Hotel Breaks: 2 nights for 1 with The Independent

A short break in a country hotel is an ideal way to ease the pressures of modern life. And when that break means that for every night you stay, another night's accommodation and breakfast is available completely free then the living really is easy.

That's exactly what is available to Independent readers who take advantage of our 2 For 1 promotion.

We have arranged that participating hotels in the MinOtel consortium will provide one night's accommodation plus breakfast free of charge for every night's accomodation plus breakfast that is booked and paid for at the normal rate. Rates are based on a double room so you and your partner could, for instance, take a six-day break in The Highlands and only pay for three nights.

There are more than 100 MinOtel hotels participating in this offer and they are located from Cornwall to the north of Scotland. All hotels offer top-class comfort and service and pride themselves on providing a personal service that many larger establishments cannot match.

You could explore Torquay and the surrounding Devon countryside using the Blue Haze Hotel as your base. Set in beautiful grounds on a quiet country lane by the sea, the hotel offers superb accommodation and has a deserved reputation for serving excellent regional specialities in its restaurant. A double room costs £54 a night - so that means you and your partner can stay for TWO nights for that price.

To qualify for your 2 For 1 break, you must collect FIVE differently numbered tokens from The Independent and send them off with an SAE to receive a 2 For 1 Voucher redeemable at any of the participating hotels. Token 3 is printed today and further tokens will be published during the week. Throughout the week we will also be printing a complete list of the participating hotels in England, Scotland and Wales.

When you have collected your five tokens, simply send them off with an SAE to the address printed in the Terms and Conditions. You will be sent an Independent 2 for 1 Voucher and a Confirmation Booking Form. Then simply select a hotel from the lists to be printed, and telephone the hotel to make a reservation, stating clearly that you are an "Independent 2 for 1 Voucher holder". If accomodation is available you can confirm the reservation over the telephone by giving your credit card details and you do not need to send a written confirmation. However, if you do not have a credit card you must send the Confirmation Booking Form together with a personal cheque, made payable to the hotel, to cover the cost of each night's bed and breakfast, at the normal rate, in order to receive a free night for each night's accomodation booked. You must present your voucher on arrival at the hotel.

Using your 2 For 1 Voucher you can have an extended break at a price that will leave you relaxed.

1) To participate in our MinOtel 2 For 1 offer, you need to collect 5 differently numbered tokens. Send them with a SAE to: The Independent/MinOtel 2 For 1 Offer, PO Box 83, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL7 1TT in exchange for your Independent 2 For 1 Voucher.

2) For previously published tokens, send a SAE to: The Independent/MinOtel 2 For 1 Token Request, PO Box 250, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL7 1TU. State the tokens you require. Requests must be received by first post 17 April 1995.

3) You can use your voucher on one occasion only. Vouchers must be presented on arrival at the hotel.

4) Vouchers are valid until 30 June 1995. The offer is subject to availability and excludes all Bank Holiday weekends.

5) There is no cash alternative.

6) The offer does not apply to any other meals or services provided by the hotel. The vouchers cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer, saving or discount scheme, that may be available at the hotel.

7) One child under the age of 12 years at the time of booking, and sharing a room with two adults will be accommodated free of charge, but any meals taken, including breakfast, must be paid for.

8) If you decide to take a break for an odd number of nights, your 2 for 1 bill will be rounded up to the nearest whole day, ie: if you stay for 5 nights in total you will pay for 3 nights accommodation. However, you can book for 6 nights and still pay for only 3 nights.

9) Hotline for hotel queries only is 01253 292000.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE: The Stage Hotel, Gregory Boulevard, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG7 6LB. Tel: 0115 960 3261. £47.50 (Double Room). April - June.

52 Bedrooms refurbished to a standard 3-Star, half mile from the city.

OXFORDSHIRE: Westwood Country, Hinksey Hill Top, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 5BG. Tel: 01865 735408. £80.00 (Double Room).

Privately owned hotel near Oxford, own nature reserve, rooms en-Suite.

