Hotels with pianos, Playing pianos in hotels in the UK Options

[Nick Inman]

I have been fortunate in going to a hotel in the Lake District for a few years with a reasonable grand piano, Broadwood, where I can practice in peace in the late afternoon because it is in the dining room where nobody goes at that time of day. Often the nice hotels that have decent pianos are quite expensive, the hotel I know in the lakes have just put their prices up considerably (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
It would be lovely to know if anybody else has found a nice reasonably priced hotel in the UK with a nice grand piano in a good position for practising in peace, where the owners are happy for you to play to a reasonable standard.
I'm particularly interested in hotels in good walking country e.g. the Lakes, Cornwall, Wales, Yorkshire, Derbyshire etc.

[Yoshifumu]

I have been fortunate in going to a hotel in the Lake District for a few years with a reasonable grand piano, Broadwood, where I can practice in peace in the late afternoon because it is in the dining room where nobody goes at that time of day. Often the nice hotels that have decent pianos are quite expensive, the hotel I know in the lakes have just put their prices up considerably (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
It would be lovely to know if anybody else has found a nice reasonably priced hotel in the UK with a nice grand piano in a good position for practising in peace, where the owners are happy for you to play to a reasonable standard.
I'm particularly interested in hotels in good walking country e.g. the Lakes, Cornwall, Wales, Yorkshire, Derbyshire etc.

There's a place in seatoller (borrowdale in the lakes) that my family usually go to. They have an upright, fairly old, not in the best condition, but playable. It's not a hotel either, but a house. However the service is pretty good (there are people who go there who have been coming for the last 50 years odd) and you usually have to book a bit less than a year in advance to get in.

I don't know if that is the kind of thing you're looking for.

Edit: it's called seatoller house and hosts two annual hunts in borrowdale (Trevelyan and Trinity). It's owned by some people from cambridge uni so has some history behind it

[soccermom]

Does your normal hotel already have a regular pianist? If not, you could try negotiating a substantial discount in return for playing during dinner. It sounds from your profile that your playing would be up to it.

[miffy]

Are you a member of the ISM? I have seen adverts for hotels/holiday rents with pianos in their classifieds sometimes. They may be able to help.

[Gertrude]

Do you really mean -practice- or do you mean -play through my pieces- , because my practicing would drive anyone in the building crazy!

[Benjy]

Do you really mean -practice- or do you mean -play through my pieces- , because my practicing would drive anyone in the building crazy!

But they're one and the same thing to me. I was once told that it's not the most efficient way to learn, would you believe!

[sbhoa]

Do you really mean -practice- or do you mean -play through my pieces- , because my practicing would drive anyone in the building crazy!

But they're one and the same thing to me. I was once told that it's not the most efficient way to learn, would you believe!

It usually takes me a lot of time and effort to get to the stage where I can play through.
To be able to practise just by playing through takes even longer. getting to the point of being able to play through doesn't mean I've passed the point where sections (of varying lengths) still need plenty of repetitive practice.

[chris13]

The Grassinton House Hotel have a grand piano (YAHAMA I think) in the dining room. They have a web site www.grassingtonhousuehotel.co.uk.

[chris13]

The Grassinton House Hotel have a grand piano (YAHAMA I think) in the dining room. They have a web site www.grassingtonhousuehotel.co.uk.

Sorry misspelt the website name in previous message.

I have played an upright piano in the Holiday Inn Harrogate but this was about 5 years ago.

[Nick Inman]

Thanks for all the interesting comments so far.............

Yes, I've been told my performing standard, when I've practised enough, is above diploma.

Practising can have some monotany in it but can still sound nice. When I visited the Fayrer Garden House hotel in the lakes, the piano was in the dining room, having the door shut in late afternoon, I tended to disturb very few people and those who did hear either thought it was a CD or quietly commented they'd been told there was a pianist in the hotel, I rarely admitted to who it was (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif))

The 5 star (two rosette) hotel in Grassington looks very nice and, I suspect, a bit pricey (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)) Fayrer is 3 star (was two rosettes) and was around ?80 DBB until recently, now over ?100.

Playing pianos in National Trust properties can be fun too, Lanhydrock in Devon is probably my favourite, lovely light oak Steinway in a beautiful long upstairs study, but you have to learn to ignore the other visitors (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif))

Other hotel suggestions would be very interesting, keep them coming (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif))

[chris13]

Low Wood Hotel, Windermere, has a fully refurbished grand which guests can use if the conference centre isn't busy.
The Midland Hotel, Morecambe, has a white upright in the reception area but it has been locked when I have visited.
The Lancaster House Hotel, near Lancaster had a baby grand when I visited about 3 years ago.

[VH2]

Do you really mean -practice- or do you mean -play through my pieces- , because my practicing would drive anyone in the building crazy!

But they're one and the same thing to me. I was once told that it's not the most efficient way to learn, would you believe!

It gets you there eventually. It is not as bad as some books and web sites would have you believe. In fact some of it is is an essential part of learning a piece. But there are much faster ways to learn.