Alex Polizzi knows what it takes to run a hotel, notwithstanding her heritage of hotelkeeping. Her grandfather was Charles Forte, her mother is Olga Polizzi, the hotel designer and her uncle, Rocco Forte. Alex runs the very popular Hotel Endsleigh in Devon. Having travelled the length of the country, she has put together a list of fifty-two very special places to stay, Alex Polizzi's Little Black Book of Hotels.

GRAND TO QUIRKY

Alex is enraged that many guides request that hotels pay to be included. Those listed in Little Black Book of Hotels have merely given Alex a room for the night and a meal, along with a treatment if on offer. It's a quirky selection from the grand and glitzy to family-run B&Bs but the common theme that makes all these establishments stand out is the level of service on offer. Alex says this is 'what sorts the wheat from the chaff.' Service should never be obtrusive but your every need catered for in a discreet manner.

ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER

In Alex's words, the Little Black Book of Hotels is 'more than just hotel porn.' It's a book to read at leisure; there is plenty of detail and background on hotels listed and their proprietors. There is advice on the best bedrooms to choose, what to eat and fun things to do during your stay. Alex warns that these are the things she likes to do when away, so expect plenty of browsing in bookshops, bracing long walks to set you up for the next meal and places for good pub lunches.

HOTELS WITH A STARRING ROLE
 
There are some favourites that will come as no surprise, The George in Rye, with 'its air of understated glamour', the Hoste Arms in Burnham Market, Norfolk with 'its convivial, inclusive atmosphere' and some lesser known gems, such as Gallon House in Knaresborough, a bed and breakfast that does delicious evening meals. Alex has included some of her family's hotels, the Endsleigh, Hotel Tresanton in Cornwall and her uncle's three UK properties but as she says, they are all included on their own merits as they are all 'extraordinary places to stay.'

If you're looking for a weekend away, turn to the Little Black Book of Hotels and pack your bags. You won't be disappointed but what once may have been a well kept secret is now no longer. Be sure to book in advance.

Publication details:
Quadrille Publishing Ltd
£20
ISBN 1844003965
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