THE ROYAL TOUR
  
   
 

Day 1 - arrive London airport. Transfer to Royal St David's Hotel & Spa, Cardiff for one night - play Royal Porthcawl

Day 2 - play Royal St David's - transfer to Maes-y-Neuadd hotel for one night
Day 3 - play Royal Liverpool - transfer to Hillbark for 2 nights.
Day 4 - play Royal Birkdale
Day 5 - play Royal Brancaster - transfer to The Victoria Hotel, Holkham for one night
Day 6 - play Royal Cinque Ports - transfer to The Bell Hotel, Sandwich for 2 nights
Day 7 - play Royal St George's
Day 8 - transfer back to airport to catch flight home
  
         
 
HOTELS
  
         
 
St David's Hotel & Spa, Cardiff
 
     
 
 
     
 

The five-star St David's Hotel & Spa is a luxury hotel overlooking Cardiff Bay. Situated on the waterfront, St David's is a striking Cardiff landmark, and the most prestigious five-star hotel in Wales. Dynamic and contemporary in style, the hotel incorporates an impressive floor-to-ceiling, glass-backed atrium that provides a vision of space and natural light. Just five minutes from the centre of Cardiff, St David's Hotel & Spa is adjacent to Mermaid Quay with a wide range of restaurants, bars and entertainment including The Wales Millennium Centre, home of the Welsh National Opera and an international arts complex.St David's Hotel & Spa provides the very highest level of service, and offers the ultimate in comfort in each of its 132 guest bedrooms, including 20 suites, all with fresh, contemporary styling, views across Cardiff Bay and private balconies. The fine dining Tides Grill is recognised as one of the finest in Cardiff where Executive Chef, Georg Fuchs culinary flair translates fresh, seasonal produce into the most tempting dishes. Rocco Forte's five-star St David’s Hotel has also launched a new marine spa concept unique to the UK.

  
     
 
Maes y Neuadd Hotel, Harlech
 
     
 
 
     
 

The hotel’s setting is superb. Maes-y-Neuadd (‘The mansion in the meadow’) stands in 71/2 acres of landscaped lawns, orchard and paddock on a wooded hillside high above the waters of Tremadog Bay. Snowdonia’s grandeur is right on the doorstep and Harlech, with its mighty castle and famous Royal St David’s golf links, is but 3 miles away. Maes-y-Neuadd’s sense of permanence and strong character come from its great age. Solidly built of Welsh granite and slate, it dates from the 14th century with 16th- and 18th-century additions. All modern comforts have been blended into an historic fabric that includes an inglenook fireplace, decorated plasterwork and oak beams. Each bedroom is individually designed and equipped to the highest standards. Special mention must be made of the food – Maes-y-Neuadd’s skilfully prepared, imaginative cuisine, which combines French, Welsh and English influences, has won high praise in the leading food guides and makes good use of the hotel’s outstanding kitchen garden and herb garden. The location, where mountains meet the sea, is magnificent. There’s a host of attractions close by, including the narrow-gauge Ffestiniog Railway, Llechwedd Slate Caverns, and Portmeirion village.

 
     
 
Hillbark Hotel, Wirral
 
     
 
 
     
 

The Hillbark is a unique hotel nestling in the heart of the beautiful Wirral peninsula, just 15 minutes yet a million miles away from vibrant Liverpool, Capital of Culture 2008. This magnificent Grade II listed hotel provides the finest luxury coupled with discreet yet friendly service from the resident owners and their team.The perfect place to stay... nineteen individually designed, lavishly furnished suites and bedrooms.The elegant Yellow Room restaurant has rapidly established itself as a premier gourmet dining destination. Extravagantly furnished with lavish gilt armchairs, the tables laid with crisp white linen, finest crystal and silverware, creating an opulent yet relaxing candlelit ambience. An imaginative selection of English and Continental haute cuisine, prepared by their Executive Chef and team, is complemented by a choice of over 100 fine wines from the first-rate cellar.

  
     
 
Victoria Hotel, Holkham, Norfolk
 
     
 
 
     
 
The Victoria is ideally situated just a few minutes walk from the golden sands of Holkham Beach and at the gates of the owner family's Palladian ancestral home, Holkham Hall. It is perfectly placed for discovering the county's windswept coastline, seaside towns and villages. The Victoria was also extensively refurbished in 2001. The owners and designer Miv Watts created a really special feel to the hotel; a sort of shabby chic with strong colours, voluptuous fabrics and ornate Indian furniture. The hotel is small though, with only ten individually styled bedrooms, so in 2004 they restored and furnished three ancient “Follies” in and around Holkham Park, bringing a more contemporary feel of opulence to these unique buildings. It is arguable that the main attraction at the Victoria though is the food they serve in their restaurant. Head Chef Neil Dowson and his brilliant team are producing some of the most consistently good food in North Norfolk.
  
     
 
The Bell Hotel, Sandwich, Kent
  
     
 
 
     
 

The Bell itself has stood on its present site since the early 17th century, although an earlier Bell Inn was certainly in existence in Sandwich from the 14th century and reputedly hosted Queen Elizabeth I with a glass of sack. Although no longer host to monarchs The Bell is still renowned for its warm hospitality and stylish accommodation. The Bell offers guests the opportunity to relax in traditional comfort with all the benefits of modern facilities to hand. This small hotel prides itself on providing the personal service and professional care which ensure that every stay is a memorable occasion. The individually furnished bedrooms are attractive and spacious. All have ensuite facilities and views of the River Stour or the ancient streets and rooftops of Sandwich. The Bell's elegant restaurant is famed for its exceptional cuisine. Blazing fires in winter, sunny balconies in summer, friendly staff, efficient service and outstanding cuisine provide The Bell Hotel with a warm ambience to delight guests all year round.

