate for a single with bath and W.C. is £69 (near $124) and for a double twin, £94. Rooms have direct-dial phones and hair dryers.
Cairnbrae House in New Zealand
When visiting Tongariro National Park on NEW ZEALAND’S North Island, my husband and I highly recommend staying at the Cairnbrae House (140 Mangawhero River Road, Ohakune, New Zealand; phone 06 3853002, fax 06 3853374, e-mail peterm@cairnbraehouse.co.nz).
We spent the night of March 5, ’04, at this B&B, the lovely home of Peter and Devon McKay. It’s located in a rural area, and there is a small deer enclosure on the property plus several pets.
Dive resort in the Philippines
In April ’04 my husband and I stayed 10 nights at Dive 7000 Resort (Anilao, Batangas, PHILIPPINES; In the U.S., call Bob Furlong at 773/791-1898 or e-mail furlong20@hotmail.com) — a 2-hour drive south of Manila.
The rooms are basic, with two single beds and private baths. Most have air-conditioning. The nightly rate of $115 per person includes the round trip from Manila, all meals and two boat dives a day.
Palace hotels in Portugal and Spain
On a quick trip to Portugal and Spain in November ’03, we discovered two beautiful palace hotels.
Accommodations in Prague and Nuremberg
During our independent driving tour from Prague to Rome in May-June ’03, Europe was experiencing record high heat.
Accommodations in Germany, Switzerland and Austria
Four of us took a 5-week trip to Germany, Switzerland and Austria, June 3-July 10, ’03. We had first-class railpasses and by the end of the trip had taken 74 trains, 12 local buses, one tour bus, seven taxis, five trams, eight boats, four subways, four funiculars, two cable cars, five personal cars and four vans. The following establishments were the ones that were most outstanding.
Apartment in the Marais, Paris
My husband and I prefer an apartment to a hotel when we visit our favorite city of Paris, FRANCE, so in October ’03 we signed a contract with Barclay International and made full payment for a one-week stay in April ’04. Two weeks before our trip, the apartment was removed from the market and Barclay was unable to find an equivalent place.
Kerikeri Village Inn, New Zealand
We stayed at a delightful B&B, the Kerikeri Village Inn (165 Kerikeri Rd., Kerikeri, Bay of Islands, NEW ZEALAND; phone 0064 9 407 4666, fax 0064 9 407 4408, e-mail stay@kerikerivillageinn.com), in early November ’03.
It is run by Peter and Sandrine, who are extremely hospitable and helpful hosts. We enjoyed three days at their comfortable and beautifully decorated home only minutes from the friendly village and a scenic hike from impressive Rainbow Falls.