A staggering 3 million plus tourists descend upon the British Isles each year. All of them in need of a bed for the night. For many nights in fact . As a consequence every house, converted barn or granary, and spare room not otherwise in use is available for rent.
The would-be traveller has a mind-boggling selection of accommodation from which to choose. There are hotels and apartments, B&Bs and self-catering cottages, hostels and camper-vans. The dilemma for the lone traveller arises from the practise of offering accommodation 'per person twin share'. A single occupant understandably pays an extra fee.
The solution to this problem is the self-catering cottage. The cost is the same for one person or half a dozen. And the big bonus is eating in. You can whip up a risotto or a chicken curry for a fraction of the cost of a pub meal thus saving a considerable amount of money. You do, of course, forgo to pleasure of hobnobbing with the locals, but there's nothing to stop you nipping off to the pub for a pint or a glass of vino if you're so inclined.
Most cottage rentals are for a week's duration which may not suit the traveller on a whistle-stop tour. But for those with time to explore an area, a self-catering cottage is ideal, offering a home away from home. The convenience of doing a load of washing is a luxury often not available to guests at a B&B or a hotel.
Now cottages and B&Bs may seem a little tepid to more adventurous types. And whilst Britain may be a bit short of the spectacularly bizarre digs available in some other countries, it is not to be overlooked on the unusual accommodation-go-round. How about an overnight stay at a haunted pub? The Ship Inn at Kirkby-in-Furness apparently has more than enough ghosts to satisfy the most discerning devotee of the paranormal. Or perhaps a sojourn in a lighthouse may appeal. You'll find the Rua Reidh Lighthouse on Scotland's west coast. You will be required to travel quite a distance down a dead end track to get there, but that's all part of the adventure really. Train buffs will no doubt jump at the chance to stay in a First Class train carriage near the village of Rogart. Those on a very strict budget and with an extreme desire for the unconventional may prefer to go to Austria and stay in a sewerage pipe. True dinks!
The internet is an invaluable tool for selecting and booking accommodation be it conventional or otherwise. Some intrepid travellers like to make it up as they go along, booking tonight's bed wherever they find themselves at the end of the day. This 'she'll be right attitude' probably results in some marvellously serendipitous experiences if you're up for it, but it's not for me. I'm more the now-have-I-got-everything-organised type.
When it comes to booking a cottage, being organised is of paramount importance. For the international tourists compete not only with each other for available beds, but also, during the summer months, with the locals. The UK has long cold winters, as we all know, and I suspect that on those long winter nights a Briton's thoughts turn to summer holidays. And so it is that in January bookings are already being made for the still distant days of the northern hemisphere's summer.
Sending money around the world is an expensive business and banks charge a hefty sum to transfer your dollars to a UK bank account. This being the case, it behoves one to pay the total accommodation fee upfront, unless your hosts are happy to take a deposit and the balance on arrival. Most require balance of the payment six weeks prior to your stay which would result in duplicating transfer fees.
Having arranged travel insurance prior to making your bookings is as important to the traveller as arranging the getaway car is to the bank robber. Who knows when some pesky volcano will throw your plans into disarray? It's happened before!
Next post will be a Jotting from London!
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