  
         
 
GOLF
  
         
 
 

Royal Porthcawl

It is nothing but a great shame that Royal Porthcawl does not have the infrastructure required to host an Open Championship. Indeed, the closest it has ever come to staging a world-renowned event was when it hosted the Walker Cup in 1995. Then, the American team, which had Tiger Woods as its main weapon, were blown away, quite literally, by the course. Wind is a constant factor here due to the fact that there are no high dunes or trees that might form some sort of defence - it's just you against the elements. With the closing hole playing towards the sea and into the wind, there is perhaps not a single course in British golf that can produce as finer, more dramatic finish. The sea is visible from every hole here and, while the first three holes run alongside the beach, many of the others climb high above sea level to afford panoramic views of the Bristol Channel and across to Exmoor.
  
         
 
 

Royal St David's

Since its foundation in 1894, the championship links of the Royal St. David's Golf Club has occupied the dune land between Harlech Castle and the sea. Apart from the quality of the holes and severity of the test, the views of the Snowdon Mountains, the magnificent Castle and, at last, from the 16th tee, the Lleyn peninsular across Tremadog Bay, make Harlech one of the finest situations of any course in Britain. Much of the course is a site of special scientific interest and the profusion and variety of wild orchids in the rough in early summer are a joy, even if one's play falls short of one's hopes. The course itself, measuring 6495 yards from the championship tees, is noted for a succession of long testing par four holes and five short holes, which vary in length and direction; a feature is the large size of the greens. The last five holes form a loop through the dunes that provide a finish the equal of any. Their is a well stocked shop to cater for all your golfing needs including trolley and buggy hire.

  
         
 
 

Royal Birkdale

One of Britain's finest golf clubs and host to two Ryder Cups, the Walker and Curtis Cups, the Women's British Open and the Open Championship on eight occasions. Royal Birkdale has been voted the No 1 course in Britain, and is among the best in the world. The course is made up of towering sand dunes that are such a distinctive feature of England’s links. However what you wouldn’t expect is the wide and inviting fairways that flow between the mighty dunes system resulting in long relatively flat targets. If you do experience trouble, it’s your own fault. The greens were re-laid prior to the last Open held there, receptive and true they have a right to claim them the best in the British Isles. Royal Birkdale can lay claim to an impressive list of past champions such as Palmer, Trevino, Miller and Watson. One of its most historical events occurred at the 1969 Ryder Cup there. Jack Nicklaus gave Tony Jacklin his missable putt and so doing made the ultimate sporting gesture which resulted in a tie.
  
         
 
 

Royal Liverpool

Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake has staged major tournaments throughout its long history including ten Open Championships and many amateur events, most recently the British Amateur championship in June 2000. The R&A have announced that the Open Championship will return to Hoylake in 2006. With a par of 72 the course has fairly been described as a stern test for even the very best golfers. The course measures just over 7200 yards from the championship tees, and the new greens on the 3rd, 17th and 18th extend that challenge. With wonderful views of the River Dee estuary to the Welsh coast, the wind is an ever present factor in playing the historic course. Whilst at first appearance the course may look flat, it is a very challenging championship course. However, as with all links courses, the wind makes its presence felt. The summer breeze can be your ally and the icy gale a ruthless adversary. All the holes require your utmost attention.The enormous clubhouse offers a respite from the elements and a place to soak up the history and traditions of the game.
  
         
 
 

Royal West Norfolk

Founded in 1892, Royal West Norfolk is a classic links course, nothing much has changed here for 100 years. Squeezed beautifully between Brancaster Bay and the salt marshes, Royal West Norfolk truly is a peaceful golf links, except when the wind blows and boy, is the wind bracing here!  Check the tide times before you plan your trip, the course plays on a narrow strip of links-land which gets cut off at high tide, turning it into an island.  If you are lucky enough to play the course during high tide, you are in for a real treat; out on the course, you feel delightfully isolated; often all you hear is the seductive sound of the wind, seagulls, the clinking of stays and the flapping of boat sails.  Essentially, the course is a traditional out and back links; huge sleeper-faced bunkers, fast greens and that beautiful links turf, a magical place to play golf.

 
         
 
 

Royal Cinque Ports

 

Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, in Sandwich, is but an 8-iron from the more famous Open Championship test that is Royal St George's. It enjoys a great deal of exposure thanks to its more famous neighbour, but there are those believe it to be a better test of golf than the Open links. Royal Cinque Ports has been at Deal since the dawn of time and is, quite simply, a mesmerising links offering in the finest of traditions. The last word, however, should go to the legendary James Braid, who said: "After another opportunity of playing over the Deal course I am still of the opinion I have previously expressed, that it is the best course in England."

 
         
 
 

Royal St George's

In 1885, doctor William Laidlaw Purves spotted from the vantage point of St Clement’s church a spectacular piece of undulating land with expansive sand dunes. Being a Scot and a keen scratch golfer, he decided that there was only one thing to do with this links land; create a golf course. After only seven years of play, in 1894, Sandwich hosted its first of 13 Open Championships. Royal patronage was granted in 1902 and the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) became club captain. The course is not a traditional out and back layout. In a similar style to Muirfield, each nine is broadly circular, a loose figure of eight. There is nothing artificial about Royal St George’s; there is a natural look and feel to the course that blends beautifully into the surroundings. With wild flowers, dune grasses and the sweet song of the lark. Commanding views over Pegwell Bay and the white cliffs of Dover ensure an amazing experience. All the holes are very different and memorable, a true sign of a great golf course.