Hotel Lion Quays Resort (Oswestry, United Kingdom)

The hotel boasts a position right on the banks of the Llangollen Canal where guests can watch the barges come up and down all day from the gardens, their private bedroom balcony or perhaps over a drink on the restaurant terrace.

The spa and its treatments are European-themed, drawing inspiration from Scandinavian practices such as sauna treatments followed by a dip in a cold pool to promote better blood circulation, for example. Such cutting-edge features as the snow-cave and the starlight steam room make for a different spa experience than most.

Fans of the outdoors will be happy to note that the surrounding countryside, weather permitting, provides charming walking and jogging routes, particularly along the canal. The hotel grounds themselves are well laid out with plants and water features and are also worth a wander.

Although it makes it easy to find and access, the hotel being right off the A5 means that some noise can be heard on the grounds, either from the restaurant terrace or the gardens which may take away the country feel for some. The rooms however do not have this problem and are peaceful.

The restaurant can get quite expensive, particularly for stays longer than a day or two. There are other options such as the hotel bar/brasserie and several restaurants and pubs a short drive away.

Certain areas of the hotel and the guest rooms may need some updating, for example some furniture, décor, paint, etc. but the hotel is of good quality all the same.