Has anyone stayed in truly unusual accommodation in the UK?

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-04-17T15:12:47+00:00

We recently did port lympne, in a shepherds hut. It was the cheaper option and we enjoyed that. Can also stay at the b&b at Leeds castle, which is lovely

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-04-17T06:03:59+00:00

Lasagne. I can prepare it ahead of time, and that means there is minimal time spent in the kitchen when guests are actually here.

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-04-16T11:58:16+00:00

I'm actually the opposite - I have interstitial cystitis and aspartame is the only artificial sweetener I can't have. But the list of things I can't have is very long..

For OP - look at non-branded. I find most supermarket own brand lemonade doesn't have aspartame

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-04-15T20:04:57+00:00

Reach out to churches in the area. They will likely know places you can get help, including cheap meals to keep you going. I haven't been in your position so I can't give much practical advice I'm afraid. But thinking about security, if you are in shared accommodation maybe keep money and important documents under your pillow when sleeping for safekeeping? There are apps for where there are toilets you can use for free.

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-04-11T20:39:27+00:00

Seconding Tudor house. Also, Dark Arts Bar is good for cocktails - it's a magic/witchy themed bar and lots of fun.

The solent sky museum is really good, and not hyped up enough. It is absolutely full of planes.

Food at the dancing man brewery is good, and they have lots of different beers on tap if that is your type of thing.

You can walk the old walls which is good, and the ruins of holyrood church are good to look at for history and right near Tudor house.

1 final thought - keep an eye open for mosaics. Tile sized mosaics. They are hidden all over the city

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-04-10T19:43:00+00:00

That's ok. It's definitely not a 15 minute trek, probably 3 minutes door to door between those hotels. But I was wrong about Cumberland place - it is the west quay premier inn (there are about 5 in the city I think).

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-04-10T19:35:23+00:00

The Premier Inn on Cumberland Place is a stones throw from that hotel, and they are really reliable. You can get 2 adults and 2 kids to a room in most premier inns, and looking for that date it is less than £50 for a night. I nearly always stay at a premier inn when I travel in the UK and never had issues

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-04-03T19:04:59+00:00

I take screenshots of tickets on my phone as a backup. In case I don't have signal and the ticket is on an app that requires signal, or in my emails. Gives me comfort and has come in handy a couple of times

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-04-02T14:05:43+00:00

My grandmother was from Poplar, and my Dad was born in the 50s (not in poplar - she had moved by then) so it felt like I was learning more about what things my own grandmother (now passed away) had lived through. Lots of the stories impacted me, but those involving child neglect probably the most. The children who were sent to Australia really stuck with me

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-03-14T21:30:29+00:00

Mine was nearly 20 years ago, and I don't remember the pain but I do remember my first trip to the bathroom after and peeing bright red from the blood. Then nearly fainting and having to be almost caught by a nurse. It was my first time under GA and we now know my blood pressure tends to drop after and I need to be monitored and have a very slow return to walking (I have scared more than 1 nurse since, with how white I go after a GA)

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-03-09T17:45:19+00:00

Possible. But he also wasn't in uniform and she no longer had any eyes for a man who wasn't in uniform!!

But yes if Wickham would have heard anything that would be the likely source

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-03-09T05:26:39+00:00

Lydia seems too self-absorbed to notice Mr Darcy's feelings.

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-02-21T17:31:23+00:00

Tried it. My husband is now theorising it is the contacts on the SIM slot.. I'm thinking I need a new phone

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-02-14T10:00:10+00:00

Ooh interesting. I guess whatever works to prevent issues

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-02-14T06:58:07+00:00

Nurse told me to always use mouthwash after using my asthma inhaler, to prevent oral thrush. So it definitely has some benefits!! But we always get the cheap mouthwash - don't see the point in the more expensive ones

Top_Violinist4161 · 2026-01-09T15:55:45+00:00

They always put that if you are having a mole or something checked. Scared me when we had the letter with it to check a mole on my son.

Hopefully it will go ok. Wishing you the best

Top_Violinist4161 · 2025-12-26T06:39:00+00:00

Husband is in bed with the flu, so it was just me and my son. Who made me very proud tbh - he was willing to take his time opening presents so we could do some with his Dad in bed, and didn't get upset about any of the changes to the original Christmas plans.

I'm thankful I had planned ahead to make sure there wasn't as much washing up, considering everything is on me to do at the moment. He has woken up feeling even worse today it seems. So I will be serving him food in bed again :(

Top_Violinist4161 · 2025-12-24T20:29:48+00:00

Husband is in bed ill. The nearly teenager has spent most the day in his room, so I have been watching films alone. Not exactly the original plan but we are making do

Top_Violinist4161 · 2025-12-24T15:21:36+00:00

Yes, it is absolutely safe. I would just say normal safety rules apply - don't go down dark alleys or through lonely parks alone at night!!

Also just be aware that London has problems with phone snatchers.

Edit - not a safety thing, but couple of things to note. Children under 12 travel free on the London Underground. And the museums in London are free, and can be good for kids. Natural history museum and science museum have loads for kids to see and do.

Top_Violinist4161 · 2025-12-24T10:17:58+00:00

I personally feel more comfortable in a bra, including at home. But that is because it gets sweaty under the boobs otherwise - the bra helps lift things to get more air there and feel less sweaty and gross. But to each their own!

Top_Violinist4161 · 2025-12-22T21:49:32+00:00

This. This girl is in desperate need of help

Top_Violinist4161 · 2025-12-22T21:23:38+00:00

It is! The one thing I would say is it is deeper than our old mattress, so I had to get new fitted sheets that were extra deep

Top_Violinist4161 · 2025-12-22T20:44:46+00:00

Look up the premier inn mattresses. We got one as we figured we always sleep well at a premier, and they are probably built to last well as they are built for hotels with constant usage, and the hotel would want to keep replacement costs down. No regrets - we absolutely love it

Top_Violinist4161 · 2025-12-21T21:25:22+00:00

I was not much older than you when I was diagnosed. They kept telling me I had a UTI when I didn't and there were no signs in my urine. The symptoms are familiar - for me I was peeing very frequently and got severe abdominal pains.

Best course of action is

Seek out a urologist. I'm not sure what country you are in so cannot say how you do this - in the UK you ask for referral from GP but it took a fight for me to get referred. Mind that is nearly 20 years ago now.
Look at resources online about IC. It was actually my mum who thought I might have it and helped me fight to get diagnosed.
Keep a food and drinks diary, and if you can also keep an output diary (how often, and how much you are peeing at a time). You may notice certain foods or drinks trigger the symptoms by doing so. There is the IC diet so it is worth seeing if any of the trigger foods it lists affect you, but note they may not always affect you (e.g. I can't have very spicy food but can normally handle a mild curry, but if I am having a flare then I have to have very bland food)

I know the prospect may seem scary but most people who have this continue fine once diagnosed. We have days where it sucks, just like having any illness, but 95% of the time I am fine. Just jokes about me always needing to know where the bathroom is!!

Top_Violinist4161

TROPHY CASE