The Lilacs B&B, Stansted

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... Read review

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Advantages: Lovely picturesque characteristic accommodation with fantastic potential.
Disadvantages: Felt unwelome, food was past its use by date, not as clean as you would expect.

...of dust which had not appeared to be cleaned for while. In the morning I was hoping to stay a short time longer to have a look around the 7 acre gardens, which seemed to be a big adversing point on all website and was one of the reasons why I choose it in the first place. However, even though I was emailed that check out would be by 11am, the host came in at around 10am and asked if we had had a good sleep. I was hoping for an invite to view the gardens but instead I loaded up the car and could see one of their private guests putting on the garden. After we loaded up, the only ones to see us away were the host's dogs. They were very welcoming and I felt they showed us more hospitality than the owners of Leylands Farm B&B. I am not sure if we would have been made to feel more welcome if we had hired a Jaguar rather than an old banger. Maybe it... Read review

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Advantages: Very enjoyable and easy read
Disadvantages: It finished!

...I came across The Lilac Bus quite by accident in a charity shop. I had read books by Maeve Binchy before and remembered quite enjoying them (although I hadn't read anything of hers recently) and this book was in good condition and the name of it intrigued me. I read the spiel on the back and thought I wasn't going to be disappointed paying out £0.30 in a charity shop for a book by an author that I already knew and respected. PLOT/CHARACTERS Tom FitzGerald takes a group of people to Dublin for work at the start of each week from Rathdoon and brings them back every Friday. There's Nancy Morris, known as Miss Mouse, who works in a hospital as a secretary and is known for her mean ways by all of the residents of Rathdoon as well as her flatmate and colleagues at work. Then you have young Dee Burke, the daughter... Read review

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