John Bellamy

Your host at Hamilton Hall

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HAMILTON HALL
'a hotel with a soul'




















 

A few words from your host

John Bellamy

although having said that -
he most certainly
is not a man of few words... ha ha

'No la la music -  staff who do not speak English, plastic style or tastless decor.'

 

' Having stayed at many small hotels and B&B's,  I have found that all too often you get very little input and conversation from the staff and/or owners except banal small talk which ultimately  is boring and meaningless.  Some times this is exactly what you want, and  if all you want is your anonymity and a faceless establishment filled will la la la music and  staff who hardly speak English, then go somewhere else, as there are plenty of  Travel Lodges, Best Westerns and Holiday Inns and many venues that claim to be gay friendly.

However - if you would rather stay at a hotel with personality - that touches you with an atmosphere and a gentle peace that uplifts from the moment you walk in - then welcome to Hamilton Hall.

If you want to enjoy some in depth conversations,  enjoy sharing in a passionate debate on life, death and the universe,  getting your gray cells working and your passions and beliefs shared with others, through an educated approach and not through ignorance,  and if you enjoy sharing and hearing opinions on matters that concern us all  and you may be searching for more depth, more educated inputs and more meaning to life,  and you also enjoy a good laugh and joke and nothing too heavy -   then  Hamilton Hall will excite you, thrill you, scare the pants off you at times - in a nice fun way - and tempt you down a path of inner thought and outer growth in a world where questioning anything,   is in itself questioned,   then welcome to my world and my hotel -  Hamilton Hall - a HOTEL WITH A SOUL - a hotel to chill out in and find and share some truths and some answers. 

We are - quite simply - unlike anywhere you have stayed at before.

I have stayed at numerous small hotels over the years and found most to be lacking. I was recently offered a single room with a double bed squeezed in,  with nowhere to hang clothes except on the back of the shower room door, and nowhere at all to put anything except on the floor. It had no fire precautions, emergency exits or smoke detectors and yet charged the same as we do, which seemed  really excessive.   I was with a friend who is 6'4"  tall and I accept the bed was too short for him,  and with the room being so small, it made us both feel really claustrophobic.  Dinner was £15 each and we were offered a half cold main course and a desert that was plainly a few days old, and I wanted to do a 'Hotel Inspector' and have a chat with them in the morning about how bad it all was - but didn't - and we left - never to return - and sadly more people will be offered bad rooms, bad food, bad service and bad venues up and down the country - and when you watch the TV programme 'Hotel Inspector' - it beggars belief how some people get it so wrong. 
I have also stayed in venues where no one spoke a word to us - and unless we asked for something - we barely even got a smile let alone acknowledgement that we were alive and breathing. 
Hamilton Hall is so different - and for example, if it is quiet around here and we only have one or two staying, I often invite them to my own studio apartment above the hotel to watch a movie or  to sit and chat and share a laugh, and often guests will accompany me with my dog for a nice long walk in the afternoon somewhere pretty,  as this is what being a host is all about - not anonymous.

Having said that - ha ha - I sometimes have a bad day like anyone else and I have my  limits,   and if you get me on a bad day when I am stressed or a bit pissed off, my apologies. I work 15/7/52 FOR NO WAGES - and it is exhausting some times and I ask your understanding and appreciation.  If you set out to deliberately antagonise and annoy, ( which some do )  I am not afraid to speak up and expect you to accept your part in whatever 'goes down.'   If you do not like it - then tough.  No one hates this more than I do and being human, I do have 'my moments' - just as you sometimes have yours.

So as it says as you come into Hamilton Hall - BE NICE OR LEAVE.

As with anything in life - YOU ONLY GET OUT OF LIFE, WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO PUT IN.

In Peace

John Bellamy
Your host at Hamilton Hall

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an e mail from  customers

May 2011
Dear John.  I just wanted to say a big thankyou to you all.
First and foremost John.  You deserve the name of 'human being' in the best sense of it = lively, responsible, able to take and give, caring and trying to make the most if everything. I think you've done a fantastic job so far.  Keep up the good work.  Nick:

Don't tell, but you're my favourite - always cheerful and friendly - I've loved your 'Good Mornings'.   I wish you all the best.Simon: 

Thankyou for being there, quiet and peaceful. Hope you'll all keep well and continue living intensely in the here and now.
Love Didier
 

November 2011

Dear John:  What can I say but Thank You.  Never have I known such kindness and consideration towards a complete stranger - as when I arrived, your smile and cuppa was a warm and friendly welcome.  Your helpers Nick and David were a delight and spending the evening wth you all up in your private room watching TV and having a laugh was a most welcome and refreshing change to what I have experienced at gay hotels before.  It was exactly why I chose your venue after reading your web site and feeling it was right for me to come.  Your hotel is superb but it is nothing without you John, and the brilliant team you have around you.  Absolutely spot on.
Jeremy M. ( Newcastle )
 
Feb 2012
Sorry I had to dash off so quickly as I was really enjoying the ambiance and peace of the place, but with my Mother being taken into hospital, I had to dash off.  Glad to say, all was fine.  I shall certainly return as the atmosphere amnd calmness of the place was exactly what my heart and soul needed.  Nigel ( Newcastle )

Hi John
This is first time I have managed 5 mins to catch up with you.
Apologies I couldn't find you before I had to leave but did leave a message to say goodbye. I have to thank you for such a special weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. My one regret was not spending more time with everyone.   Everyone guests, staff and yourself made me feel like being part of a family which I sometimes miss. It was great being able to switch off and be myself again even if only for a short while. My business partner and I will soon be doing a grand tour of the UK and Bournemouth is on the agenda. I have told him all about your home and we would love to be able to stay with you for a few nights .....if you would have us that is !  Take good care of yourself and I hope Matts first day at school went well
Send my love to all and hopefully see you soon

Glyn