Advantages: Convenient, friendly owners, good breakfast. Disadvantages: A bit pricey
Last summer I spent a few days in Salcombe after my Mum had booked this place as a birthday present for me. It was my first time in Salcombe so I didn't really know what to expect, but my Mum had been going there for years so I was looking forward to discovering it. The Ria View is run by Peter & Bernice Henesey Smith.
LOCATION:
The Ria View is on Devon Road in Salcombe, Devon. Salcombe is a tiny town on the south coast. The roads to get there are quite windy so take care.
Ria View
Devon Road
Salcombe
Devon
TQ8 8HQ
(0044) (0)1548 842965
PRICES:
Prices for a double room at the Ria View start at £62 per night and go up to £84 per night. This includes breakfast.
PARKING:
The parking at the B+B itself is very limited. We managed to get mine in but there is room for 3 cars and they can only be small cars ...
Advantages: Funny with some great description of the city Disadvantages: Not a serious crime thriller, not many suspects
Background:
This author was recommended to me again by my well read boss. Originally she introduced me to Donna Leon and she said she thought I would like this author too. As he also writes crime fiction with a Detective Aurelio Zen also based in Italy.
About the Author:
Michael Dibdin was born in Wolverhampton in March 1947. He qualified as a teacher in Alberta, before moving to Italy in 1979. This was when his writing career took of. Indeed in 1988 he won the Crime Writers Association Maccallan Gold Award for fiction and was shortlisted again in 1991. He wrote in total 18 highly acclaimed novels before his premature death in March 2007.
A synopsis of the book:
This book features the Inspector Aurelio Zen as the investigating officer. He is summoned with immediate effect to Bologna to oversee the Police investigation ...
Advantages: Really modern and clean, and friendly staff Disadvantages: Bit pricey
I recently visited Alton Towers with a group of friends, and living about 3 hours drive away from the park, we decided to drive down the night before, so we could get there early and avoid the queues. (Which worked perfectly, but that is not for this review)
In chosing accommodation, the main criteria was proximity to Alton Towers, and Lower Micklam Farm won. This B and B is located in Alton, which is the nearest village to Alton Towers, (the clue is in the name!!) about a mile from the park. The name 'Farm' is accurate of the related holiday cottages, but the B and B is in the centre of the village, and was formerly a house, rather than a farm. The name is rather quaint though, and as it is a combined business with the holiday cottages, it seems fair that they have retained it.
Alton is a small place, with not much more than a pub ...
