Breaks for the very elderly

Roughly where are you and how far are you happy to travel? And would that be by car or public transport? That information would help people to offer ideas.

Oh thanks, I should have thought of that. We're in the North of England and he would insist on driving himself. 150 miles might be a sensible distance - so the Midlands, or N Wales or S Scotland?
Don't mind spending money on a few luxuries, but object to throwing it away on facilities we won't use.

TBH if all he wants to do is relax, sit in the sun (assuming there is any!) and read, I should imagine that’d be the best thing for him.

If I were you I’d pick an area and look for ‘better’ hotels, perhaps starting at 4 star I’m sure there’ll be plenty that offer peace in lovely surroundings, but that don’t provide all that entertainment. Each to their own, but I’d run a mile from that, too.

Anglesea perhaps. Beaumaris is a lovely town with things to see if the weather is not that warm, small enough that everything is an easy walk.

Lytham St Annes is lovely and quiet. Also if you get bored you can leave him to relax and pop into Blackpool on the tram.

Could you go to a spa hotel where you can have some treats as well? and he could relax in a nice quiet sitting area if it isn't sunny.. I agree with him I couldn't bear entertainment

What do you want to do while is sleeping? Do you drive? There are some lovely hotels around but if you want to be more active whilst he is sleeping during the day, you need to choose maybe a small but interesting town, coastal or inland, and be located where you can potter around. Check the area is not too hilly, if that is important.
One example on the east coast is Hornsea which is flat, or Filey which is more hilly. Both are in Yorkshire. Inland there is Beverley, a lovely market town with two beautiful churches, a canal, racecourse and buses / trains to eg York.
In the Midlands you might like Rutland. There are some lovely hotels near Rutland Water, and Barnsdale Gardens. Oakham and Uppingham are pretty little towns.

I would recommend the following, Swinton Park at Masham, Lake Vyrnwy North Wales, Eltermere Inn Lakes or Rudding Park Harrogate.

There are some very good ideas here, but as your husband is “taking lots of pills for a heart condition” is “breathless, lethargic and depressed” and “looking very ill and tired” are you really happy with the thought of him driving 150 miles just for a short break?

I would be very concerned.

A lovely country house hotel closer to home would be much more relaxing for you both.

I agree Everdene should he be driving at all if he has possible heart problems

Are you near the Peak District. There are some hotels that are quiet and peaceful with lovely views. Not far from Manchester if you in that part of the North. On the other side Northumbria is is beautiful.

BlueBelle

I agree Everdene should he be driving at all if he has possible heart problems

You can drive quite safely with a heart condition. Your doctors will tell you if you cannot. DH has heart trouble and can drive 150 miles without any problem.

I have a heart condition and take medication. My cardiologist has informed me that I am safe to drive.

M0nica

“ You can drive quite safely with a heart condition”

Of course.

I am actually more concerned about the impact that his other symptoms ( breathlessness, lethargy and tiredness) might have on his driving, and also the fact that the OP doesn’t know why her husband is taking “numerous pills each morning for a heart condition” .

I wouldn’t want to risk driving 150 miles if I had those symptoms.

I wouldn’t bother to drive very far at all. You can go to the next town with a good hotel and enjoy the peace there.

I would agree with the suggestion of a Spa Hotel. I know a good one but unfortunately it's near me, and I live in the south ( Berks). But I'm sure there must be others near you. I'm thinking that you could have massages, use the swimming pool and possibly enjoy other relaxing treatments. Do hope you find something suitable

midgey

I wouldn’t bother to drive very far at all. You can go to the next town with a good hotel and enjoy the peace there.

I agree. You just need to be far enough away from home so you dont look at each other and say 'Let's go home'. A spa hotel about 30 miles away might be ideal? Best wishes,

I would suggest the Lake District, as that would not be far to drive and has quite a range of possibilities. I took my husband to a lovely hotel near Ambleside , which was a treat for his birthday and had a jacuzzi etc in the room, beautifully peaceful in its own grounds but just between Ambleside and Windermere. Think it was called Middlewood, but not sure. You could just check hotels in that area.