HAMPSHIRE: Seacrest Hotel, 11/12 South Parade, Southsea, Hampshire, PO5 2JB. Tel: 01705 733192. £60.00 (Double Room). April - June.

A comfortable 2-Star hotel in premier location boasting superb seaviews.

WEST SUSSEX: Chequers Hotel, Church Place, Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 1AD. Tel: 01798 872486. £75.00 (Double Room). April - June.

Small luxury country hotel in glorious Sussex countryside.

WILTSHIRE: Grasmere House Hotel, 70 Harnham Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 8JN. Tel: 01722 338388. £65.00 (Double Room). April - June.

Delightful private hotel set in 1.5 acres of grounds with views of watermeadows and Salisbury Cathedral.

SOMERSET: Devonshire Arms, Long Sutton, Nr. Langport, Somerset, TA10 9LP. Tel: 01458 241271. £55.00 (Double Room). April - June.

A lovely comfortable hotel known for its' good food.

NORFOLK: Sutton Staithe Hotel, Sutton, Norfolk Broads, Norfolk, NR12 9QS. Tel: 01692 580244. £49.00 (Double Room). Not June.

Family run hotel, riverside on the Norfolk Broads.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE: Jessop House Hotel, 65 Church Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 5RZ. Tel: 01684 292017. £69.50 (Double Room). April - June.

Elegant grade 2 listed building, family run, ideal for touring the Cotswolds.

SUFFOLK: Brandon House Hotel, High Street, Brandon Thetford, Suffolk, IP27 0AX. Tel: 01842 810171. £65.00 (Double Room). April - June.

AA and RAC 3-Star Georgian hotel built in 1790.

NORFOLK: Green Farm Hotel, North Walsham Road, Thorpe Market, Norwich, Norfolk, NR11 8TH. Tel: 01263 833602. £75.00 (Double Room). April - June.

16th Century house hotel, en-Suite rooms, fresh fruit, flowers, chef proprietor.

DEVON: Blue Haze Hotel, Seaway Lane, Torquay, Devon, TQ2 6PS. Tel: 01803 607186. £54.00 (Double Room). April - June.

Open fire, unhurried English breakfasts, delicious home cooking, lovely grounds.

CORNWALL: Hundred House Hotel, Ruan Highlands, Truro, Cornwall, TR2 5JR. Tel: 01872 501336. £70.00 (Double Room). April - June.

Delightful country hotel, near sea, beaches and quaint fishing villages.

KENT: Russell Hotel, 80 London Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1DZ. Tel: 01892 544833. £82.00 (Double Room). April - June.

Victorian hotel near town centre, all en-Suite, excellent food.

WORCESTERSHIRE: White Lion Hotel, Upton-Upon-Severn, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR8 0HJ. Tel: 01684 592551. £74.00 (Double Room). April - June

16th Century Coaching inn with Georgian and modern additions made famous in Fieldings 'Tom Jones'.

NORTHUMBERLAND: Warkworth House, 16 Bridge Street, Warkworth, Northumberland, NE65 0XB. Tel: 01665 711276. £72.50 (Double Room). April - June.

Country house set at the heart of a small village.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE: Tudor Gate Hotel, High Street, Finedon, Wellingborough, Northants, NN9 5JN. Tel: 01933 680408. £70.00 (Double Room). April - June.

Delightful 17th century hotel, 3 four posters, lovely restaurant.

LANCASHIRE: Cranberry Hotel, Wigan Road, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 0BZ. Tel: 01942 243519. £57.00 (Double Room). April - June.

Ten bedrooms, large carpark, easy to find off M6 junction 25.

NORTH YORKSHIRE: Ashcroft Hotel, 294 Bishopthorpe Road, York, North Yorkshire, YO2 1LH. Tel: 01904 659286. £70.00 (Double Room). Not 16- 18/5 and 16-17/6.

Former victorian mansion set in 2.5 acres with imaginatively decorated bedrooms.