HotelChatter

A Night in the Train Station?
The thought of spending the night in a disused British railway station, or worse still, in old train cars, might not appeal.

But the Brits are lapping it up, and the six suites in Pullman carriages - complete with the original restored luggage racks, windows and sometimes old 'decorative' suitcases - are almost always fully booked.

The lounge and breakfast room (no restaurant) is in the old ticket hall and waiting area, which is, admittedly, quite quaintly stylish with its high vaulted ceiling and old ticket windows. Makes the full English breakfast feel all the more authentic, even if you'll need a train to cart you off after you finished. Full English breakfasts à la Old Railway Station aren't for dieters or those wearing tight trousers.

Antique City
Petworth isn't a city - it's a tiny Sussex village struggling to make the status of town - but it has enough antiques to fill the whole of England. Some people come for an antique tour, as the nearby Arundel and Chichester are antique theme-parks too.

But Petworth is worth a night's stay, if only for the gorgeous park on its doorstep. Petworth Park covers 700 acres of land, spread around a huge mansion which you can visit, and in summer there are often concerts in the grounds. Classical concerts with picnics and champagne, not raves: this really is the English countryside.

And if you're so English that you've still not had enough of railways and antiques, you can take the nearby restored steam-train trip from Kingscote to Sheffield Park on the delightfully-named Bluebell Railway.

Single for a Night's Sleep, Please
Doubles in the Old Station House or Pullman Carriages from around £66 to £140 ($130 to $280) per night, including tea and scones on arrival and breakfast.

Tags: UK Hotels / Train Hotels / Novelty Hotels

by femmefatale