On the Thames and Kennet rivers, Reading is a commercial centre where there are lots of attractions. It has easy access to surrounding cities and at the same time it’s close to beautiful Berkshire countryside, making it a great place for a spa day or break.
Home to the Reading music festival, as well as a popular university, the town sits on the Thames Path, which provides a popular walking route. There are plenty of pubs and cafes to pop into or you can check out the wildlife at View Island, which was upgraded from derelict boatyard to nature reserve around 20 years ago.
Reading has a lot of history to its name, not least at the ruin of its formerly impressive Abbey, where Elizabeth I once stayed and where a portion of it once became the jail that held Oscar Wilde. Take boat rides on the canal, visit nearby Highclere Castle where Downton Abbey was filmed or place your bets at Newbury Racecourse not far away.
Whether you want to spa in the centre or Reading or in the surrounding countryside there are plenty of options to choose from. Crowne Plaza Reading East is perfect for groups who want to head out in the evening and Roseate Reading has been described as the ‘UK’s sexiest townhouse hotel’.