One of the good things there is your options are quite varied, to suit your own interests. I used to work for National Trust in that area ,and if you are members there are quite a few places in the area. Some lovely gardens to visit and you could also have some rather peaceful but enjoyable times if you chose to go on a boat on either windermere or ullswater.
Then at the more southern end of the lakes you have Newby Bridge where there is a hotel and in that area there is a sculpture walk in Grizedale forest, and dont know if it is still available , but they did have a little submarine from newby bridge area but couldnt see much in the gloom. Dont know if it is still there but you could actually go in a hot air balloon there.

Also there is quite a bit of public transport , so that you could actually have a really good time leaving your car at the hotel and getting a bus, so that you could just enjoy looking at all the scenery, without worrying about parking or watching the road.

If he insists on driving a lot, I also suggest what I always do when travelling. Take a box with you with plates and cutlery, mugs etc etc and thermos etc. You do not have to use it all the time, but it is very good if you want to buy some food in say Ambleside where apple pie house sells lots of good food and had wonderful custard tarts to my memory. Not only cheaper than eating in a cafe all the time , but the great pleasure of being able to drive - in the weekdays when it is quieter - to whatever you fancy. A quiet drive through some woods, or up to Kirkstone Pass or whatever and you then have the flexibility to just stop at somewhere that appeals to you, and can sit in the peace and quiet and enjoy a lovely view to yourselves. Then you are not forced to go into a town just because you are hungry. I also have a folding chair and both sunglasses and a fleece at the ready for comfort, which allows you to be totally independant. (Of course I take all my litter home!)

An even closer place you might like to consider is Saltburn. It is a favourite place of mine, with lovely clean beaches, a great funicular to go down to the beach or the pier, and very quiet with a little railway and some gardens above the beach. But again there you have the peace and quiet and then you could go to Scarborough, Bridlington or Whitby easily from there for a wide range of possibiities. The bus ride along the coast is also very good if you dont want to drive. So you would have coast and also the north york moors close by. You could also enjoy the peace of the wolds and could travel to York.

I hope this gives you some idea that might help and that you have a lovely time wherever you get to. If you stay in Yorkshire of course you then have York and Harrogate if you want a time in a more built up area and there will be public transport to them too. The Park and Ride is definitely the best way to visit York without strtess. Enjoy whatever you choose.

Some nice places I can think of York, Harrogate, Warwick or Cotswolds. I agree with the others I would be looking at nice hotel with nice grounds, spa if wanted in an interesting town, so you mooch about coffee shops/castles/river etc. Maybe look on Tripadvisor.co.uk or google boutique hotels?

Head for the nearest coast. Sea views (perhaps a stroll) are therapeutic. Stay in a nice hotel, perhaps just bed & breakfast and eat out in the evenings so you’re not in the same dining room for meals. I hope whatever you decide that you both have a wonderfully relaxing break. It sounds well deserved.

S Scotland. I've been all over Scotland except the Western Isles. But the area of S Scotland is particularly beautiful and relaxing, and the time of year you are going it is at its best. Ideal for people looking for peace and quiet. Get a holiday cottage if you can manage, preferable to a hotel. My favourite area East Lothian. There are midges but they are not as active as in other areas of Scotland

I agree S Scotland Kelso would be a good base. There are attractions within a short drive or just stay in the town.

If you can take a look at the Visit Scotland/Visit Wales pages and look at luxury hotels there are a few that are in large country houses with large grounds surrounding them. You can both relax and recuperate and still have something nice to look through the window. When you are there try and get out into the fresh air for a stroll around the grounds either in the morning of early afternoon, tell him he can have a little nap then before getting up and dressed for dinner. I would also try and find at least 2 places to visit, near by just get him out and about a bit so you feel as if you have had a break.

If resting and reading is what he wants to do, then I would suggest a good quality hotel nearby. Do you have any quiet seaside resorts nearby? This way, you would be able to go for a walk along the prom or look at the shops while he is resting. A newspaper or good book and an ice cream or coffee can be enjoyable small pleasures. We were on holiday in Devon a few years ago and there was a very elderly couple with their friend. They lived about ten miles from the hotel and had a lovely, relaxing time.