THE HEART OF ENGLAND - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 481

brightly furnished in a fresh but classic English style, with wrought iron beds and
drape curtains.
51 Graham Rd., Great Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 2HU. www.cotfordhotel.co.uk. & 01684/572427.
Fax [phone] units. £110-£125 double. Rates include English breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free
parking. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; access to nearby pool and sauna; room service. In room: TV, hair
dryer, Internet (£4.95 per 2 hr; £9.95 per day).
Cottage in the Wood There is indeed a cottage in the woods associated with
this hotel—it contains four cozy bedrooms and dates from the 17th century. But most
of the inn occupies a nearby Georgian house from the late 1700s. Originally built for
the semi-retired mother of the lord of a neighboring estate, it's referred to as the
“Dower House” and is appropriately outfitted in an attractive Laura Ashley style. The
bedrooms are small, but this place is so charming and offers such panoramic views
that most visitors don't mind.
Holywell Rd., Malvern Wells, Worcestershire WR14 4LG. www.cottageinthewood.co.uk. & 01684/
588860. Fax [phone] units. £84-£182 double. Rates include English breakfast. AE, MC, V. Free
parking. After leaving Great Malvern on the A449, turn right just before the B4209 turnoff on the
opposite side of the road. The inn is on the right. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; room service;
Wi-Fi (free). In room: TV/DVD/video player, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
INEXPENSIVE
Manor Coach House This is the Worcester's best B&B, a series of modern
red-brick apartments converted from the outbuildings adjacent to the main house.
The simple but elegant and spotless rooms are well equipped and include a two-floor
suite with kitchenette (ideal for families). Apartment no. 4 has access to an outdoor
deck, perfect for lounging in the sun. Add in a huge home-cooked breakfast to start
the day, and you have an excellent deal.
Hindlip Lane, Hindlip, Worcester WR3 8SJ (just off the A449). www.manorcoachhouse.co.uk.
& 01905/456-457. Fax [phone] units. £70 double. AE, DC, MC, V. Rates include breakfast.
Free parking. In room: TV/DVD, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

12

THE WELSH MARCHES
The borderlands between England and Wales became known as the Welsh Marches
in the Middle Ages, an alluring area of rolling hills and market towns encompassing
the modern counties of Herefordshire and Shropshire.
Situated on the Wye River, 16 miles east of the Welsh border, the city of Hereford
is a bustling market town today, known for its fine cathedral and world-famous cattle
industry. Its white-faced Hereford breed has spread to nearly every continent.
Heading north, Ludlow is an essential stop; a mellow town on the tranquil Teme
River lined with Georgian and Jacobean timbered buildings, and a handful of world-
class restaurants and pubs.
One of the finest Tudor towns in England, Shrewsbury is noted for its black-and-
white buildings of timber and plaster, including Abbot's House (dating from 1450),
and the tall gabled Ireland's Mansion (ca. 1575) on High Street. These houses were
built by the powerful and prosperous wool traders, or drapers, in the shadow of the
town's once great castle.
With more time (and a car), you can explore the Wye Valley, with Hay-on-Wye,
right on the Welsh border, the nucleus of Britain's secondhand book trade, and Ross-
on-Wye downriver, a good base for the sylvan charms of the lower Wye valley.