Swindon

Salisbury has a lot more to offer and is only down the road. Go a bit further south and you get to Bournemouth, which is truely lovely.

So why Swindon? I have nothing against the place, but would only go there to pass through it or visit someone I knew!

All the best from Fredrik

Hi Fredrik,

Its a compramise, it not our first choice. There are a couple of hotels that have rooms availble. We will use it as a base, Bath will be one of our days out. Swindon is just off the M4 which make travelling easy for us

Ideally we want a hotel with a gym and pool and there are not that many. We have done Bournmouth many times and we enjoy it imensly. However for the purpose of this break Bournemouth is just a bit to far and sadly our favorite hotel closed down and we haven't found one which suits us yet.

Regards

PB

I know Swindon very well. Go to Marlborough instead; it's nearby for whatever it is you want to do, and it's nicer. I don't know anyone who would go to Swindon unless they had to.
If you must, then the hotels are going to be largely your Alan Partridge hangouts mainly built for commercial seminars. It isn't pretty.
I know some great pubs though!
The White Horse at Uffington, The Carters Rest in Wroughton, and the Check Inn on the Wroughton Road by the bridge over the M4.
Marlborough is lovely and I'm sure would suit you better.

Swindon Old Town still has a bit of character, I suggest drives in the country to Avebury Stone Circle and to Uffington to see the white horse & Wayland's Smithy neolithic long barrow.

Nick

Stonehenge is also a possibility,

Regards

PB

quote:

Originally posted by Polarbear:
Stonehenge is also a possibility,

Regards

PB

Bit draughty and there isn't a pool.

For a day out

I remember climbing up onto Silbury Hill with some friends after many beers in the dead of night (I was probably about 17). We sat there for ages until my friend Terry got paranoid about "shapes" he could see moving around below. We all got nervous after a while and his paranoia became contageous, so we eventually kept really low and slid down the hill and ran away. Of course, the next day we figured it out; it was sheep.

Swindon has a DeVere and Hilton, which are OK - if a bit plastic at times.

The Three Crowns (Brinkworth) on the road from M4 J16 to Wotton Bassett is a decent pub for food and serves a variety of food such as wild boar.

The Wild Duck at Ewen near Cirencester is a really nice place to eat, as is the Snooty Fox at Tetbury - both about 30 minutes north west of Swindon.

The is always The Chinese Experience in Swindon, which is one of the biggest Chinese restaurants around serves two evening sittings 6 p.m and 9 p.m, but isn't cheap.

Swindon has a railway museum/village and outlet centre and the Magic Roundabout, but not too much else.

PB

I live in Swindon and have eaten in nearly every hotel in the place.

The best hotel with all the facilities is the Blunsdon House Hotel.

About 7 minutes off Junction 15 of the M4.

Regards

Mick

Hi Mick,

yes I know you do, we tried the hotel you suggested but its fully booked.

Would you recommend the Devere or Marriott, we are leaning towards the Marriott as it appears to be in a quier part of town.

Could you also recommend a few intimate restuarants Mick, an Italian would be nice, although Thai is also a favorite

thanks for the advice,

Regards

PB

quote:

Swindon has a DeVere and Hilton, which are OK - if a bit plastic at times.

ROTF,

we looked at the Hilton but its far too close to the motorway, sleep is one of the things we both need to catch up on,

regards

PB

PB

The marriott is your best best also it is easier to find.

Mick

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
PB

The marriott is your best best also it is easier to find.

Mick

Many thanks Mick,

Regards

PB

If you stayed at the Marriott, (I once saw Ozzie Ardiles at the bar in there) you could walk up to the roundabout, turn left at the co-op, turn right at the mini-roundabout and go down Victoria Road to The Curry Garden, which I always thought was the best Indian Restuarant I had tried anywhere. I haven't been in there for years, but it's still there. Worth a visit maybe.
For a huge Sunday pub lunchtime roast, you can't beat The Check Inn on Woodland View off the main road to Wroughton - That's 15 minutes walk from the Marriott too. I once imagined I saw Mick in there at the bar - but it probably wasn't. If you like proper beer, they have a good few on the pumps - lots of choice. Last time I was there I saw my old VW Polo in the car park which was amazing since I live 125 miles away!!